Getting Between Stops
Biarritz has its own airport with flights from Paris, about an hour and a half. The TGV from Paris Montparnasse takes roughly four hours. Another option is to fly into Bilbao in Spain via a European hub, then drive about 90 minutes.
Biarritz to Bordeaux is about two hours by train or car. Taking the train saves you from paying for parking in Bordeaux, where the tram links the station, the river and the main neighborhoods.
For the Dordogne, a car is essential. Pick one up in Bordeaux and drive two to three hours east. Roads are narrow and parking in Sarlat and the cliff villages fills by mid-morning in summer. At the end, drive back to Bordeaux, return the car and take the TGV to Paris in just over two hours. Leave a night in Paris if your flight home is early.
Where to Stay
In Biarritz, the Hôtel du Palais sits right on the Grande Plage, with grand rooms facing the Atlantic. Around the Grande Plage and the old fishing port you can walk everywhere. The Côte des Basques side is quieter and closer to the surf schools. Guéthary and Saint-Jean-de-Luz have smaller boutique hotels.
In Bordeaux, the InterContinental Bordeaux Le Grand Hotel sits across from the opera. Les Sources de Caudalie near Martillac is a wine spa hotel among the vines. Hostellerie de Plaisance at the top of Saint-Émilion has views over the village rooftops.
In the Dordogne, Le Vieux Logis in Trémolat is a long-running country house hotel with a garden restaurant. Château de la Treyne, on a cliff above the river near Lacave, works well if you plan to visit Rocamadour. Restored farmhouses with private pools give privacy and a kitchen for market finds.
When to Go
Late May, June and September are the best months. Biarritz is warm enough for the beach, the Dordogne river is swimmable and the August crowds have not yet arrived or have gone home. September is especially good, with warm water and the start of the grape harvest around Bordeaux.
July and August are peak season. Biarritz and Sarlat get very busy, canoe launches fill and parking becomes painful. Hotels book up early, so reserve months ahead if those are your dates.
The Atlantic in Biarritz is cooler than the Mediterranean, usually in the high 60s to low 70s Fahrenheit in late summer. October is lovely in Bordeaux and the Dordogne for wine and autumn color, though beach days in Biarritz become less reliable. Winter is quiet, with many Dordogne hotels closed.
What It Costs
This region is better value than Paris or the Riviera. As an approximate guide, the Hôtel du Palais in Biarritz starts around $900 a night for two in season, while good boutique hotels nearby cost much less. Bordeaux has a wide range of comfortable city hotels, with vineyard spa hotels at the higher end. In the Dordogne, Le Vieux Logis starts around $350 a night. Farmhouse rentals can be very reasonable by the week.
Trains are inexpensive if booked early. Add a rental car for five days, fuel and tolls.
Spend on a private driver for one Médoc or Saint-Émilion tasting day, a surf lesson and a dawn balloon flight over the Dordogne castles. Canoe rentals and markets are cheap and among the best days of the trip.
Tips for the Two of You
Biarritz's Atlantic beaches can have strong currents. Swim between the lifeguard flags and listen to the lifeguards, especially on bigger swell days. Surf schools provide wetsuits and teach in gentle conditions.
Plan your wine days carefully. French drink-driving limits are lower than in most US states, so book a driver or small-group tour for the Médoc or Saint-Émilion.
Pack layers for both of you. Atlantic evenings can be cool even in summer and the Lascaux cave replica is chilly. Canoe trips need sunscreen, hats and a dry bag for phones.
The trip balances different tastes. One partner can surf while the other books a seawater spa treatment in Biarritz. In Bordeaux, one of you might choose a Médoc château while the other prefers the city's riverside cafés. In the Dordogne, cycling the old railway greenway near Sarlat is an easy shared outing.
Make It Shorter or Longer
With a week, spend three nights in Biarritz and four in the Dordogne, or three in Bordeaux and four in the Dordogne, flying in and out through Paris.
With two weeks, start with two or three nights in Paris before taking the train south. Or cross into Spain for more than one evening and add two nights in San Sebastián, under an hour from Biarritz, for a three-star dinner and swims in La Concha bay.
Couples who want more wine could add La Rioja, about two hours south of San Sebastián, or spend an extra night in a château guesthouse in the Médoc. Those who want medieval towns could add Carcassonne, a few hours southeast of the Dordogne, on the way to a flight from Toulouse.
