Guéthary – Parlementia

Guéthary · Pays Basque · France

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Parlementia, between Guéthary and Bidart, is the Basque Country's best-known big-wave reef, often compared to Sunset Beach in Hawaii. It breaks well off the harbour over a flat rock plateau and has an outer wave and a faster, steeper inside section that link up on the rising tide into a long right running toward the beach, plus a shorter left. It starts working at about 1.5–2 m and holds 5 m and more. On small and medium days it is a longboard wave; on big days it needs a gun and big-wave experience.

Level
Advanced
Break
Reef break, rock
Waves
Lefts and rights
Crowd
Busy
Season
autumn, winter
Boards
A longboard or step-up on medium days, a gun when it is big.

When it works

✓ A 2–4 m long-period northwest to west swell with a light southeast to east wind; mid to low tide is best once it passes 3 m.

When it doesn't

✕ Below about 1.5 m it does not break properly, and any westerly wind ruins it.

Watch out for

  • rocks
  • currents
  • reef
  • localism

Best months

January, February, October, November, December

Local tips

Size is very hard to judge from land, so expect the lineup to be bigger than it looks. Paddle out from Guéthary's little harbour; it is a long way, so take plenty of foam. The local crew is territorial: keep a low profile, and beware strong currents on big days and the inside impact zone at the end of the left.

Getting there

Park at the small car park by the village terrace in Guéthary and walk down the sentier des baleines to the harbour, or come from Bidart by the Barognenia path toward the Bahia Beach restaurant. Toilets and restaurants nearby.

Travel notes

How often it works
Wannasurf says it only breaks sometimes. The reef needs a big, clean swell to start working. On the right day it holds waves of 5 m or more.
Crowd and vibe
Few surfers on weekdays, crowded at weekends. The local crew is territorial and wannasurf lists localism as a danger, so keep a low profile.
Camping and vans
Camping Plage Soubelet in Acotz is about 2 km south (April to October), and Camping Itsas Mendi is close to it. Nearest campsite about 2 km away.
Facilities
There are toilets and restaurants near Guéthary harbour, and a small car park by the village terrace.
Water quality
Parlementia flies the Pavillon Bleu (Blue Flag), according to the Communauté Pays Basque (2025). Guéthary's two bathing sites were rated excellent in the national dataset (2022 rating).

Ideal conditions

Swell
WNW–NW best, W–NNW works
Size
2–4 m offshore swell; starts at 1.5 m, holds to 6 m
Period
11 s minimum, best from 15 s
Wind
Offshore E–S; handles onshore up to 10 km/h
Tide
mid best, on the rising tide
Faces
NW (315°)

Live cam

Cams © their operators, shown from the operator's own feed.

In the guides

Nearby spots

All spots in Pays Basque · All spots

Sources