What should you know about healthcare and emergencies in Biarritz?
Emergency number
112
Police: 17. Ambulance: 15.
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: pharmaciedeshautsesbiarritz.fr, pharmaciedeshallesbiarritz.rocade.fr
Good to know
Good to Know
- Save 112 as your go-to number — it's free, works even on a locked phone or one without credit/SIM, and operators can respond in English.
- If you get a call back from a French emergency service, it will display as 0 800 112 112 — this is legitimate, not spam or a scam.
- Biarritz's coastline means 196 (maritime emergency/CROSS) or VHF Channel 16 is the right call for sea-rescue situations like surf or boating incidents.
- There is no need to download a French terror-alert app — the current system (FR-Alert) broadcasts automatically to phones in a danger zone via built-in Android/iOS cell-broadcast alerts, so just make sure your phone's emergency alert settings are switched on.
- Short numbers like 15, 17, 18 and 112 only function on a French mobile network — they won't connect if you're calling from a foreign SIM before arrival.
- For any life-threatening emergency in France, call 15 (SAMU) or the EU-wide 112 rather than driving yourself — this is what locals and residents do, and it also gets you routed to the most appropriate hospital.
- Clinique Aguiléra in Biarritz itself is the closest 24/7 ER and is well set up for general trauma and hand injuries; more severe or complex trauma cases are typically transferred by ambulance to the larger public hospital, Centre Hospitalier de la Côte Basque, in nearby Bayonne.
- During peak summer tourist season, wait times at both emergency departments can lengthen noticeably given Biarritz's seasonal population surge.
Emergency Numbers
Police
- Number
- 17
- Service
- Police Nationale / Gendarmerie
- Notes
- For crimes in progress, assaults, or road incidents requiring police intervention.
Fire And Rescue
- Number
- 18
- Service
- Sapeurs-Pompiers (fire brigade)
- Notes
- Covers fires, gas leaks, road accidents, and persons trapped; pompiers also frequently act as first medical responders, especially useful given Biarritz's semi-rural surrounding areas.
Important Caveats
- Short emergency numbers (15, 17, 18, 112, 114, 196) only work inside France and cannot be dialled from a foreign phone network before you arrive.
- 112 is free, works on locked or credit-less phones, and is the best default if unsure which service to call or if you need an English-speaking operator.
Medical Ambulance
- Number
- 15
- Service
- SAMU (Service d'Aide Médicale Urgente)
- Notes
- Dedicated line for medical emergencies and ambulance dispatch.
Maritime Emergency
- Number
- 196
- Service
- CROSS (Centre Régional Opérationnel de Surveillance et de Sauvetage)
- Notes
- Relevant for Biarritz given its Atlantic coastline and beach/surf activity; also reachable via VHF Channel 16 at sea.
Universal EU Number
- Number
- 112
- Recommended For Tourists
- Yes
- Description
- The single European emergency number, valid throughout France including Biarritz. Free from any phone, including locked phones or phones without a SIM/credit. Operators are trained to route your call to police, fire, or medical services and can assist in English.
Deaf Hard Of Hearing
- Number
- 114
- Service
- Text/SMS/video relay emergency line
- Notes
- Reach 15, 17, 18 or 112 by SMS, fax, or video relay for deaf or hard-of-hearing users.
Official Safety Apps
FR-Alert
- Type
- Government cell-broadcast alert system (not a downloadable app)
- Status
- active
- Description
- France's current national emergency population warning system, which broadcasts alerts directly to mobile phones within a danger zone (e.g., for severe weather, industrial or major public-safety incidents) using cell broadcast technology built into Android and iOS — no app installation is required, just keep emergency alert settings enabled on your phone.
SAIP
- Type
- Discontinued government terror-alert app
- Status
- discontinued
- Description
- France's earlier smartphone terror-alert app, launched for Euro 2016, was shut down by the Interior Ministry in June 2018 after being deemed unreliable and under-adopted; it has been superseded by FR-Alert and social-media alerts.
SOS Autoroute
- Type
- Free official motorway emergency app (iOS/Android)
- Status
- active
- Description
- Connects users directly to the motorway police (gendarmerie autoroutière) with automatic GPS location for breakdowns, accidents, or obstacles; works in English. Most relevant if driving on the A63/A64 motorways near Biarritz rather than within the city itself.
