Let's Go Europe 2019. Harvard Student Agencies

rugged landscapes of Provence. Here, he painted like wildfire, producing over 200 works in just a few years. Every year, the Fondation Van Gogh exhibits a rotating selection of his works. Only about ten are on display at once, but the small number allows you to really take in each one at full value as you stare at each saturated color, unusual perspective, and evidence of compositional genius. After you pay your respects, tour the sleek, white galleries of Van-Gogh’s contemporaries before heading to the geometric rooftop terrace.

       i Admission €9, students €4; last entry 45min. before closing; 75min. guided tours daily at 11:30am and 3pm €4; wheelchair accessible

BIARRITZ

      Coverage by Julia Bunte-Mein

      This getaway in France’s Basque country is aware of its elite status. When Napoléon III and his Spanish wife, Empress Eugénie, started summering here in the mid-nineteenth century, it became the go-to beach resort for European royalty. Not much has changed. Today, the Hôtel du Palais still glimmers in the sunlight, and linen-clad Europeans shop at Goyard and Hermès. Despite its glamorous (read: expensive) reputation, Biarritz has at least one free source of entertainment: the ocean. Young travelers from all over the world come to cruise the swooping waves, filling up bars and clubs that would otherwise be empty.

       ORIENTATION

      Biarritz has four main beaches that stretch from the Pointe Saint Martin Lighthouse to La Plage de Milady. The downtown area is located along these beaches, and is the hub of activity in the immediate region. The seaside trail, Le Circuit Bord de Mer, will take you from the lighthouse to La Grande Plage, Biarritz’s most popular beach, passing the Hôtel du Palais. If you continue along the coast, past the Port du Pecheûr (Fisherman’s Port), you’ll run into the Pointe Atalaye, from which the Virgin Rock extends. On the southern side of the Virgin Rock lie the aquarium, Plage Port Vieux, Plage de la Côte de Basques (home to the best waves in town), Plage de la Marbella, Plage Milady, and finally La Cité de L’ocean, the ocean-themed interactive museum. A few more miles south are the towns of Bidart and Saint-Jean-de-Luz. Just inland of the coast is Rue Gambetta, Biarritz’s main drag, which leads to Les Halles, the central market. Just beyond that is Place Georges Clémenceau, a neighborhood known for its great restaurants and exciting nightlife scene.

       ESSENTIALS

      GETTING THERE

      Biarritz has its own airport situated just outside of town that receives international and domestic flights. From there, you can take Bus #6 into the city center. Gare de Biarritz is the town’s central train station. From there, it is about a 10min. drive or 20min. bus ride (#8) into the city center. Regional buses connect Biarritz to neighboring destinations like Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Hendaye, and San Sebastian.

      GETTING AROUND

      The city center of Biarritz is quite compact, and easily navigable on foot. However, the town is very hilly, and if you’re not one to enjoy hiking up hills all day, consult the bus schedule. The public buses (1hr ticket €1; 24hr ticket €2; purchase directly from driver), called Chronoplus, are the cheapest and most reliable way to get around Biarritz and the surrounding towns of Anglet and Bayonne. Bus #8 takes you from the train station to the center.

      PRACTICAL INFORMATION

      Tourist Offices: Square d’Ixelles; 5 59 22 37 00; open daily 9am-7pm

      Banks/ATMs/Currency: Barclays Bank (7 Av. Edouard VII; 5 59 22 44 44; open M-F 9am-noon, 2pm-5pm)

      Post Offices: Correus (17 Rue de la Poste; open M-F 9:30am-5:30pm, Sa 9:30am-12:30pm)

      Internet: Free, functional Wi-Fi is available in most restaurants and cafés.

      EMERGENCY INFORMATION

      Emergency Number: 112

      Police: The local police station is located 1 Av. Joseph Petit (5 59 01 22 22l; open 24hr).

      Rape Crisis Center: Rape Crisis Network Europe (01 45 88 19 00; www.inavem.org)

       Hospitals:

      • Clinic Aguilera (21 Rue de l’Estagnas; 825 13 50 64; open daily 24hr)

      Pharmacies: Pharmacie de L’Océan (7 Pl. Georges Clemenceau; 5 59 24 00 08; open M-Sa 8:30am-8pm)

       ACCOMMODATIONS

       NAMI HOUSE ($$)

      14 Rue de Tartilon; 05 40 48 02 82; www.nami-house-anglet.fr; reception open daily 8am-noon and 2pm-5pm

      Part Japanese Zen garden, part Hawaiian bungalow, and part Australian surfer hostel, Nami House feels more like a guest house than a dormitory. Nami’s interior—decorated with orchids, succulents, paper lanterns, bamboo cabinets, and large murals to create an tranquil ambience—is quite a welcome surprise compared to its relatively unassuming exterior. Enjoy a glass of wine in a chaise lounge on the terraced veranda before heading upstairs for a comfortable night in one of Nami’s spacious bunks.

       i Dorms from €28, private rooms available; reservation recommended; min. stay 2 nights; BGLTQ+ friendly; wheelchair accessible; Wi-Fi; lockers available; free breakfast

       SURF HOSTEL BIARRITZ ($$$)

      27 Av. de Migron; 06 63 34 27 45; www.surfhostelbiarritz.com; reception open Apr-Oct daily 8am-noon and 2pm-5pm

      Providing its guests with a restful night of sleep, filling continental breakfast (none of that meager bread and jam bullshit), and a complimentary board, Surf is more B&B than hostel. As its name implies, this establishment is really made for surfers, but don’t be deterred if you lack shredding experience. Surf Hostel Biarritz recently partnered with a surf school; opt into taking a lesson or pester one of your surfer bunkmates enough and you’ll be on your feet in no time.

       i Dorms from €38; reservation recommended; min. stay 3 nights; Wi-Fi; laundry facilities; free breakfast; kitchen

       SIGHTS

      CULTURE

       CHAPELLE IMPÉRIALE (PARISH OF NOTRE DAME DU ROCHER)

      4 Rue Saint Martin; 05 59 23 08 36; www.paroisse-biarritz.fr/eglises/chapelle-imperiale.php; open Jun-Sept Th, Sa 2pm-6pm; Sept-Dec Sa 2pm- 5pm; Mar-Jun Sa 2pm-6pm

      Built in 1864 near Napoleon III’s summer villa, the chapelle has a deep purple exterior that encases a Hispano-Moorish interior, decorated with wooden paneling and ornately-painted and tiled walls. Known as the “Jewel of Biarritz,” the chapel was designed by French architect Émile Boeswillwald and can be toured by appointment only. The limited hours are tricky to navigate, so make sure to plan accordingly in advance of your trip.

       i Admission €3; wheelchair accessible; guided tours available by appointment

      LANDMARKS

       PHARE DE BIARRITZ

      60 B Espl. Elisabeth II; 05 59 22 37 10; open daily 2pm-6pm

      The Phare de Biarritz, which was constructed in 1834 and is still operational, stands a whopping 73-meters above sea level, offering stunning views of the Basque coast and Atlantic Ocean. The plot of the lighthouse is