Sainte-Eugénie Church

This is the magnificent Gothic church of Sainte-Eugénie, majestically overlooking the ocean. Prior to its construction, the Notre Dame de Pitié chapel stood here. The idea of building a new church to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims dates back to the end of the 18th century. At that time, Biarritz was in the spotlight, and its main place of worship had to match its reputation! Construction began in 1854, in the beautiful Gothic style typical of the period. The church was dedicated to Sainte-Eugénie, the patron saint of the French empress Eugénie de Montijo. You only need to spend a few hours in Biarritz to become acquainted with the first name of Napoleon III’s wife, so let me briefly introduce her to you. Eugénie was the quintessential perfect princess—beautiful, gentle, intelligent, and raised in the high bourgeoisie of 19th-century Spain. She met Napoleon III in 1852, shortly before he ascended to the imperial throne. Their union was both political, to strengthen ties between France and Spain, and romantic. The Empress of the French became a significant figure of the era, admired for her elegance,she even helped establish Paris as the center of European fashion. However, Eugenie was not just there to look pretty in official photos. She played an active role in political life, often acting as a mediator between her husband and other influential figures. Napoleon III listened to her, and she helped ease tensions and facilitate dialogue to resolve social conflicts. She also engaged in numerous charitable works and philanthropic projects. After Napoleon’s defeat at the Battle of Sedan, the Empire fell. She went into exile in England, where she lived until her death in 1920. That’s it for the beautiful Eugenie. She fully deserved to have a church dedicated to her in her beloved town. Napoleon donated 30,000 francs to build the bell tower. The imperial couple attended mass in the church until the imperial chapel was built in 1864. Today, the grey stone neo-Gothic church dominates the Port-Vieux. Feel free to step inside and admire the interior. It boasts sublime stained glass windows that are well worth a visit! You’ll also find The Mathilde, a three-masted gunboat with a blue and white hull, set up as an ex-voto in the church. If you’re not familiar with the concept, ex-votos are symbolic objects hung in a church to express gratitude for an answered prayer. Nowadays, the church also hosts city art exhibitions. Take a look around before heading back to rue Mazagran.