I might be going to France this year to do some serious body boarding, and i was wondering if anyone knows if Biaritz (South West France) has any good waves? If you do please reply.

Cheers, Airborne.

It sure does... I surfed there once about 11 years ago and can't really remember that much about the set up, but its pretty intense with some pretty unfriendly locals. I seem to remember a break off of one side of the little island there, and also a couple of peaks along the beach with a nasty little shorebreak.... Should be fine for Body-boarding though, but it does get busy.

I ended up surfing at Hendaye just down the road, which had a much more relaxed and pleasant feel to it in those days... Plus I wasn't too good at surfing then, so the beach break waves there were a little easier for me.

Hopefully someone has been there more recently than I have and with a better recollection of the conditions etc.

Al.

Airborne - http://www.surfbreaks.co.uk/ run surfing (and I guess body boarding) breaks in Biarritz. Been thinking about it myself since my purchase of a body board three months ago heralded the end of any surf in NE Scotland!

Neil

Thanks a lot you guys you've really helped me with your info! Hey neilco, do you bodyboard? What board do you have? I've got a 40' Manta Elite board. Post back.

Airborne

Well Hossegor anyway!
I went down to Biarritz one day for a look. Grande Plage is the main beach and this gets pretty damn huge. I have seen it about 15ft there and believe me it gets powerful.

There is Cote De Basque as well which is a little more mellow. Anglet which is one of the best breaks in France especially Cavaliers. This place gets sooo hollow it will blow your mind.

The oil is a little problem there at the moment. Every board I took got oil on it and every pair of shorts I wore in the water had oil as well. Its little balls of it everywhere and as soon as you touch it you get it everywhere. Some balls are the size of a fist. They have netted Grande Plage and clean it regulary its the cleanest beach in Biarritz at the moment.

Hi NatB,

How bad is the oil in Biarritz? And will it be clean before next summer?

Cheers in advance, Airborne.

Airborne. Its fine mate really. Especially Grande Plage they are netting and cleaning every day. The french are really perservering and cleaning everyday.

Its really more a pain in the arse than a disaster at the moment. You will occasionally be sitting on your board and then a little slick of beads will pass you from anything the size of pin head to the size of a fist. The outside is fairly hard but if touched or brushed against it pops and stinks of fuel. Sun tan lotions gets it off.

I never got any on me actually while in the water it was on the way to the water and on my feet, first wave its then on my deck paddle out sit on board and then its on my shorts. Pain in the arse.

I dont see it being totally clean for a long time but the waves make up for it.

Thanks NatB,

That's really helped.
How big were the waves there?
And do you know if Hendaye beach just down the road from Biarritz is any good?
I've heard from justal it's great, have you been there?
Do you body board?

Sorry to ask so many questions...just curious.

If anyone else knows about the surf near Biarritz in France, then please post.
Airborne.

[Edited on 1-9-2003 by Airborne]

Airbourne in answer to your questions

How big were the waves there? - bit of a crap year this year we had nothing over head high. You can usually garantee a day in two or three weeks that the beach will be closed due to large conditions. They get swell off a seagulls fart down there. A typical summer in France you need to be prepared for surf in the 1ft to 15ft range, Thats not an exageration either. Put it this way last week they had 2meter waves, we had nothing. Imagine whet they get when we get 2 meter waves. It like armageddon.

And do you know if Hendaye beach just down the road from Biarritz is any good? - I think Hendaye is the escape wave. When things get out of control you head there!!! Check wannasurf.com


I've heard from justal it's great, have you been there? - Went in the summer, it was flat and Hossegor and Biarritz were 6ft. Its quite a flat beach.

Do you body board? Nope I am logger, minmaller and shortboarder. I used too and know how much fun it can be. I have one in my garage just in case those dredgy shorebreaks ever start breaking and out they come.


IF you do go to France Biarritz rates about a 5-6 out of 10 for me. If you want real powerful waves head up the coast about 30 minutes to Hossegor this is a world class beach break with barrels to feed the greediest of tube riders. Seignosse is the plac eto stay which slap bang in the middle of teh action. Check Wannasurf.com for details. You wont be disappointed

NatB is right.... Hendaye is the place to head for should other places along the West Coast be too big for you. Its a nice friendly beach break wave (usually).

I didn't surf Hossegor while I was there, but Its the best known surf spot in France really. I did surf Lacanau though and it GOES OFF!!!!

I also surfed at Mimizan, which although just a beach break wave can have some pretty powerful waves breaking on the sand bars there. Kind of like Croyde at low tide, but twice the size and a slightly bluer colour!!... It was still pretty cold though (April).

As NatB says, you won't be disappointed, there are waves all along the West coast of France, and its much more consistent than here in the UK. The only problem can be finding somewhere that isn't too full on if you aren't quite up to it when it gets BIG!! There are fewer protected coves and corners than in Cornwall, N. Devon etc. everything seems to face West and get pounded!!!

Al.

Thanks again.

It's weird, you both mentioned Hossegor, because my family and i are thinking of going there on our summer hols. Really looking forward to it, but we've still got winter to come.
At least i can escape to Croyde at half term!

I think i'll take it steady down in France, I don't think i'm ready for the big stuff yet. I've been to the West coast of France for my summer hols for about 4 years now. The surf is so good, i guess that's why we keep going.

Any life guards at Hossegor?

Cheers, Airborne.

[Edited on 6-9-2003 by Airborne]

Hossegor is really a world class break - Former ASP World Surfing Champion Tom Curren liked it so much he moved there from California. I've never made it that far south myself (with a board anyway), but there is a lot of 'surfable coast' down that way. Take a look at http://www.beachwizard.com as they have reviews by people who have surfed there, often locals. The French section is a bit lacking but has some good reviews of UK beaches!

If anyone's interested, this is what they say about Borth!!:

http://www.beachwizard.com/beach.asp?country=Wales&beachid=680

Thanks SinisterPenguin, i'll check it out (the website).
Anyone else know about Hossegor surf?
Airborne.

Hossegor must be a reasonable break, cos they decided to include it in Transworld surf the game!!