Biarritz, an elegant seaside town on the Basque coast in south-west France, has been a popular destination ever since crowned heads from all over Europe chose it as a holiday resort in the 1800s. The area is also popular with surfers for its extensive beaches and surf schools. Le rocher de la Vierge, the emblem of Biarritz, is a rocky outcrop topped by a statue of the Virgin Mary. Accessible via a footbridge, the rock offers a panoramic view of the Bay of Biscay.