Surfing Biarritz & Anglet

Beach Break · Best Year-round · 1-5 ft · Crowd 4/5

W swell, E offshore wind (some shelter from S)

La Grande Plage is the main beach in Biarritz, in front of the casino and the old seafront hotels. Surfing in France started in Biarritz in the 1950s, and this beach and the Côte des Basques next to it are where it began.

It's a beach break with punchy peaks that works on most swells. The town centre, cafés and hotels are right behind it. It's rarely the best wave on the Basque coast on a given day, but it's easy and central, and surf schools use it all year.

Beach Break · Best Year-round · 1-4 ft · Crowd 4/5

Small-mod W swell, E wind, low tide

Côte des Basques is the beach below the cliffs just south of the Grande Plage in Biarritz, and the home of French longboarding since the late 1950s. The waves are long, slow and soft, good for noseriding and easy surfing.

It's busy almost all year with longboarders, beginners and surf schools. Small to medium swells are best. At high tide the beach nearly disappears, so check the tide before you go.

The best longboard days come with a small, clean swell in spring and autumn, when the beach is quieter. In summer the water is often calm enough for first lessons, and the beach is packed.

Surf schools and board rental line the road above the beach, and the centre of Biarritz is a short walk away for food and a drink after the session. If it's too small here, the beaches of Anglet, a few minutes north, usually have more swell.

Beach Break · Best Sep-Apr · 2-7 ft · Crowd 4/5

Clean groundswell

Anglet's beach runs for several kilometres between Biarritz and the mouth of the Adour river, and is divided by stone jetties built to hold the sand. Each jetty holds its own sandbank, so the peaks are more reliable than on an open beach.

Some are easier, others faster and more powerful, and the local crew surfs them all year. It works on most swells, and with so many peaks, you can usually find a less busy one.

It's at its best on a clean autumn or winter groundswell, when the banks next to the jetties line up. In summer the swell is usually smaller and the beaches are full of lessons and swimmers.

There are car parks and cafés along the seafront, and a long promenade connects the beaches, so it's easy to check several before you paddle out. Biarritz is right next door, and Bayonne is a few minutes inland.

Beach/Reef · Best Sep-Apr · 2-8 ft · Crowd 3/5

W-NW swell, E offshore wind, all tides

Marbella is the beach south of Côte des Basques in Biarritz, below the cliffs, with Ilbarritz just beyond it. The waves break over a mix of sand and rock.

It takes more swell than Côte des Basques and is a good option when the town beaches are too small. It works on most tides with an east wind.

Getting down to the beach means a steep path, and there are rocks in the water, especially at lower tides.

Autumn and winter bring the best swells, and an east wind keeps it clean. In summer it's quieter than the beaches in central Biarritz, but there are no facilities on the sand, so bring water.