The Basque coastline stretches for 30 km and boasts a wide variety of surf spots, making it without doubt one of the best choices in Europe.... That's why learning to surf on the Basque coast is the ideal choice. In what season? At what tide? In Hendaye or on the Basque coast in Biarritz?
WHEN CAN I LEARN TO SURF ON THE BASQUE COAST?
The configuration of the Basque coast makes that whatever the direction of the wind, the size of the swell, the tide, it is almost always possible to find a spot for a surfing session.
Surf all year long: in winter the water temperature reaches around 12 ° C and goes up to more than 21 ° C in summer. The best wave conditions are in spring and fall. In summer, in general, the waves are smaller and ideal for beginners.
BEACH BREAK OR REEF BREAK ?
From Anglet to Hendaye via Biarritz and Guéthary, there are different types of waves for all levels. Beach breaks (rolling waves on a sandy bottom), reef breaks or waves of rocks that can accommodate all swells (small and large).
This variety of spots means you can surf on a shortboard, longboard or SUP, with levels of difficulty ranging from beginner to professional.
From north to south, the tubular beach break of Anglet gives way to the beaches of Biarritz whose Côte des Basques is ideal for beginners, before arriving on a more steep coastline with reefs breaks of very high quality practicable when the swell is greater than 1m50.
To finish the long sandy beach of Hendaye offers an ideal fallback spot when the swell is very big. This variety of spots allows to surf in shortboard, longboard or SUP with a level of difficulty ranging from 1 to 10. All these waves are easy to access and operate at different tides.
From north to south, the tubular beach break of Anglet gives way to the beaches of Biarritz whose Côte des Basques is ideal for beginners, before arriving on a more steep coastline with reefs breaks of very high quality practicable when the swell is greater than 1m50.
WHICH BEACH TO CHOOSE? HENDAYE OR BIARRITZ, THE BASQUE COAST?
PROXIMITY
If you're a beginner, there's no need to travel 60km to learn to surf in moss, go as close as you can, and it's eco-friendly too! Both beaches offer similar waves, but also a wide choice of surf schools!
SCHEDULE AND TIDES
The beach on the Basque coast was voted Europe's most beautiful beach by TripAdvisor users in 2016 and has been in the French top 5 every year since!
But you can only enjoy it at low tide, because at high tide the beach disappears, giving way to a huge lake.
Hendaye is a fine sandy beach measuring 3.5 km. It offers soft waves throughout the tide, so you can surf here at high tide. Its length gives us deeper waves and less fixed spots.
WAVE QUALITY
Both beaches are perfect places to start surfing!
When you're into white waves and you want to progress and be able to catch green waves (offshore waves), the two beaches will provide you with an excellent spot, even if the Basque coast remains the best choice due to the waves that form more often offshore.
The Basque coast will provide you with excellent waves all summer except when the swell is huge. At Hendaye, you'll get great waves when the swell is big, so it's a fallback spot.
