France Surfcamps, Surf Schools, Surf Tours & Surfaris

Lacanau, Hossegor, Anglet, Biarritz and Guethary form a string of mythical surf spots along the southwestern shore of France, between Bordeaux and the Spanish Border. France is without doubt the cradle of surf in Europe, although new surfing destinations such as Spain and Portugal are quickly catching up as favourite destinations among surfers.

Hossegor Surf Camp | Silver Coast

Biarritz Surf Camp | Basque Coast

But it would not be until the late seventies that surf really began to settle in France, with the creation of the "Lacanau Pro" in 1979 and the hosting of the "World Amateur Championship" in 1980. From that moment, surf gained considerable recognition among young people and a new generation of surfers was born. Today France is a regular stop on the ASP World Tour, with three official surfing competitions held yearly at Lacanau, Hossegor and Biarritz. Surfers are now recognised as top level athletes at home and most surf schools are recognised by the French Surf Federation. Lessons are given by certified monitors with a diploma from the federation, a guarantee of efficient instruction.

The climate is as varied as France's landscape and the Atlantic coast, all the way from the English Channel in the north to the Spanish border in the south, offers excellent surfing conditions. But the most famous surfing destination are the Silver Coast (Côte d'Argent) and the Basque Coast, both in Aquitaine, the southwestern corner of the country. The Silver Coast is an almost straight ruler on the Atlantic, with a 160 miles uninterrupted sandy beach bordered by dunes and pine forests extending form the Gironde to the Adour estuary. From Easter to All Saint's Day, the west facing coast has the best potential for good unridden barrels and steady swell anywhere in Europe. From the Adour estuary to the Spanish border, the Basque Coast is the cradle of surf in Europe, a region rich in surf spots and surf culture. Unlike the Silver Coast, the Basque Coast (Côte Basque) has a rocky littoral formed by the last slopes of the Pyrenees mountains and variously oriented beaches, with some excellent and hollow reefs. Outstanding surfing conditions, a well established surfing tradition, the warm Atlantic waters in summer and the famous French "Art de vivre" contribute to make France a favourite surfing destination among surfers from all over the world.

France's Silver Coast is dotted with a string of fabulous surf spots such as Lacanau, Arcachon, Hossegor, Biscarosse, Capbreton and Boucau. This almost straight ruler on the Atlantic has a 160 miles uninterrupted sandy beach ideal for surfing and bordered by dunes and pine forests extending form the Gironde to the Adour estuary. From Easter to All Saint's Day, the coast has the best potential for surf, with good unridden barrels and steady swell anywhere in Europe.

The surfing quality of the wave is high due to the depth and funnel shape of the Bay of Biscay and the numerous small rivers and stream mouths dotting its length shape good sand breaks. Due to the changing winds and the huge tidal range, the waves can evolve with incredible speed. The sandbars orientation favour rights and lefts tend to be very hollow because of the consistent North to South undertow. But the good sand bars can be destroyed by the winter storms and the main surfing problem is the lack of shelter when the sea gets rough.

A top surfing destination, the Côte d'Argent (Silver Coast) is also a protected, sparsely populated shore and its 160 mile long beach is only interrupted by the string of tidal lakes doting the coast. At the heart of the coast, Arcachon is a turn of the century seaside resort located on the major tidal lake of the coast - a favourite windsurfing spot. This seaside resort is reputed for its oysters and the Dune du Pyla, Europe's highest sand dunes culminating at 118 metres (see picture) and perfect to try some sand boarding. Behind this sand bar and stretching inland from the Atlantic coast, the forest of the Landes (Moors) is a vast expense of pines, cork oaks, broom and heather. Late French President Mitterand favourite retreat, this region was once a sandy and marshy area, unhealthy and unfit for farming. But in the 18th century and under the leadership of Napoleon, the area was planted with pine trees to drain the soil and stop the progression of the sand dunes, creating one of the largest and richest forest in Europe. A perfect place for hiking, biking and riding.

The Basque Coast covers the last stretch of coast before the Spanish border marked by the Pyrenees mountains, between the Adour and Bidasoa estuary (Hendaye). The Basque Coast is famous for the turn of the century seaside resort of Biarritz (see picture), founded by Napoleon III for his spanish wife the Empress Eugenia, and the cradle of surf and golf in continental Europe. Straddling across the border, from Bayonne in France to Bilbao in Spain, the Basque region has an original and specific culture with its own language, Euskera, and ancestral traditions reflected in Bayonne's popular summer festival, with its bullfights, Jai-alai and rugby matches.

The Basque Coast is the cradle of surf in Europe, a region rich in surf spots and surf culture. Famous surf spots include Lafitenia, Parlementia, Côte des Basques, Biarritz and Anglet. In complete contrast with the Silver Coast surfing background, the Basque Coast has a rocky shore formed by the last slopes of the Pyrenees mountains and variously oriented beaches, with some excellent and hollow reefs which hold huge swells for unforgetable surf sessions. Although many good surf spots are close to well populated towns - unlike the Silver Coast, the surfing crowd remain minimal for most of the year, except in August when it can get a bit crazy and surf localism rules at some spots.

The Basque Cost extends through the border into Spain to San Sebastian and Bilbao. The best surf spots in the region are the world famous Mundaka and the reputed Sopelana and Zarautz surf spots. You can perfectly combines a surf trip to the Basque Coast with excursions to the beautiful, mountainous hinterland and to the numerous historical cities and villages on both sides of the border. In winter, you can even combine surf inland snow boarding in the same day.