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Perched above the crashing Atlantic on Biarritz’s most storied promontory, the Terrasse & Rotonde at Hôtel du Palais is a dining experience inseparable from the grandeur of its surroundings. Built as a summer villa for Empress Eugénie in 1854 and later transformed into one of France’s most celebrated palace hotels, this imperial setting lends every meal an unmistakable sense of occasion.

By day, the sun-drenched terrace operates as a refined brasserie, serving generous, locally rooted cuisine — fresh Basque seafood, seasonal produce from the Pyrenean hinterland, and expertly composed plates that honour the culinary heritage of the Atlantic coast. As evening falls, the Rotonde transitions into a gastronomic theatre, offering an ambitious dinner menu of delicate, artfully presented French cuisine accompanied by sweeping 180-degree ocean views.

The Sunday brunch has become a Biarritz institution in its own right, drawing both discerning travellers and the city’s most elegant residents. Whether lingering over a langoustine bisque or watching the surf roll in beneath a golden Basque sky, dining here is an act of pure, unhurried pleasure.