After grabbing a quick breakfast at the hotel, I got an early start, caught the Navette to the train station and hopped a train over to Saint Jean de Luz, a fishing village on the coast about 20 minute ride away. The train station was just above the big covered market, which in addition to being in full swing was surrounded by booths and merchants on the outside as well. All kinds of great smells from cheeses to Paella to Thai food. Had a coffee and did a little walk around, before doing the standard Petit Train tour. Always a quick and easy way to get an orientation to a new place in France. After spending an inordinate amount of time choosing a place for lunch, one had Skate wing, so that won out. Unfortunately they didn’t work great magic with it and Sotto Mare in SF as well as Le Sancerre in Paris does a much better job, oh well. Quick 10 minute TGV ride to Biarritz station, which unfortunately is nowhere near the center of town, so then 20 minute bus ride down into town. Walked around and ended up on the promenade down the Grande Plage, the big beach. Lots of surfers and sunbathers but weather a little hot for hanging out. Headed back up into the town and bus due in 12 minutes that runs all the way back to my hotel, hopped on that and about 45 minutes later back at the hotel. Amazing how you can get around on transit if you no how to do it. Let me make it clear though, for this kind of winging it you absolutely need a phone that works and the right apps. In this case SNCF-Connect lets me by last minute tickets as I’m walking into the station using Apple Pay, just fabulous. I’d previously bought an all day bus Pass for under 4 euros so that I could hop on and off any of the buses without fumbling. After a cool down in the hotel, back on the plaza with a glass of rose, and plotting tomorrow’s sortie. Train leaving at 7:49am so need to be out the door of the hotel by 7:00am to get bus to station, then a long ride to Montparnasse in Paris followed by a tight change of station, 56minutes, to Gare St. Lazare. Looks like the Metro will actually be speedier than taking a taxi…Switch to pickpocket resistant pants… Then it is off to Caen in Normandy where I’m meeting Seattle friend and fellow Francophile Pam for some Normandy exploration. She has a car, something I don’t usually do, so that will open up some new areas.