Rocher de la Vierge
A rock joined to the coast by an iron footbridge, with the Pyrenees behind on a clear day.
Duration
30 min – 1 hr
Best time
At sunset
Open
Every day
Entry price
Free
The rock was joined to the shore on the orders of Napoleon III, who wanted it as the breakwater of a harbour of refuge — the scheme never came off. The present iron walkway is attributed to Eiffel's workshop and dates from 1887.
You go for the angle: from the rock you see the Basque coast both ways, the Grande Plage on one side, and on a clear day the chain of the Pyrenees behind. On stormy days the walkway is closed and the waves break over it.
Getting there
At the end of the esplanade, next to the Musée de la Mer. Ten minutes on foot from the Grande Plage.
What to bring
- Walking shoes
Rules on site
The walkway closes in heavy swell and the waves sweep across it: the barriers are not a suggestion. The rocks around are slippery and weed-covered.