The French Basque coast is one of the most underrated rivieras in Europe. Everyone in France knows it. Almost nobody outside France does.
That's changing. I had dinner with a French friend from the South and we talked about this area. People are choosing it over Nice and the Riviera.
I'm a Mediterranean guy with a bias, but I understand it. Green cliffs, serious surf (for those who love it), charming villages that look drawn by hand.
It's more elegant than the Spanish side, which has the bigger cities and the energy. Still, Bayonne and Biarritz give you enough city life, hospitals, an airport.
It still surprises me how some villages here, like Guéthary, essentially cost more per square meter than Nice.
If it wasn't for the rain I'd consider it myself and I can see why people would take it over the South of France every time.
Bayonne is the name I keep hearing. Probably the most underrated pick of all.
Have you ever considered the French Basque coast?