Carbon is definitely a unique element: due to its electronic and morphological versatility, its extreme properties, and its abundance on the earth's surface, it has become more and more indispensable to our modern society because it is present in many applications having a direct Influence on our daily life, in an extent that the public is barely aware of.

Carbon is everywhere, not only in our bodies, but in our cars, planes, batteries, implants, sports goods, filters, tools, satellites, buildings, etc. And because it has easily stepped over the nano- revolution, for which it is among the main actors thanks to the fullerenes, the nanotubes, the single graphenes, and more generally to its unique ability of building macro-scale materials from nano-sized entities, the interest in carbon is not about to end.

The Annual World Conference on Carbon, which holds in the American, Asian, and European continents alternatively since Year 2000, is an unique opportunity for the academic and industrial people involved in carbon material research and development to meet and discuss about their findings, views, needs, and problems. Because attendees come from everywhere in the world, often after a long and tiring journey, we have to offer them the appropriate site that matches the event, i.e., a place that would combine comfortable lodging and working facilities, good cuisine, relaxing atmosphere, and beautiful scenery. For the mere reason that, after the brain has worked hard, the body has to enjoy.

Biarritz is offering this all. A case for the Basque culture, facing the Atlantic Ocean, rimmed with blond sand beaches that lie between giant rocks and cliffs, this historical city was selected in the 19thCentury by European sovereigns as their favourite place for leisure: sea baths, golfing, casino games...All these activities are still there, waiting for you, nowadays added with surfing, hiking,...

Come to Biarritz for CARBON'09, you will come again.