Month guide · October

Surfing in October

Prime time: autumn groundswell, offshore mornings and warm water

If you can pick only one month, pick this one. The first proper autumn storms are forming out in the Atlantic, the sea still holds most of its summer heat, and the summer crowds have gone home. Surf guides to south-west France keep coming back to the same advice: autumn is the season, and October sits right in the middle of it.

The famous banks of Hossegor and Seignosse are at their best, Galicia's Pantín is in its most reliable month, and the reefs and points of the Basque coast start to wake up. Further afield, Supertubos and Coxos begin their season in Portugal, the first giant swells can reach Nazaré, and Thurso East and Bundoran are in full swing. Expect a few blown-out days when a front passes, then clean, glassy mornings as the wind swings offshore.

At a glance

🌡️ Water: 9 °C Lofoten – 23.5 °C Canaries
Long-term averages are about 9 °C in Lofoten, 11.5 °C in Orkney, 13.5 °C at Galway, 15 °C at Brest and off the Isles of Scilly, 16 °C at Le Havre, 17 °C at A Coruña and 18 °C at Biarritz. Lisbon is about 19.5 °C, the Azores 21.5 °C and Gran Canaria 23.5 °C. The sea cools only slowly, so early October is noticeably warmer than late October.
🧥 Wetsuit: 4/3 mm; 5/4 mm far north
A 4/3 mm suit is the standard from Brittany to Portugal. Brittany, the Channel, Britain and Ireland call for boots by the end of the month, and Scotland and Norway for a 5/4 mm. A 3/2 mm can still work on warm days in the Basque Country early in October, and in the Azores and Canaries.
🌊 Swell: Regular W–NW groundswell
Autumn brings the first winter swells while the weather is still mild. Surf forecasters rate October as the most consistent month for clean waves at both La Gravière in Hossegor and Pantín in Galicia, and the World Surf League has called September and October the time for Hossegor's consistent barrels. The same swells start the season on Portugal's reefs, at Nazaré and in the north of Scotland and Ireland.
🌬️ Wind: Offshore mornings, windier afternoons
Travel guides note that all-day offshore winds are common in autumn in south-west France. In Brittany the pattern is often the reverse: the La Torche guide recommends early sessions because onshore wind tends to build through the day.
☀️ Air: Highs 7.5–26.5 °C
Average highs are about 7.5 °C in Lofoten, 11.5 °C in Orkney, 14 °C in Galway, 15–16 °C on the Channel and in Brittany, 20 °C in Biarritz, 22.5 °C in Lisbon and 26.5 °C in Gran Canaria. Rain becomes more frequent as the month goes on.
👥 Crowds: Quiet weekdays, busy Toussaint
The summer crowd is gone, but the famous spots are busy whenever they fire, from Supertubos and Coxos to Bundoran's Peak. The French autumn school holidays (Toussaint) run from 17 October to 2 November in 2026, which brings families back to the coast for the last two weeks.
🌅 Daylight: ~9.5–11.5 h · clocks go back late
Mid-month the sun rises around 08:20 in Biarritz and 08:40 in Brest and sets around 19:25. Thurso has about 10.5 hours of light, Lofoten 9.5 and Las Palmas 11.5. When the clocks go back on the last Sunday of October, mornings get lighter and evenings an hour shorter.

Where to go

Landes

The heart of the autumn season. Groundswell, offshore mornings and well-shaped sandbanks make Hossegor and Seignosse the busiest surf destination in Europe this month, for good reason.

Galicia Norte

Pantín and the beaches around Ferrol pick up every north-west swell. Surf forecasters rate October as Pantín's best month, and the crowds are tiny compared with France.

Pays Basque

Anglet's beaches are reliable, and on bigger days the reefs and points around Guéthary and Saint-Jean-de-Luz start to break for the first time in the season.

Cantabria

El Brusco and the beaches around Santander work on west and north-west swells, with far fewer people in the water than in summer.

Finistère Sud

La Torche picks up almost every swell and has the warmest water of its year. Aim for the early session before the wind gets up.

Portugal Centro

Supertubos, one of Europe's heaviest beach breaks, starts its season, and the first giant swells of autumn can reach Nazaré's Praia do Norte.

Lisbon coast

Coxos, Ericeira's most famous reef, wakes up on long-period north-west swells. The water is still about 19.5 °C.

Scotland

Thurso East and the reefs of the north coast are in season, with about ten and a half hours of daylight by mid-month.

Ireland North West

Bundoran's Peak works on autumn's west swells, and Mullaghmore Head, Ireland's big-wave spot, starts its season.

Lanzarote and Fuerteventura

The north swell season begins in the Canaries, and Lobos' long right off Corralejo comes to life, in water around 23 °C.

The 21 best spots in October

  1. Hossegor – La Gravière

    Soorts-Hossegor · Landes · Expert · Beach break · live cam

    Surf forecasters rate October as La Gravière's most consistent month, when long-period west-north-west swells meet light easterly winds. Thick, short barrels close to the beach, for experts only.

  2. Supertubos

    Peniche · Portugal Centro · Expert · Beach break · live cam

    October starts the season at one of Europe's heaviest beach breaks, where the harbour breakwater shapes thick, fast barrels, the lefts usually the better wave. A west to south-west swell with a north-east wind; experts only, and crowded when it works.

  3. Valdoviño – Pantín

    Valdoviño · Galicia Norte · Beginner · Beach break · live cam

    Galicia's best-known surf beach is at its most reliable in October. It handles small and big swells, and the best peaks break towards the north-east end beside a channel.

