Frédéric Malle was born into perfume. His grandfather, Serge Heftler-Louiche, founded Parfums Christian Dior in 1947, and his mother later served as the house’s art director, helping shape some of its most recognizable fragrances. Malle took a less direct route into the family trade, studying art history in New York and London before learning the technical side of perfumery at Roure Bertrand Dupont, a prestigious laboratory.
After years working as a consultant to some of the industry’s biggest names, he founded Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle in 2000. Rather than asking perfumers to work from a marketing brief, Malle invited them to create the fragrances they wanted to make, with few restrictions on ingredients or cost. He also credited each perfumer by name on bottles, something the industry rarely did at the time. The result helped usher in the modern era of luxury fragrance.
Malle lives in New York with his family (full disclosure: AIR MAIL Associate Editor Jeanne Malle is his daughter), but travels to his family home in Saint-Jean-de-Luz on holidays. Here, he shares his guide to the Basque Country.
REKONDO
The Spanish part of the Basque Country has many chi-chi gastronomic restaurants, but Rekondo is perfect for a comfortable and festive dinner. I love it for its terrace, its traditional cuisine, and its amazing wine cellar. (rekondo.com)
La Viña
If you’re in a pilgrimage mood and willing to wait in line for hours, go to La Viña, a bar in San Sebastián where the original Basque cheesecake was invented. It’s worth the torture. If you want to eat standing up, like a horse, you can also walk around the Old Town, where you’ll find many delicious tapas bars. You’ll just have to forget the Ozempic for a while. (lavinarestaurante.com)
pETIT GRILL BASQUE
There are great restaurants on the French side of the Basque Country. My favorite ones are the most unpretentious. This small and cozy restaurant is in the middle of historic Saint-Jean-de-Luz. I find their food super inventive and refined. (instagram.com)
OSTALAPIA
Located on a rustic farm in the countryside behind Biarritz and Saint-Jean-de-Luz, this restaurant is perfect for a simple but heavy-duty meal. You have to be in the mood for a gigantic but perfectly cooked côte de boeuf, boudin, and fries! (ostalapia.fr)
La Plancha d’Ilbarritz
Lunch on the beach at La Plancha is simple and feels like a holiday. (instagram.com)
Le Madrid Guéthary
Le Madrid, in the super scenic town of Guéthary, is my favorite spot for a late afternoon drink because of its view and its sympathique crowd. (lemadrid.com)
Pâtisserie Etchebaster
Saint-Jean-de-Luz has great patisseries; Echebaster is renowned for its hot chocolate, which one can drink in their very pretty shop in the middle of town. (instagram.com)
MAISON PARIèS
The world’s best Gâteau Basque à la crème—a traditional cake we often have for dessert at lunchtime. Forget the chocolate and fruit flavors—they are for amateurs! (paries.fr)
Axel Lerga Private Surf School Biarritz
Axel is a magician! He and his team of top surfers can make an elephant surf! Super fun if you are ready to lose some calories. (privatesurfschoolbiarritz.com)
Golf de Biarritz le phare
Discovered by the Brits at the end of the 19th century, Biarritz’s golf course is the second-oldest in France. A sort of French Saint Andrews, where everyone can play. (golfbiarritz.com)
Museo Cristóbal Balenciaga
Cristobal Balenciaga was Basque and remained connected to his homeland all his life despite his triumphal success in Paris. His hometown, Getaria, holds my favorite fashion museum in the world. I love its collection, and the fact that it helps one understand where Balenciaga really came from. (cristobalbalenciagamuseoa.com)
MUSÉE BONNAT-helleu
Musée Bonnat just re-opened. It’s probably the best art museum in the region. Léon Bonnat, one of the most acclaimed French portrait painters of the 19th century, was an avid collector, and a good one! He gave everything to his hometown. (https://mbh.bayonne.fr/)
Chillida-Leku
The estate of Eduardo Chillida—a local, earthy, powerful, and spectacular sculptor—owns this very beautiful foundation that anyone can visit. (museochillidaleku.com)
Cazaux Biarritz
The Cazaux family has been making the loveliest ceramics since the 1930s, in their personal interpretation of the Art Deco style. I particularly love their tiles, but one can also find beautiful objects when visiting their store in the heart of Biarritz. (instagram.com)
IRUELA
A flight into the old world, where you’ll find the same clothes we used to wear as children—and that Spanish kids still wear—alongside beautiful nightgowns and towels. (irulea.com)
Les HALLES DE BIARRITZ
An epicenter of good life, where one can find a huge variety of amazing ingredients, or have lunch or un café on the terrace of a nearby restaurant. It’s a central part of my “vacation mode.” (halles-biarritz.fr)
Maison Arosteguy
The best, super refined épicerie—or small grocery store—in the center of Biarritz. It hasn’t changed since I was a kid. (arosteguy.com)
The Back Country
One can also choose to drive towards the back country and walk up the mountains that are incredibly close, beautiful, and devoid of tourists.