Saint-Jean-de-Luz day trip from Biarritz
A day trip to Saint-Jean-de-Luz from Biarritz: the Grande Plage, the church where Louis XIV married, macarons at Maison Adam and the Maison Louis XIV, then the fishing port, Ciboure across the harbour and the Fort de Socoa. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Saint-Jean-de-Luz in 1 day
Day 1
Grande Plage
Sheltered sandy beach curving round the bay behind its sea walls, calm enough for swimming and lined by a promenade.
Church of St John the Baptist
Church where Louis XIV married Maria Theresa of Spain in 1660, with tiers of dark wooden Basque galleries and a gilded altarpiece.
Maison Adam
Old family pastry shop on Place Louis XIV, said to have baked macarons for the royal wedding of 1660, also selling gâteau basque.
Maison Louis XIV
Shipowner's house on the harbour where Louis XIV stayed before his wedding, shown on short guided tours from spring to autumn.
Saint-Jean-de-Luz harbour
Working fishing port between Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Ciboure, with colourful boats along the quays and fish restaurants nearby.
Ciboure and Saint-Vincent church
Basque fishing town across the harbour, birthplace of Maurice Ravel, with the octagonal bell tower of its Saint-Vincent church.
Fort de Socoa
Seventeenth-century fort at the end of the bay guarding the harbour entrance; walk out on its sea wall for the view back to town.
Getting there
Trains from Biarritz reach Saint-Jean-de-Luz in about 10-15 minutes, and the station is a short walk from the centre. Buses take about 30-40 minutes, and by car it is about 20 minutes, though parking is hard in summer.
Staying in Biarritz? This day fits into those city plans, and in the Trip Builder it is one click under each of them.
When to go to Saint-Jean-de-Luz
June to September is beach season, warm but busy, with the Fêtes de la Saint-Jean in late June. May and early autumn are calmer and still mild. The Basque coast is green because it rains often, in any season, so pack a light rain jacket.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Saint-Jean-de-Luz on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Saint-Jean-de-Luz on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Saint-Jean-de-Luz on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for France from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Saint-Jean-de-Luz
- The Maison Louis XIV opens from about Easter to the autumn holidays, mostly by short guided tour, and is closed on Tuesdays.
- Be quiet and dress modestly in the church; it is a working parish church.
- Taste the macarons at Maison Adam and a slice of gâteau basque, filled with cream or black cherry jam.
- Walk round the bay to Socoa on the seafront path; it is flat and the views back to town are lovely.
- Arrive early in summer: trains are easier than driving, as town car parks fill by late morning.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Church of St John the Baptist: Hibiscus7, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ciboure and Saint-Vincent church: Calips, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Fort de Socoa: No machine-readable author provided. Harrieta171 assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY 2.5
- Grande Plage: Giorgio Galeotti, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Maison Louis XIV: Daniel VILLAFRUELA., CC BY-SA 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
