Trip guide

Basque coast road trip

From Anglet to Sopela: two countries, one surf culture

The Basque coast is one of the richest stretches of surf in Europe, and it is compact enough to explore in a week. In France you go from the busy beaches of Anglet and the birthplace of European surfing in Biarritz to the reefs and points around Guéthary and Saint-Jean-de-Luz. Cross the Bidasoa and you are in Spain, where Basque tourism counts more than fifty breaks, from San Sebastián's city beach to the famous left at Mundaka.

This guide follows the coast from north to south and then west. Every stop is a spot on the SurfCams map, so you can check the live cams and the forecast before you drive.

When to go

Autumn is the sweet spot: the water is still warm, the swells are bigger and the summer crowds have gone. Basque tourism names October to February as the season for the big-wave spots, and that is when Mundaka, Parlementia and Lafitenia are most likely to break.

Summer works for a relaxed, learning-focused trip, but the Spanish Basque coast has the most summer flat spells and the biggest crowds of north Spain, according to Wavelength. Spring is a good compromise, and Zarautz has hosted world-championship contest dates in that season.

How it works

The French stops are close together, so you can base yourself in one town and check several spots a day. On the Spanish side the coast is wilder and more folded, with each beach tucked into its own bay, so a second base around San Sebastián or Bilbao makes sense.

The reefs and points need size and the right wind; the beaches work more often. Plan each day around the forecast: big swell with a southerly is reef and point weather, smaller swell is beach weather.

The route

Pays Basque

Anglet's beaches, Biarritz's Côte des Basques, the reefs of Guéthary and the points of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, all within a short drive.

Gipuzkoa

San Sebastián's Zurriola, the long beach at Zarautz, the flysch cliffs of Zumaia and the river beach at Deba.

Bizkaia

Mundaka's world-famous left, the wild beach at Laga, Bakio below Gaztelugatxe and the cliffs and reefs of Sopela.

14 spots

  1. Anglet – Les Cavaliers

    Stop 1

    Anglet · Pays Basque · Advanced · Beach break · live cam

    Start with power: Anglet's best-known beach break is very consistent and turns hollow on an offshore wind. If it is too heavy, the other Anglet beaches are just along the promenade.

  2. Biarritz – Côte des Basques

    Stop 2

    Biarritz · Pays Basque · Beginner · Beach break · live cam

    Where surfing in Europe began. A long, gentle beach break under the cliffs that suits longboards and learners, with one of the best views on the coast.

  3. Bidart – Erretegia

    Stop 3

    Bidart · Pays Basque · Intermediate · Beach break

    A natural beach in a green cove north of Bidart, quieter than the village beach, with lefts and rights over sand and rock for intermediates. The coastal path to Saint-Jean-de-Luz starts here.

  4. Guéthary – Parlementia

    Stop 4

    Guéthary · Pays Basque · Advanced · Reef break · live cam

    The Basque Country's big-wave reef, which breaks on long-period swells of two to four metres. Even if you do not paddle out, the view from Guéthary is a highlight.

  5. Saint-Jean-de-Luz – Lafitenia

    Stop 5

    Saint-Jean-de-Luz · Pays Basque · Advanced · Point break

    A long, peeling right point in a green cove, one of the classic waves of Europe. Advanced surfers only, and the locals set the rules.

  6. Hendaye – Grande Plage

    Stop 6

    Hendaye · Pays Basque · Beginner · Beach break · 2 live cams

    The last French beach is long, sheltered and easy-going, a good place for a mellow session when the open coast is big.

  7. Donostia – Zurriola

    Stop 7

    Donostia / San Sebastián · Gipuzkoa · Beginner · Beach break · 3 live cams

    San Sebastián's city beach picks up most swells and works at every tide. Surf, then walk into the old town for pintxos.

  8. Zarautz

    Stop 8

    Gipuzkoa · Beginner · Beach break · 2 live cams

    The longest beach in Gipuzkoa, home of the Basque surf-school scene and a regular contest venue, with peaks for every level.

  9. Zumaia – Itzurun

    Stop 9

    Zumaia · Gipuzkoa · Beginner · Beach break · 2 live cams

    A small beach framed by the flysch cliffs of the Basque Coast geopark. Short peaks in small swells and one of the most beautiful settings on the coast.

  10. Deba – Santiago

    Stop 10

    Deba · Gipuzkoa · Beginner · Beach break · 3 live cams

    Deba's town beach works in fairly small swells and is a reliable spot for lessons and intermediates; Basque tourism lists it as a good place to learn.

  11. Mundaka

    Stop 11

    Bizkaia · Expert · River mouth

    The left Basque tourism calls the best wave in Europe. It needs a big north-west swell and a southerly on a falling tide, and it is for experts only, but watching it run is unforgettable.

  12. Ibarrangelu – Laga

    Stop 12

    Ibarrangelu · Bizkaia · Beginner · Beach break · 3 live cams

    A wide, wild beach under the Ogoño cliff at the edge of the Urdaibai reserve, and one of the most consistent beaches in Bizkaia.

  13. Bakio

    Stop 13

    Bizkaia · Beginner · Beach break

    One of the birthplaces of Basque surfing, an open beach with peaks along its length. Basque tourism calls it consistent and suitable for beginners.

  14. Sopela – Arrietara / Atxabiribil

    Stop 14

    Sopela · Bizkaia · Beginner · Beach break · 3 live cams

    Finish on Bizkaia's main surf beach under the cliffs, with peaks everywhere at all tides. On big days, watch the reefs of Meñakoz from the cliff path.

Tips from the line-up

  1. Base yourself in two places, one on each side of the border, to cut down on driving.
  2. Match the spot to the swell: reefs and points for the big days, beaches for the small ones.
  3. The famous waves have strong local crews. Watch first, sit wide and wait your turn.
  4. Basque towns are as much a part of the trip as the waves. Leave time for the food.
  5. Check the live cams on the map before you drive; a short look can save an hour on the road.

Sources