History and civilization
The earliest mention of the small Basque town is in 840, when Vikings invading Gascony settled where Biarritz is situated today. In the 1800’s the town took an immense economical leap as Europe’s royal houses started vacationing here.
Upon the invasion of Gascony in 840, the Vikings settled in Biarritz because it provided a good whale hunting location
Today’s town bears the Basque name Biarritz, but has been attested Bearriz in 1170, Bearids in 1186 and Bearritz in 1249.
The town has always made its fortune from the ocean, first as a whaling village, and in the 18th century as a recommended therapeutic location because of the ocean’s salt water.
Lastly Biarritz became renowned in 1854 when Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon the 3rd, built a palace on the beach. Along the years many monarchs have visited Biarritz as a vacation spot, including Queen Victoria, Edward VII, and Alfonso XIII of Spain.
