Hendaye – Grande Plage

Hendaye · Pays Basque · France

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Hendaye's Grande Plage is a sandy beach over 3 km long that faces north across the bay toward Hondarribia. Sheltered from most swell and wind, it needs a head-high swell on the open coast before it works, and then gives fun lefts and rights all along the beach, with clean A-frames when the banks are good. It is a good place for beginners on normal days and the storm-day option for everyone else, when it gets very crowded.

Level
Beginners
Break
Beach break, sand
Waves
Lefts and rights
Crowd
Busy
Season
autumn, winter, spring, summer
Boards
A longboard or foam board for learning, a fish or shortboard on bigger days.

When it works

✓ A 1.5–3 m northwest to west swell on a rising or falling tide with a south, southeast or east wind.

When it doesn't

✕ Small swells, which leave it flat, and northerly wind, which blows straight in.

Watch out for

  • rips
  • crowds
  • shorebreak

Best months

January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

Local tips

A sandbar often forms in the middle of the bay at mid tide. The shorebreak can be surprisingly heavy. In summer, a light evening breeze can give short, tubing waves at dusk; during French holidays come early, as parking fills by the afternoon.

Getting there

Drive along the seafront boulevard by the sea wall, where there is parking, or take Txik Txak bus lines to the beach; plenty of board hire, accessible beach mats and lifeguards from mid-May to early November.

Travel notes

How often it works
Wannasurf rates it regular. The long bay is partly sheltered, so it stays small and gentle when the rest of the coast is big. On small swells it can be flat.
Crowd and vibe
Quiet on weekdays, but very crowded when it is too big elsewhere. During French holidays the town and parking fill up by afternoon. Many visitors in campervans surf here.
Camping and vans
Hendaye has campsites such as Ametza, Eskualduna, Abaya and Txoko les 2 Jumeaux. The motorhome aire near the main beach has 25 places (€15 per 24 h, 2-day max). Large motorhomes are banned from the seafront from May to October. Nearest campsite about 1.5 km away.
Facilities
There is plenty of board hire and surf schools, cafés along the seafront, accessible beach mats and lifeguards from mid-May to early November.
Water quality
Hendaye's beaches were rated excellent in the national dataset (2022 rating) and fly the Pavillon Bleu (Blue Flag), according to the Communauté Pays Basque (2025). Check the Kalilo app after heavy rain.

Ideal conditions

Swell
WNW–NNW best, W–N works
Size
2–3 m offshore swell; starts at 1.5 m, holds to 4 m
Period
10 s minimum, best from 14 s
Wind
Offshore SE–SSW; handles onshore up to 12 km/h
Tide
mid best
Faces
N (353°)

Live cams

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

In the guides

Nearby spots

All spots in Pays Basque · All spots

Sources