MEET OUR NEIGHBORS
Because the Côte des Basques is fully part of Hotel Saint-Julien's DNA, we are always looking for inspiring experiences to help you make the most of your stay. Meet the key personalities of our neighborhood. Meet our neighbours.
The starting point of this crazy adventure is on the other side of the world, in India. Léa, who was already passionate about pastry making, realised that the Indians were very fond of Western gastronomy. She decided to return to France to train, in order to come back and open her shop in Bombay.
An opportunity in a Bordeaux restaurant made her discover this charming region, the Basque country. She then decided to move to Biarritz rather than Bombay and opened her shop next to the airport. A few months ago, she moved to the heart of Biarritz for the pleasure of locals and tourists.
Her pastel-coloured restaurant offers a wide range of pastries available by the slice, including gluten-free and lactose-free options and a weekly vegetarian menu for lunch. Léa and her team also make bespoke cakes for their customers (to be ordered in advance).12 Avenue de la Gare
Biarritz 64200
Manuel arrived in France in 2005 to play rugby, and for 13 years he played professionally for several French clubs, including Biarritz. It is in this region that he decided to come back and settle down with his wife and children. The proximity of Spain, the beach and the mountains make the Basque country an ideal living environment for him and his family.
His Argentinean roots and the passion for coffee passed on to him by his father led him to open a coffee shop in the heart of the Marché des Halles in Biarritz. A story of family, passion and sharing, as he puts it so well: "For us, coffee represents a moment of sharing with others. As an expat we wanted to offer a place where people feel comfortable, and that makes you feel closer to home, or creates a new home for you."
Manuel is the coffee expert and his wife, Pilar, has mastered the many cakes they offer to perfection. We personally have a soft spot for their cinnamon roll.Halles Centrales
Biarritz 64200
Two years ago, Carole and her daughter decided to create a concept that did not yet exist in Biarritz: a restaurant open all day with a weekly menu of fresh and local products.
They carefully selected all the vendors involved in the project, including a group of organic fruit and vegetable producers from the Landes region and an association that recovers organic waste to transform it into compost and redistribute it to local farmers.
Open all day, Nuts offers a wide choice of coffee and juices to accompany your breakfast or lunch and delicious pastries for your afternoon snack. This hybrid restaurant is led in the kitchen by Giulia, who shares her taste for Mediterranean and Oriental cuisine, particularly through her Italian roots.
Anecdote: One afternoon, two people who came to work for a few hours met at Nuts. The next day and for the rest of the week, they came together for a coffee. The first Nuts couple was formed!
2 rue du Helder
Biarritz 64200
Founded in 1875, the Arostéguy grocery store is the oldest delicatessen in France and, above all, a beautiful family affair. Pierre Arostéguy's great-great uncle founded this institution in the center of Biarritz in order to offer foreign products to the international clientele who came to stay in the Basque country. Today, this delicatessen features more than 4000 labels of rare and excellent products.
"My grandfather, with whom I worked for about ten years, taught me how to blend teas, spices, to combine flavors and we continued this tradition. It is the addition of the four generations before me that have allowed me to continue. This continuity resulted in the creation of the Maison Arostéguy brand which is now sold all over the world.
Two years ago, Pierre opened 1001 Fromages, where he offers a selection of over 150 cheeses, from the classic to the most original.
Fun fact: On a stormy evening in Biarritz, Félix, Pierre Arostéguy's grandfather, anxious to be of service to his customers, went to deliver two eggs to the occupant of the Biarritz lighthouse. Not having any change, the customer gave him a 500-franc note and told him she would come and collect it the next day. As soon as she got to her car, a gust of wind ripped off the bonnet, broke the windscreen and rushed into her mackintosh, taking the 500 franc note with it. The next day the lady came to collect his money, which he returned. He lost 500 euros twice, his windscreen and his car bonnet.5 avenue Victor Hugo
Biarritz 64200
The first “Grace” is Karen, a German who studied art and ended up working in fashion in Paris.
The 2nd “Grace” is Carole, a French archaeologist who lived in Peru for 15 years and is passionate about jewellery.
The third? Well, it’s you, the customer, who will be sublimated by their creations.
Their boutique, located a few steps from the hotel, is a cocoon tastefully decorated with the works and pieces they choose. Here you will find Karen's swimwear and clothing under the brand name Zexea, which means house in Basque; with pieces 100% made in France from eco-friendly Italian materials. And Carole's jewellery, under the brand Motché, which she creates with an artisan mastering pre-Columbian techniques and assembled in France.
For the past two years, a selection of designers has also been exhibiting in the shop. Their project is committed: "We want to promote women's creation, partly local but not only, with products made in Europe".4bis Avenue Carnot
Biarritz 64200
About ten years ago, Sara and Guillaume decided to change their lives; they left their jobs in Lille and moved to Sara's home country, Italy. Guillaume, a true epicurean and eager to work with his hands, began training as an ice cream maker with the best master gelato makers in the country. They returned to France to open their shop and naturally chose to settle in Biarritz. As Guillaume puts it so well: "Being from here, I've always spent my holidays here, so the combination of ice cream and holidays meant that we settled in Biarritz".
Their leitmotiv: everything they sell, they make themselves. From the biscuit to their famous chocolate sorbet, everything is mastered to perfection at the Dezamy.
The ice creams evolve according to the production of local farmers, their milk supplier is only 40km away from the shop; a perfect cocktail to create tasty and local ice creams.
Anecdote: They showcased their expertise to world leaders at the G7 summit
in Biarritz two years ago.11 rue des Halles
Biarritz 64200
In a retro-modern style, Louisa and Antonin have created more than a store, a place to live. Specializing in surfboards, whether for purchase, hire or subscription, Colors of Surfing has a multitude of brands and models. In parallel, they have developed their concept with a clothing corner where they present their brand with a summer and a winter collection, completed by pieces from local designers. They have also designed out a part of the shop to offer hot and cold drinks and pastries from a local shopkeeper.
In just one and a half years, they have managed to create a shop to their image: "A place to live in order to speak to everyone, surfers and non-surfers, of all ages". In order to make this rich place of life radiate, they regularly organize exhibitions and live shows in the store.
Fun fact: Due to the COVID-19 health crisis, renovations initially planned in the store were stopped before it even started. This did not stop Antonin & Louisa who renovated the whole shop, with the help of their friends : locals from the neighborhood, creating a unique bond with their neighbors.
22 Avenue de Verdun
Biarritz 64200
Passionate about surfing and photography, Sylvain Cazenave has managed to turn his passion into his job.
Like any Biarro, he started surfing on the Basque Coast in 1968, and spent his free time photographing his friends during surf sessions. He managed to work for magazines & specialised journals and then for one of the biggest sports agencies in Paris. He travelled all over the world to get unique shots, including Costa Rica, South Africa, Mentawaï, Australia and Hawaï, his best spot.
In 2014, he created with Astrid, his wife, the Sylvain Cazenave gallery in the center of Biarritz. A selection of his photographs in art prints are exhibited there, that is to say 30 unique copies of each photo.
Sylvain Cazenave is the first French surf photographer (and in the top 5 in the world), and is continuously innovating with drone photography done recently.8 rue Gambetta
Biarritz 64200
