Biarritz.
Now
· updated 12 hours agoThe week starts with a small 0.9m west-northwest swell at 7-9 seconds under moderate WSW wind, easing to glassy conditions by Saturday dawn as the week’s peak. A fresh northwest swell builds through the week, reaching 1.2m at 10-11 seconds by Friday evening under light NNW wind, then peaks Saturday at 1.2m before dropping to 1.0m by evening under light ENE wind. Looks like Saturday dawn under glassy conditions will be the best window.
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About Biarritz
Biarritz is the south-west coast resort of France, 30 km from the Spanish border, and the cradle of European surfing. La Côte des Basques, the long beach south of the casino, is where Peter Viertel paddled out a Californian board in 1956 and Europe followed. Grande Plage is the town beach. Anglet, just north, is a long strip of beach breaks (Les Cavaliers, Marinella). Guéthary, the next village south, holds the big-wave reef Parlementia and the slab Avalanche.
The west to north-west Atlantic swell runs year-round, with September through November the peak. Working size is 0.5 to 3 m, classic at 12 s or longer. East wind, the continental land breeze, is offshore; west to north-west wind breaks it down. The Côte des Basques cliff shelters from north-west onshore when nothing else does. Anglet wants size and a clean east. Parlementia turns on at 2 m and up.
Water runs 12 °C at the March low and 20 to 25 °C by August. A 4/3 with boots covers winter, a 3/2 spring and autumn, a springsuit or boardies summer. The Côte des Basques at low tide is the longboard scene; Anglet’s beach breaks pack out by lunch in August. The reefs and points are stricter on takeoff order. Autumn is the season: clean swell, smaller crowds, water still warm.