Hossegor and Biarritz surf forecast

Surfing in Hossegor and Biarritz

The coast from Seignosse to Guéthary splits into two quite different sections. In the Landes, Seignosse, Hossegor, La Gravière and Capbreton sit on a long, straight sand coast that faces almost due west, so it soaks up west and north-west Atlantic swell and works best on light easterly offshore winds. Just offshore lies the Gouf de Capbreton, a deep submarine canyon that helps focus swell energy onto these beaches and adds power.

The Landes breaks are pure beach breaks over shifting sandbanks, so the best peaks move through the season. La Gravière is the famous one: hollow, powerful and close to shore, it is best surfed on a dropping tide and suits experienced surfers only. Seignosse is also fast and hollow, suited to intermediate and advanced surfers, while Capbreton is a step down again, though you still need to be able to duck dive. Expect strong rips and a heavy shore break on bigger days.

South of the Adour, the Pays Basque section turns more varied. Les Cavaliers and the other Anglet beaches are fast, hollow beach breaks, while Biarritz offers gentler options: the Côte des Basques is a classic spot for learners and longboarders on lower tides, and the Grande Plage has plenty of surf schools. Guéthary is a powerful reef break that holds bigger swell and is for advanced surfers. When the Landes is too big or messy, the Basque side is the usual fallback.

Autumn, especially September and October, is widely seen as the prime season, with solid swell and thinner crowds. Winter brings the biggest surf, while summer is smaller and suits learners but is crowded in July and August. Biarritz airport is the closest, and a car makes moving between sections easy.