Bay of Biscay is an extension of the Atlantic Ocean on the western coast of Europe. It lies west of France and north of Spain. The Bay of Biscay shoreline is about 400 miles (640 kilometers) long. The bay is about 300 miles (480 kilometers) across at its widest point.
The Bay of Biscay gets its name from the Basques, a people who live along the rocky Spanish shore. Leading cities on the Spanish side of the bay include Bilbao, San Sebastian, and Santander. The mouths of the Adour, Charente, Garonne, and Loire rivers are on the French side. French ports on the bay or its inlets include Bayonne, Bordeaux, Brest, Nantes, and Rochefort.
The bay is noted for its heavy storms and great storm waves. In 1588, a storm in the Bay of Biscay scattered the wooden ships of the Spanish Armada as they started out to attack England (see Spanish Armada ). The ancient Romans called the bay the Cantabrian Sea. The French called it the Gulf of Gascony.
