Rocher de la Vierge
The emblem of Biarritz: a rocky islet in the sea topped by a white statue of the Virgin Mary, linked to the shore by an iron footbridge designed by the Eiffel company.
The Rocher de la Vierge sits between the Port-Vieux and the Musée de la Mer. Legend says that whalers caught in a storm were guided to safety by a light on the rock. A statue of the Virgin Mary was erected on the rock's summit in 1865. The iron footbridge that connects the rock to shore was rebuilt by the Eiffel company at the end of the 19th century. At its end you can watch waves crash against the rocks, look north toward the lighthouse and the Grande Plage, or look south along the Basque coast. Admission is free, but the footbridge closes in high winds and heavy surf.
Opening hours
Open all day (closed on windy days)
Nearby sights
- Aquarium de Biarritz
- Port des Pêcheurs
- Plage de la Côte des Basques
- Les Halles de Biarritz
- Grande Plage de Biarritz
- Hôtel du Palais
- Russian Orthodox Church of Biarritz
- Chapelle Impériale