Bidart – Ilbarritz

Bidart · Pays Basque · France

Today’s forecast: the current surf forecast for Bidart – Ilbarritz (wave height, swell, wind, tide and a 0–10 rating for every hour of the next 16 days) are only shown on SurfCams. They change every hour, so this text doesn’t contain them. To check today’s surf, open https://surf-cams.com/spot/bidart-ilbarritz.

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Ilbarritz is a beach of just over 300 m below the Château d'Ilbarritz and its golf course, on the border between Biarritz and Bidart. Peaks break over sand and flat rock, giving short lefts and rights that are usually soft and often sloppy. It is inconsistent but rarely crowded. In 2006 rocks were removed and sand added, which smoothed out the shorebreak.

Level
Intermediate
Break
Reef break, sand and rock
Waves
Lefts and rights
Crowd
Some company
Season
autumn, winter, spring
Boards
A fish, mid-length or longboard.

When it works

✓ A 1–2 m west-northwest swell on the low to mid tide with an east wind.

When it doesn't

✕ High tide, which covers the rocks and kills the wave; the waves also shrink as the tide drops very low.

Watch out for

  • rocks
  • rips

Best months

January, February, March, April, September, October, November, December

Local tips

Watch for boils over the rocks on the lower tide. It is a good family beach and an easy option when you do not want to walk far.

Getting there

Two paid car parks (mid-June to mid-September) on avenue d'Ilbarritz and avenue du Lac, an accessible sloped path, restaurants and toilets; it is also on the Vélodyssée cycle route.

Travel notes

How often it works
Works on most westerly swells. Rocks under the sand shape the waves, so watch for boils at lower tide.
Crowd and vibe
Usually not too crowded. It is a family beach with a relaxed mood.
Camping and vans
The 4-star Biarritz Camping is about 700 m away (April to October). Camping Le Pavillon Royal is about 1 km south. Nearest campsite about 0.5 km away.
Facilities
There are two paid car parks (mid-June to mid-September), restaurants, toilets and an accessible path. The Vélodyssée cycle route passes by.
Water quality
Ilbarritz flies the Pavillon Bleu (Blue Flag), according to the Communauté Pays Basque (2025). Five of Bidart's six bathing sites were rated excellent and one good in the national dataset (2022 rating). Check the Kalilo app after heavy rain.

Ideal conditions

Swell
W–NW best, WSW–NNW works
Size
1–2 m offshore swell; starts at 0.8 m, holds to 2.5 m
Period
8 s minimum, best from 12 s
Wind
Offshore ENE–SSE; handles onshore up to 12 km/h
Tide
low, mid best, avoid high
Faces
WNW (297°)

Live cam

No cam at this spot yet: the forecast and the guide are on the map.

Nearby spots

All spots in Pays Basque · All spots

Sources