Biarritz is the Grande Plage, a chic stretch of sand right in the heart of downtown Biarritz. The beachbreak sits over sand and shifting sandbanks, throwing up punchy peaks that peel both left and right. In clean, medium swells it can turn on excellent, walling, and occasionally hollow waves, though like any beachbreak it will also serve up slower, fatter rollers when the banks are off. Quality is decent, and the setup suits intermediate surfers best; beginners are better off round the headland at Cote des Basques.
When It Works
The beach draws medium swell from west-northwest to northwest and is usable from 0.6 m / 2 ft to 2.1 m / 7 ft. Autumn and winter are the prime seasons, with September through March the most consistent stretch. Summer, by contrast, sees the beach and the whole city get extremely busy. The rocky outcrops to the south and the swirling currents help sculpt the sandbanks, so the shape comes together best when a clean, medium-sized swell lines up.
Wind and Tide
Look for an east-southeast offshore wind, with a workable wind window running from east to south-southeast. Biarritz can work across low, mid, and high tide, so you have plenty of the cycle to play with, and a rising tide is generally the better call.
Local Tips
Expect a busy lineup, with the southern casino end usually the most hotly contested patch on the beach. It handles a wide range of equipment, from shortboards and fish to funboards, longboards, and bodyboards. As the swell fills in, the rip strengthens, and the wave gets heavy when it is big, so keep a close eye on the currents.
Access
Parking is the main headache here. This is downtown Biarritz, so spaces are tricky to find and can be expensive.
