Biarritz is a fashionable beach town on the beautiful Bay of Biscay in France's Basque country. This celebrated seaside resort has an elegant and aristocratic air; it was a favorite destination of Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III. The imperial couple's grandiose Second-Empire-style palace has been converted into the Hôtel du Palais, a luxury hotel featuring a Michelin-starred restaurant and sensational views of the Grande Plage beach. This large sandy beach with its broad seafront promenade, has attracted high-society vacation goers since the Belle Epoque. Other must-see sights are related to the ocean: the Museum of the Sea, the Lighthouse, and the Virgin of the Rock figure that stands along the coastline on an immense rock beaten by the Atlantic's wild waves. For a taste of the town's regal past, visit the chic Miremont Tearoom that has served exceptional pastries since 1872.