So I've read a lot of negative reactions to Biarritz; however, one of our interests is art deco architecture. I know the casino, aquarium, and town hall are all nice examples of the style, at least on the outside. But I'm not really seeing Biarritz market itself as an art deco destination in the way South Beach or Napier, NZ or even New York City does. Is there enough deco in Biarritz to make a daytrip worth it, or am I stretching based on some pretty pictures? Maybe a deco-oriented walking tour might be the way to go; but again, I'm only finding general walking tours, not anything specific to the topic with an architecture/history expert. Thoughts?
Posted by
Washington DC
27198 posts
I like Art Deco myself but really love Art Nouveau. As a traveler who spends a lot of time looking at architecture, I wish I could help you, but the day I went to Biarritz (day-tripping from Bayonne) was extremely rainy, so I didn't walk around as much as I normally would. I'm sure that negatively affected my reaction to Biarritz, which I didn't much care for.
If you haven't already done so, try Googling Art Deco Biarritz and following some of the links. You may uncover some additional buildings to seek out.
Posted by
248 posts
May depend on where you're day tripping from. Toward the other side of the country Nancy has some good, if scattered, sites. TI has a pretty good audio tour and guides are available.
Posted by
OP
785 posts
We'll be staying in Hendaye and day-tripping from there. We do plan to visit more widely-liked places like Bayonne, Hondarribia, and St. Jean de Luz, so time in Biarritz won't come at the expense of those. But still trying to figure out if it is worth including Biarritz at all...
Posted by
Washington DC
27198 posts
There's a privately-run museum of Asian decorative art (Musee Asiatica) in Biarritz--in case that happens to be of interest.
Posted by
Paris
9643 posts
Nancy is known for its Art Nouveau sites, not any Art Deco sites.
Biarritz definitely has the Art Deco stuff but unfortunately I don't really know how to gauge if what is there is "worth" it to you.
Posted by
Washington DC
27198 posts
Although Nancy is known for Art Nouveau architecture and has quite a lot of it, I encountered homes that looked Deco to me as I tracked down pockets of Art Nouveau houses. I have no idea how the quantity of Art Deco in Nancy compares to what you'd find in other cities--or what the best Art Deco cities would be.
Posted by
Paris
6919 posts
While there are indeed some good examples of Art Deco architecture in Biarritz, I am not sure there is enough to make it the focus of a visit. It is however a very pleasant place to visit if you are in the area!
In France, besides Paris, you will find a lot more Art Deco stuff in Nice or Reims, for example (and Nancy, too, as said above).