Biarritz

With our new found freedom, we decided that the thing we really needed was to see the ocean. We booked two nights in an apartment in Biarritz and headed out to the coast for the first time in eight months. Our apartment was perfect. Two bedrooms, a living/dining/kitchen space, and just about 10mins walk to the beach. The forecast wasn't great and when we got there, it was absolutely hosing down but it really didn't matter. We were out of Pau for the first time since September, and we were AT THE BEACH. The howling gale blowing in our faces felt like it was actually blowing all the lockdown cobwebs away and I was beaming. 

We had arrival drinks in one of the bars overlooking La Grande Plage and relaxed into our weekend.

A bit of thinking ahead meant that we'd brought some food for an easy dinner (prawn pasta salad) and plenty of booze for enjoying the apartment once William had gone to bed. The sun came out, we played cards and had a bit of a record session, and all was well in the world. 

Full disclosure: Saturday was a good bit slower than we'd planned. To be fair, the weather in the morning was atrocious anyway but the previous nights' antics meant we didn't get going until late morning. Finally, it was off to the aquarium to check out the wonders of the deep. A decent tourist attraction, but not as good as San Sebastian. William enjoyed it though and that's the main thing. We then wandered back along the coastal path and grabbed some lunch before heading back to the apartment for a doze. 

The weather really started to clear in the mid afternoon so we got ourselves dusted down and headed back out to explore properly. We walked the northern path from La Grande Plage, right up all the steps and the hills towards the lighthouse. The views were really wonderful and, again, it was just lovely to be at the beach and feel the sea air on our skin. I'd done some research into good GF food places and, when we walked back into town, we headed straight for Le Tandem, a trendy brasserie on one of the main squares overlooking the ocean. It was everything we needed: GF listed on their menu, all day food service, child friendly and an ocean view. We got William fed almost immediately (dinner before 7pm in France is unheard of!) and he headed into the square to play with all the other kids who were running around. It meant we could enjoy glasses of fizz and some of the most delicious food I've had in France. I went for the sea bream tartar and the pork. Iain had the sardines (proper ones, not out a tin, you know!) and the grilled baby squid. Everything, and I mean everything was just brilliant.  

Suitably fed and watered we went for a post dinner wander and nightcap at one of the beach bars. It was only then that we remembered that there was still a curfew in place as the Gendarmerie were shifting people off the beach and bar owners were hurrying people out the door. Sent home before sunset! It was still beautiful though. 

The weather just got better and better as the weekend went on. We got up on Sunday morning, had breakfast, made a packed lunch, packed the car, checked out and headed back to the beach. It was simply glorious and quite a contrast to the weather we'd had on Friday evening when we arrived. We spent most of the afternoon there, playing in the sand and dipping our toes in the (freezing) water, and by the time we were in the car and heading home in the late afternoon, William was absolutely burst. 

It might've only been 48hrs away from Pau, but my God, it certainly recharged the batteries after months being stuck in the house. Here's to the next roadie. 

Lorna :-)