Villa Belza, Neo-medieval palace in Biarritz, France

Villa Belza is a neo-medieval villa built between 1880 and 1895 on the rocky coast of Biarritz. Its rectangular plan is flanked by a tall round tower with a conical roof and a smaller pepper-pot turret, both added in 1889. The pale stone walls and dark slate roofs stand on a cliff above the shore, with a long wall running along the cliff top.

The land on the rocks, known as the champ du rossignol, passed through several owners before Ange Dufresnay, director of the Phénix insurance company, bought it in 1882. He commissioned architect Alphonse Bertrand, with contractor A. Joly, to build the villa; the neo-medieval keep and the pepper-pot turret were added by Dominique Morin in 1889. Dufresnay named the house after his wife, Marie Belza Dubreuil.

During the 1920s, the villa became a Russian restaurant where Cossack choirs performed traditional songs and guests danced the Charleston. This phase made it a gathering place for performances and social events.

The building is not open to public visits, but its external architecture can be observed from nearby streets and Port Vieux beach. The best views are available from several vantage points along the coast.

The name Belza comes from Marie Belza Dubreuil and means black in Basque, connecting the building to local language heritage. This connection is rarely known despite its direct link to regional history.