  4. Hossegor – Les Culs Nus

    Soorts-Hossegor · Landes · Advanced · Beach break

    Often described as the most consistent bank in Hossegor, working from half a metre to well over head high. A fast, punchy beach break for advanced surfers when Gravière is too heavy or too busy.

  5. Ericeira – Coxos

    Ribamar · Lisbon coast · Expert · Reef break

    Ericeira's most famous wave, a powerful, hollow right off a shallow, urchin-covered reef, starts its season on long-period north-west swells. Experts; the line-up is packed and territorial when it is good.

  6. Thurso East

    Thurso · Scotland · Advanced · Reef break

    Autumn is prime time for Scotland's best-known wave, a long, powerful right with barrel sections in front of Thurso Castle. A solid north-west groundswell, a south-easterly and a rising mid tide; advanced surfers.

  7. Seignosse – Le Penon

    Seignosse · Landes · Intermediate · Beach break · 2 live cams

    The centre of Seignosse surfing: powerful peaks either side of the old jetty, packed in summer and much quieter in autumn. Best for intermediates at low to mid tide with an easterly.

  8. Bundoran – The Peak

    Bundoran · Ireland North West · Advanced · Reef break

    Ireland's best-known reef, a powerful peak over a flat ledge in the middle of Bundoran, with a long, fast left and a shorter right. Advanced; busy whenever it works, and the regulars are a close group.

  9. Anglet – Les Cavaliers

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

    Anglet's most powerful beach break and often the biggest wave on the strip. Autumn west-north-west swells and morning easterlies shape hollow peaks; advanced surfers.

  10. Nazaré – Praia do Norte

    Nazaré · Portugal Centro · Expert · Beach break · 5 live cams

    The Nazaré canyon focuses Atlantic swell into some of the biggest surfed waves on Earth, and the season starts in October: Sebastian Steudtner rode his 26.2 m world record here in October 2020. Giant days are for pros only; watch from the fort.

  11. Saint-Jean-de-Luz – Lafitenia

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

    This long right-hand point needs the kind of 1.5–3 m swell that autumn starts to deliver. One of the classic waves of Europe; advanced surfers, with a respected local crew.

  12. Newquay – Fistral

    Newquay · Cornwall · Intermediate · Beach break

    Autumn is one of Fistral's best seasons, with fast, hollow peaks at North Fistral on a west to south-west swell and an easterly wind. Crowded all year; South Fistral is easier.

  13. Noja – El Brusco

    Noja · Cantabria · Advanced · Beach break

    A celebrated, hollow beach break at high tide that wants a 1.5–3 m west to north-west swell and a southerly wind. It does not suit small summer swells, which makes autumn its time.

  14. Isla de Lobos – La Derecha

    Corralejo · Lanzarote and Fuerteventura · Advanced · Point break

    The longest right in the Canaries, along the foot of an old volcano on Lobos off Corralejo. October starts its season; a good north or north-west swell links sections over 300–500 m. Advanced; crowded when boats arrive.

  15. Plomeur – La Torche

    Plomeur · Finistère Sud · Intermediate · Beach break

    Brittany's best-known surf beach has the warmest water of the year and smaller crowds in autumn. Surf it early: onshore winds often build through the afternoon.

  16. Mundaka

    Bizkaia · Expert · River mouth

    Basque tourism puts the start of the big-wave season in October. When a large north-west swell and a southerly coincide with a falling tide, the left starts to run; experts only.

  17. Mullaghmore Head

    Mullaghmore · Ireland North West · Expert · Reef break

    Ireland's best-known big-wave spot starts its season: a thick, powerful left over rough reef that only breaks when the swell is far bigger than a person. Big-wave teams only; watch from the headland.

  18. Santa Bárbara

    Ribeira Grande · Azores · Intermediate · Beach break

    The Azores' main surf beach has several black-sand peaks that work at any tide on north to north-west swells, and the water is still about 21.5 °C. Busy, but there is usually a quieter peak.

  19. Rodiles – river left

    Villaviciosa · Asturias · Advanced · River mouth · live cam

    The Villaviciosa rivermouth is rated an autumn and winter wave and needs a big north-west swell with a light southerly. One of Spain's best lefts, for advanced surfers.

  20. Unstad

    Vestvågøy (Lofoten) · Norway · Intermediate · Point break

    Autumn is a good season at the home of Arctic surfing, with west-north-west swells on its left point and right reef. Lofoten has about 9.5 hours of daylight by mid-October, and the water is about 9 °C.

  21. Tapia de Casariego

    Asturias · Intermediate · Beach break · 2 live cams

    The surf heart of western Asturias, with a quality left off the reef into the sand. The regional tourism office calls autumn a season of good waves and few visitors.

Tips from the line-up

  1. Get up early. Autumn mornings often bring the cleanest conditions before the sea breeze or the next front arrives.
  2. Book Toussaint weeks early, or avoid them: from mid-October French families are back on the coast.
  3. The Landes banks change with every storm. Check a few beaches before you commit rather than going straight to the famous name.
  4. Gravière, Culs Nus and Cavaliers are heavy waves. If you are not comfortable in powerful shorebreak, pick a gentler bank nearby.
  5. A 4/3 mm with boots in your bag covers almost every situation this month, from Portugal to Brittany. Take a 5/4 mm for Scotland and Norway.
  6. Remember the clock change on the last Sunday: your dawn session moves an hour earlier.

Sources