Private detective in Biarritz & the French Basque Coast
Licensed investigations in Biarritz, Bayonne, Anglet and south-west France. Reports for legal review. English-speaking clients welcome.
- CNAPS state licence
- Reply within 24 hrs
- English spoken
Quick answer
Ikerketa is a state-licensed French private investigation agency (CNAPS) based in Anglet, between Biarritz and Bayonne. We carry out investigations across south-west France for international clients — matrimonial matters, people tracing, background checks, corporate cases. We start with the fact you need to establish, then define the scope, fees and reporting arrangements in writing.
Who you are working with
Julien Hoang
Founder & Director of Investigations
Born in Biarritz, based in Anglet. Law graduate from Université Panthéon-Assas (Paris II) and Master’s in security policy from Université Paris-Saclay. Every case is handled personally — not outsourced to a call centre.
Why you need a licensed investigator in France
If the person or company you need investigated is in France, the work must be done under French law. Your legal team should also check the requirements of the court where the findings may be used.
CNAPS state licence
In France, private investigations may only be carried out by agencies licensed by CNAPS, a branch of the French Ministry of the Interior. Our licence is public and verifiable.
Reports for legal review
Our reports distinguish documented facts, sources and limitations. Your lawyer assesses their use; admissibility and evidential weight remain for the court to decide.
Professional secrecy
Information is handled within the agreed purpose and professional confidentiality rules. We define authorised recipients and suitable communication channels before work begins.
CNAPS licence no. AUT-064-2125-01-21-20251012287
What we can investigate for you
Matrimonial & family
Adultery documentation, child custody and maintenance disputes: facts established with time-stamped photographs.
Tracing & missing persons
Locating relatives, heirs, debtors or lost contacts anywhere in France.
Asset & solvency enquiries
Pre-litigation solvency checks, asset tracing and background on French counterparties.
Corporate investigations
Fraudulent sick leave, unfair competition, verification of French business partners and suppliers.
Background checks
Before buying, renting or hiring in France: verification of sellers, tenants, contractors and candidates.
Counter-surveillance (TSCM)
Detection of hidden microphones and GPS trackers in vehicles and homes.
Managing a French investigation from abroad
Start with the decision you need to make, not a request to “find everything” about someone. A family chronology, a supplier’s identity and the use of a property call for different documents and methods. The first exchange helps determine whether an investigation could answer the question at all.
Prepare a short, usable brief
- Your connection to the matter and the names or company identifiers already known.
- The French locations and dates involved, marking any uncertainty.
- A list of documents you lawfully hold, rather than an unfiltered archive.
- Your lawyer’s deadline, your time zone and a safe way to contact you.
- The spending limit that must not be exceeded without your approval.
Illustrative example: checking a French supplier
A client abroad receives a contract and a brochure bearing slightly different company names. The first step is to identify the legal entity behind each document and check whether the discrepancy reflects a trading name, a group company or an unrelated business. A mismatch is a question to investigate, not proof of fraud.
A useful report identifies the documents checked, their dates and any unresolved points. It does not certify the supplier’s future performance or replace legal and financial due diligence.
Agree how the work will be reported
Set an update schedule, an authorised recipient list and the circumstances requiring fresh instructions. Separate a progress note from the final report. If a source is unavailable or a planned observation yields no result, that limitation should be recorded rather than replaced with an assumption.
Discuss translations before work begins. A short English explanation can help you understand a French document, but your lawyer must determine whether a formal translation or another step is required in proceedings.
Check the professional framework
Use the official CNAPS title-checking information to verify the relevant authorisations. A licence regulates professional practice; it does not guarantee the outcome of an investigation.
For the next step, see pricing and scope or prepare your first enquiry in English.
Biarritz, Bayonne and south-west France
Our office is in Anglet, at the heart of the Biarritz–Anglet–Bayonne conurbation, close to the Spanish border. We operate directly across the French Basque Coast, the Landes and Béarn; for cases elsewhere in France, we assess each request and advise you frankly.
- Biarritz
- Bayonne
- Anglet
- Saint-Jean-de-Luz
- Hendaye
- Pau
- Hossegor, Capbreton & the Landes coast
First consultation free
Describe your situation in English, by phone or in writing. We will tell you honestly whether an investigation is useful, lawful and proportionate — and if it is not, we will say so.
Contact usWhat international clients ask us
Can I instruct you without travelling to France?
The initial exchange and mission planning can take place remotely. We first check your identity, connection to the matter and the purpose of the request, then agree the documents and arrangements needed before any work starts.
Does a foreign investigator’s licence authorise work in France?
A foreign licence alone does not establish compliance with French requirements. The applicable CNAPS formalities must be checked for the business and professionals concerned before work in France is undertaken.
What determines the cost?
The question to establish, locations, time required, source costs and reporting needs. Ask whether travel, translation and additional work are included. The written quote takes precedence over a general price example.
Can the report be used outside France?
Do not assume automatic acceptance. Ask your lawyer in the relevant country about the required format, translation and any further formalities before instructing the work.
Can I write in English?
Yes. You can explain your situation in English. Agree the language of updates and the scope of any translated summary or report before the mission; a summary is not a certified translation.
Can you obtain private bank or messaging records?
A private mandate does not give unrestricted access to someone else’s accounts or devices. We assess lawful sources and explain information that remains inaccessible.
Talk to a licensed French investigator
Describe the question you need answered. We assess the scope before proposing a written quote.