Biarritz is a town and commune which lies on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast, in southwestern France. The Bay of Biscay is an arm of the NortH Atlantic Ocean. It lies along the western coast of France from Brest south to the Spanish border, and the northern coast of Spain. Large parts of the bay are shallow water lying above the continental shelf, and the region is well known for rough seas. Surfing at Biarritz is of a world-class standard, and the town has a strong surfing culture. Biarritz has had a long made its fortune from the sea: originally a whaling village, in the 18th century doctors recommended that the ocean at Biarritz had therapeutic properties, inspiring patients to make a pilgrimage to the beach for cure for their ailments.