Surfing with style

In the 18th century many a doctor recommended that the ocean at Biarritz had therapeutic properties and people flocked to find cures for various ailments. Paula Fentiman takes a trip.

Learn to surf in a weekend: that was the challenge.

So off I went to the place where it all started in Europe 50 years ago - Biarritz in the far south-west of France - with a mixture of excitement and trepidation.

I had always liked the idea of being a surfer chick but the prospect of emulating the stars of films such as Point Break and Endless Summer seemed a little out of reach.

Nevertheless, I was looking forward to a city break with a difference - enjoying the healthy, outdoors lifestyle by the Atlantic.

While I may not have been carving the waves like a pro-surfer, I did - with a lot of patience and help from a fantastic instructor - manage to stand up on my beginner's longboard. On a few occasions I even succeeded in staying on long enough to experience the exhilaration of riding along the top of the sea.

The thrill of catching a wave and speeding towards the beautiful shoreline gave me a taste of what makes surfing such an addictive, all-encompassing lifestyle for its devoted fans.

After the adrenalin-fuelled action, the calm moments on the water allowed me to relax and take in the stunning setting, the Pyrenees rising in the distance.

During a two-night stay in the resort, which is just short of the Spanish border, I managed to fit in three lessons under the gentle tuition of Pol from Hastea Surf School on the town's Cote des Basques.

The town is completely geared up for surfing - with the beaches a short walk from the centre and huge expanses of sand and shallow surf.

A great place for food after drying off is Le Surfing, a colourful diner-style restaurant facing the beach at Cote des Basques which has a ceiling covered in surfboards new and old and walls adorned with photos and other memorabilia celebrating half a century of the sport in Biarritz.

But although the surfing and sunbathing is a big draw, there is plenty more on offer in Biarritz and the wider Basque country.

Benefiting from a mild climate and a laidback lifestyle, there are numerous other sports and outdoor activities on offer as well as good restaurants, bars and museums.

In addition, everything in Biarritz is in walking distance (there is no need for a car) set around rocky headlands which jut out between the town's two main beaches - the Grande Plage and Cote des Basques.

Biarritz has had an interesting past and has always made its fortune from the sea. It was originally a whaling settlement but in the 18thcentury doctors recommended that the ocean at Biarritz had therapeutic properties and people flocked to find cures for various ailments.

In 1854 Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III, built a palace on the beach (now the Hotel du Palais) and Biarritz became a fashionable destination for the rich, famous and aristocratic.

The charming, chic resort has diverse architecture - half-timbered villas, the grand 19th century Hotel du Palais, Art Deco properties and modern buildings such as the beachfront casino.

Refurbished and revived over the last decade or so, the seaside resort has retained its original appeal while incorporating the new additions.

The town is punctuated by distinctive tamarisk trees and hydrangea-covered banks with well-lit paths zig-zagging down to the sea.

Walk out to the viewpoint at Rocher de la Vierge (Virgin's Rock) and stroll through the town centre and Port Vieux to get a real feel for the place.

In the summer season many shops and attractions stay open until midnight, offering an unusual way to go sightseeing. (We enjoyed a crowd-free trip round the fish and seal tanks at the Musee de la Mer at 11pm). The small Port Des Pecheurs is a nice spot for a walk and an alfresco dinner.

The Le Corsaire restaurant, on the water's edge, serves beautifully-cooked local dishes focused around fresh fish and sea food.

The Basque region has a strong identity of its own, complete with its own language, Euskara, and markets and festivals continue to celebrate local traditions. Gastronomic specialities include piperade sauce, made with tomatoes, onions and sweet peppers and Pyrenean sheep's cheese served with black cherry jam.

We stayed at the clean and stylish Le Caritz hotel, overlooking the sea. Owned by the family of French rugby player Pascal Ondarts, it is in a prime location in the Old Town opposite the Plage du Port Vieux and serves good-quality food.

No city break is complete without some relaxing refreshment and Biarritz has a number of trendy venues to while away a summer's evening.

For the ultimate way to watch the sun go down, head up to the top of the cliff over the Cote des Basques to Les 100 Marches. With spectacular views and a lively atmosphere, this simple bar is a perfect place to unwind after a day in the sun.

Beyond the town, there are more beaches to explore at neighbouring Anglet, the medieval city of Bayonne (a short bus ride away) and St Jean de Luz, as well as San Sebastian and Bilbao in Spain.