Holiday Destination: Biarritz
The former villa of the Spanish royal family you can book via DM, and the classic pumps you need in your wardrobe for any season
The best travel plans are sometimes made last minute, especially living in Europe. We don’t often plan our trips months in advance, and when we do, they always seem to change. I love keeping our schedule flexible as creatives (although we will need to plan a little more now Atlas is starting school next week). I love the freedom of just going to Saint-Tropez or London for one night, packing light and knowing the boys schedule doesn’t change too much with our work. We have such an incredible French babysitter, and don’t take any of this for granted.
We had originally planned to stay in Biarritz for two weeks in August, relaxing and exploring the nearby coastal towns with the cubs, but our plans changed with a few work opportunities. Sammy and I ended up flying to Biarritz for two nights — the longest we have been away from the boys, and it felt like a week without running after two toddlers all day. It was also so special hanging out just the two of us, as our seven year wedding anniversary is this weekend. *Sammy has just booked a flight today to Aus, leaving tonight for a week to unpack our storage unit and sell our car. When I say we book travel last minute…haha! Please let me know if you are after any furniture, or a Land Rover Defender, we have listed pieces here on Facebook marketplace.
We definitely want to return with the boys for a week or two. Biarritz reminds me so much of Bondi, with a patrolled beach (with waves!) and surf culture— but with Hermès in town.
We were deciding whether to book Hôtel Du Palais (the one we went with) or Hôtel Regina Experimental. Hôtel Du Palais is in such a beautiful location, right on the beach, and is a lot more family friendly than we thought, with a little kids pool and playground. It is the former imperial residence of Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie, and is such a stunning hotel. We didn’t really feel a connection to the property, maybe because of the scale, but I had one of the best nights sleep! Breakfast was a highlight, set in the Salon, overlooking La Grande Plage.
We went to Frenchie for dinner, the restaurant at Hôtel Regina Experimental, just a short walk away. One of the absolute best meals! The staff were so welcoming, the hotel has great attention to detail and atmosphere. We loved the design and location and would definitely book our stay here next time.
For our second night, we stayed at Villa Magnan and I couldn’t stop saying ‘wow’ the whole time I was there. About a 15 minute taxi ride out of the main centre of Biarritz, Villa Magnan is the property you dream about owning one day, hosting friends and family, drinking wine together in the jardin and playing tennis all summer.
The Marquis of Casa Riera and his wife, Blanca y Carrillo de Albornoz, who fled Spain and the fall of the Monarchy, had wanted to build themselves a palace under Italian influence in the Basque city. They stayed for a few years, before gradually abandoning the villa, where it was left for 80 years before Anne and Jérôme, a set designer and cinematographer, discovered the villa and brought it back to life.
There are six guest rooms, fitted out and disributed between the former gardeners house, the chauffeurs house, and the caretakers house, on the three hectares of the property. We had brekkie with the other guests together in the Orangery — the table was so beautifully set by Anne, as if we were at a private event.
One night here is perfect as well, especially over summer without air-conditioning or fans in the rooms. Bookings are made with Zelie over DM on their Instagram account, and rooms are very reasonably priced. Ask the team to help you make a reservation at their restaurant De Puta Madre (Tuesday to Saturday for dinner). It’s about 50m down the road, and they have a set seasonal menu. A must-do, even if you aren’t staying at the property. They had LOEWE Home Scents burning throughout the property, and I’m very tempted to order a large scented candle for home. Cypress Balls is my favourite scent.
There’s also a Deus Ex Machina in town for brekkie or lunch and Allpress coffee. I loved the ‘salade de pet pois’. A few restaurants that look incredible and are on my list for next time: Cheri Bibi, Carøe and Sillon. San Sebastián is also just over the border, about a one hour drive away. Sammy loves curating playlists, and the Biarritz one is always on repeat when I’m getting ready. You can listen to it here on Spotify.
If you’re searching for a new fragrance, I love wearing 28° by ORMAIE. I discovered it by chance at Dover Street Parfums Market in Paris, which is stunning and a must-do when you are in Le Marais. The description: It’s very warm I wander. The white flowers. The sun. I love that their fragrances are 100% natural, cruelty free and vegan. For their glass production, they exclusively use renewable energy and their wooden bottle caps are sculpted in beech wood and elm burl, from responsibly-managed forests and hand-polished.
Sammy and I also traveled to London for one night last week. We stayed in East London and walked to one of our favourite streets, Broadway market. We bought coffee, cardamon buns and muesli (to bring back to Paris) from Pavilion, and The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin and the latest issue of CR Fashion Book from Artwords Bookshop next door. On the other side of Pavilion is Haeckels. I didn’t realise until I was in store, but they also offer treatments and fully bespoke facials, with a holistic and sustainable approach to skincare.
I am also loving pumps at the moment, they help elevate a more casual look/make it feel more modern. Miu Miu have a great pair of patent slingbacks here. These Amina Muaddi PVC ones are amazing, on sale and still available in a few sizes. These Saint Laurent kitten heels are similar to a pair I already own, but I love the crystal detail. White pumps are a little more unexpected than black, but still work so well with everything. These ones in the shade mascarpone are on the top of my wishlist from Ferragamo. These leopard ones are also incredible, especially over black tights for winter.
Also, how beautiful is their FW23 campaign the Renaissance collection, photographed by Tyler Mitchell — a celebration of Florentine History and Renaissance. We are heading to Florence next month to see my brother who’s in town for a wedding. Please send me all your tips and I will share in the HOLIDAY newsletter with you all.
Ciao! x
Saasha Burns is an Australian fashion and lifestyle influencer who lives in Paris with her husband, entrepreneur Sammy Leetham, and two young boys, Atlas and Ocean. Together, they host the HOLIDAY podcast where they share personal stories, their parenting journey, travels, careers and life as a young family in Paris.