Official Callback Number
- Number
- 0 800 112 112
- Notes
- Since October 2024, French emergency call centres use this number when calling you back (e.g., to confirm your address). It is legitimate and free — answer it.
Hospitals
Clinique Aguiléra (Ramsay Santé)
- Phone
- +33 5 36 28 64 01
- Type
- Private clinic with 24/7 emergency department
- Hours
- Emergency department open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year
- Address
- 21 Rue de l'Estagnas, 64200 Biarritz, France
- Notes
- Patients can arrive by ambulance/fire service or walk in directly to reception. Treated under France's 'secteur 1' pricing (no fee overrun for the ER visit itself).
- Trauma Capability Notes
- This is the only hospital-level emergency facility located inside Biarritz itself. The emergency department was fully renovated and reopened in October 2024/2025 as a 340 m² unit. France does not use the US-style 'Level 1/2/3 trauma center' designation; instead this ER has a SAUV (Salle d'Accueil des Urgences Vitales — a dedicated resuscitation room for life-threatening emergencies), 4 exam boxes, a short-stay unit, and handles roughly 25,000 patients per year. It also runs a specialized 24/7 hand-trauma/microsurgery emergency service (Urgences Main Sud Aquitaine) on the same site.
Centre Hospitalier De La Côte Basque (CHCB) — Bayonne Site
- Phone
- +33 5 59 44 35 35
- Type
- Main public hospital for the Basque Coast region
- Hours
- Emergency department open 24 hours a day, every day of the week
- Address
- 13 Avenue de l'Interne Jacques Loëb, 64100 Bayonne, France
- Notes
- Located in Bayonne, roughly 6 km / a 10–15 minute drive from central Biarritz depending on traffic — just outside the strict walkable/city-center radius, but included here because it is the region's main public-sector hospital and the default destination for serious trauma and SAMU-transported patients from Biarritz.
- Trauma Capability Notes
- This is the principal public hospital of the French Basque Country and the region's main referral point for higher-acuity cases. Its emergency department covers adult and pediatric trauma, medical, surgical, and psychiatric emergencies, and it also runs the regional SAMU dispatch (dial 15).
Pharmacies
- Costs
- Prescription medication costs vary by drug; typical non-prescription items (cough syrups, nasal sprays) range €6–€10. Prices shown in search results use EUR.
- Overview
- Pharmacies are readily available throughout central Biarritz, offering prescription medications, over-the-counter products, medical devices, and health services. Pharmacists can administer and prescribe certain vaccines including flu, COVID-19, and HPV. Services include blood pressure monitoring, medication consultations, and medical equipment rental.
- Operating Hours
- Most pharmacies operate 09:00–19:30 weekdays, with reduced weekend hours. Many offer online ordnance submission and priority pickup.
Notable Locations
Pharmacie Des Halles
- Location
- Central Biarritz
- Services
- Prescription fulfillment, parapharmacie, online ordering, vaccination, medical consultations. English and Spanish spoken.
Pharmacie Brunel
- Hours
- Mon–Fri 08:45–19:30, Sat 08:45–19:00, Sun closed
- Location
- 15 Boulevard du Bab, Centre d'Affaires Oceanis
- Services
- Full prescription and parapharmacie services, secure ordnance submission
Pharmacie Des Hauts De Biarritz
- Location
- 44 Rue de Pétricot, 64200 Biarritz
- Services
- Homeopathy, phytotherapy, orthopedics, medical equipment, parapharmacie
Healthcare
- Primary Access
- France has a high-quality public healthcare system. Tourists pay consultation fees of €25–€55 for doctor visits. Clinica Aguiléra in central Biarritz (21 Rue de l'Estagnas) and Polyclinique d'Aguilera provide private hospital care. The Basque Coast Hospital Center (Centre Hospitalier de la Côte Basque) is the main public hospital, located in nearby Bayonne. English-speaking doctors are available. SOS Doctors emergency line: +33 (0)5 59 03 30 00. Primary-care appointment availability can be challenging during peak tourist seasons.
- Healthcare Quality Note
- France's healthcare system is recognized for efficiency and quality. Travel insurance or international health coverage is recommended for visitors.
Emergency Contacts
- Fire
- 18
- Police
- 17
- Ambulance EMS
- 15
- European Emergency
- 112
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this emergencies research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Biarritz
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.