288 surf spots in France, with 122 live cams. Each has a 16-day surf forecast and a local guide.
Live cams and today’s forecasts: the live surf cams and hour-by-hour surf forecasts for every spot in France are on SurfCams. They change every hour, so this text doesn’t contain them: open a spot below, or the map at https://surf-cams.com/.
Surfing in January Guéthary's reefs, the Lafitenia point and the jetties of Saint-Jean-de-Luz come alive on long-period swells that close out the beaches.
Surfing in February The place to be when an easterly lines up with a north-west swell. Culs Nus and La Gravière were the stars of the February 2021 run.
Surfing in March Spring is the season at La Torche, according to The Surf Atlas, and the nearby Crozon peninsula has a wild beach that picks up swell from north-west to south-west.
Surfing in April La Torche's best season, with spring south-westerly groundswells and fewer people than in summer.
Surfing in May Banks are well shaped after winter and the summer rush has not started. Seignosse, Capbreton and the quieter beaches further north are all worth a look.
Surfing in June The Côte des Basques and the Anglet beaches give fun, small-wave surfing with cafés and promenades behind them.
Surfing in July Lacanau and the long Médoc beaches have room to spread out, plenty of schools and a relaxed summer vibe.
Surfing in August Hendaye's long, sheltered beach and the Côte des Basques are made for families and learners in the warmest water of the year.
Surfing in September The heart of autumn surfing in France. The Gouf de Capbreton focuses groundswell onto the Hossegor and Seignosse banks, and morning offshores make the beachbreaks hollow and clean.
Surfing in October 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.
Surfing in November The reefs of Guéthary and the points around Saint-Jean-de-Luz need the bigger swells that November brings. Anglet stays reliable on smaller days.
Surfing in December Hossegor is hit and miss in onshore storms, but La Nord holds big swells and Capbreton's groynes give shelter.
Basque coast road trip 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.
Best spots to learn to surf The Côte des Basques is where European surfing began, and travel guides recommend Hendaye and Bidart for beginners.
Summer family surf trip Endless sand, pine forests and family campsites, with smaller resorts such as Contis and Mimizan much quieter than the famous spots.
Uncrowded winter waves Siouville and the Cotentin catch westerly swells, with shelter from southerly winds.
Big waves and expert spots The Gouf de Capbreton canyon delivers swell at full power to Hossegor's banks: La Gravière and La Nord are among the heaviest beach breaks in Europe.
Mediterranean storm surf Roussillon and Languedoc beaches for the marin, the reefs and points of the Côte Bleue and La Ciotat for mistral and south-west swells, and the west coast of Corsica.