Anglet or if you would like to use the Basque name Angelu is a coastal town twenty minutes drive from Spain renowned for its 11 beaches including the famous surfing beaches of Cavaliers (with its perfect barrels when the wind and tides are right) and VVF spreading between the Cape Saint Martin and the estuary of Adour, ideal for your next holiday in the Aquitaine on the Atlantic coast of South West France.
The town is split up into 3 main parts, the Chambre d'Amour with its sand beaches, beach front restaurants, night life (try the Love Club Disco for a classic night out) surf schools and surf shops. The mid part of the town, which has an old France feeling to it, with its local bars, cafes and shops is the place to feel the Basque culture and life style and the top section where we find the airport and industrial estate hidden behind the RN 10.
The airport of Biarritz - Anglet - Bayonne is found on the N 10 about 2 km outside the town centre has regular flights to the Stansted in the UK and many other European destinations. When you fly in ot out of the airport you will get great views of the region and the coast line, so get out your camera out ..
With Biarritz train station only 3 km away to the south, with TGV connections to Bordeaux and Paris getting here by train is easy. The commune has put together a good local bus service, so its easy to get around without a car, as in the summer months the roads can be very full with frustrated drivers trying to save on the expensive tolls of the motorway running behind the town.
Sport and Activities in the Anglet region Beautiful sun sets over the ocean are a must but be careful and watch out for the powerful under currents and tides which have caught out a few unlucky lovers over the years sitting on the rocks at the La grotte de la Chambre d'Amour below the Biarritz lighthouse.
The main sun beach is found at the Chambre d'Amour, which has a great sea wall for watching the surf, or just relax at one of the sea front restaurants and take a drink on one of their terraces. The other beaches between the lighthouse and the Adour Estuary have a selection of good surf peaks including Les Dunes, L'Ocean, La Madrague, Les Corsaires, Marinella, Les Sables d'Or, VVF and The Club. Here is a surf region that gets very full in the summer.
Water sports are not the only pastime possible. Anglet boasts the Golf de Chiberta one of France's finest 18 hole golf courses ( rated amongst the top ten in France), a mixture of mature seashore and wooded parkland where you can enjoy the sea air as you tee off into one of the 7 sea view fareways before stopping off at the club house to relax. Otherwise the tennis club, equestrian centre, Natural Park "Foret du Pignada", ice skating rink and the Atlanthal spar which is only 50 m away from the beach is the place to unwind from the day to day pressures.
With Anglet's close proximity to the Pyrénées mountains which are only 20mn away, rafting, hiking, mountain biking, horse riding and other mountain activities are available on your door step for your holiday pleasure. If you feel like going further inland, have a look at Laruns (2hrs drive) where the beautiful mountain views and clean air is a great place to stop for a few days
written : 2005 / latest update : 2021
