Hendaye is home to the longest beach in the French Basque Country, a roughly three-kilometer crescent of sand tucked into a bay right on the Spanish border. Its geography is the whole story: the surrounding capes and headlands filter out the heavy Atlantic groundswells that light up Hossegor’s canyons, so the waves arrive smaller, slower and far more forgiving. That makes it one of the most celebrated learning beaches in the whole region, the gentle green run of French surfing. It suits complete beginners, improvers, families and longboarders who want mellow, playful walls without the power, crowds or aggression of the Landes beach breaks to the north. Hendaye features in our guide to surfing in France. Here is how to surf it.
Quick surf guide to Hendaye
- Best season: autumn (September to November) for clean swell, summer for learning
- Best for beginners: the central and southern beach, soft all-tide peaks
- Best for improvers: the north end toward the river on a bit of size
- Wave type: a long, gentle, sheltered sand-bottom beach break
- Water temp: 12 to 22°C, a 4/3 in winter, a 3/2 spring and autumn
- Crowds: busy with schools in summer, relaxed otherwise
- Getting there: Biarritz airport (BIQ) about 30 to 40 minutes, or the train to Hendaye
- Budget: €30 to €80 a day depending on style
Where to surf at Hendaye
Hendaye is one long, gentle beach with a few shifting peaks from the river mouth to the southern rocks. Tap a marker to preview a section, then click its name to jump to my full rundown below.
The breaks
One long, soft beach that stays friendly along its whole length.
Main Beach
The central beach by the promenade is the heart of Hendaye, gentle A-frame peaks over sand that suit beginners and improvers alike. It takes a W to NW swell with a southerly offshore and works across all tides thanks to the sheltered bay, with low to mid often the cleanest. This is where the schools set up and where most first waves happen, so it can be busy in summer, but the soft, forgiving character means there is room for everyone to learn.
North end (Sokoburu)
Toward the north end near the Bidassoa river mouth, the beach picks up a bit more size and the jetty can help shape the occasional right, giving improvers a slightly punchier option than the middle of the bay. It likes a mid-size NW swell with a southerly offshore at mid to high tide. Note that the tidal flow from the river adds pull here, so the rips are stronger at this end, making it a spot for confident surfers rather than first-timers.
South end (Deux Jumeaux)
At the southern end, near the twin rocks known as the Deux Jumeaux, is the most protected, softest corner of the whole beach, sheltered from west wind by the headland. It is the gentlest zone of an already gentle beach, perfect for absolute beginners and heavily used by the schools. The main thing to watch is the rocks by the headland, so keep clear of them, and enjoy some of the most forgiving whitewater in the Basque Country.
Nearby on the Basque coast
Hendaye makes a mellow base for a coast full of quality. Just up the road, Biarritz offers more variety and history, while across the border San Sebastian and Zurriola add a lively city beach break, both an easy trip when you want more punch than the bay provides.
When to surf Hendaye
Shoulder
Off for size (summer, best for learning)
Hendaye works year-round, but it shines in autumn. September through November is the pick, with consistent, clean NW groundswell and still-mild water, the best all-around window for quality surf here. Winter, December through March, has plenty of swell, and its shelter means Hendaye stays makeable when the rest of the coast maxes out, though the water is cold and the crowds thin. Spring is a pleasant, quiet shoulder as the water slowly warms.
Summer, June to August, brings the smallest, weakest surf and the warmest water, packed with surf schools, which makes it the classic time to take your first lessons. The sea runs from about 12°C at the late-winter low to 20 to 22°C in August, so plan on a 4/3 with boots in winter, a 3/2 in spring and autumn, and a springsuit or shorty in summer. Whatever the month, this is the friendliest surf in the region to build confidence on.
Where to stay and surf Hendaye
Hendaye has the strongest concentration of surf schools on this stretch of coast, with numerous beachfront schools and shops offering lessons, packages and rentals, so it is one of the easiest places to arrange a lesson. Full live-in surf camps are more a specialty of the Landes to the north, but plenty of surf-focused hotels, hostels and school-plus-stay arrangements operate in and around Hendaye and the nearby Basque towns of Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Biarritz. It is also very easy to reach car-free, being the southern terminus of the Atlantic coastal railway. For the wider country, see our guide to surfing in France.
Compare surf camps in France on BookSurfCamps
What to pack for Hendaye
Cool Atlantic water, mellow waves and a river-mouth current are what to plan for. My Hendaye checklist:
- A 4/3 wetsuit with boots for winter, a 3/2 for spring and autumn and a springsuit or shorty in summer
- A longboard or soft-top suits these gentle waves; if you are learning, rent through a school and check your board volume
- Spare leashes and fins, and a warm changing robe for the cooler months
- A surf watch for the tides, plus SPF and a surf hat for the long summer days
Getting to Hendaye
Hendaye sits at the southern tip of the French Basque coast, on the Spanish border. The nearest airport is Biarritz (BIQ), about a 30 to 40 minute drive, with San Sebastian just across the border and Bilbao about 1.5 to 2 hours away for wider connections. Hendaye is also the southern terminus of France’s Atlantic coastal railway, served by TGV from Paris and regional trains, and it links to the San Sebastian metro across the border, so a car-free surf trip is very doable. If you are planning a wider trip, pair this with surfing in France.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hendaye good for beginner surfing?
Yes, it is widely regarded as one of the best places to learn to surf in the French Basque Country. The bay shelters the beach so waves stay small, slow and soft, and the sandy bottom plus all-tide access make it very safe for first sessions, with many schools on hand.
When is the best time of year to surf in Hendaye?
For quality surf, autumn from September to November delivers the most consistent clean groundswell with still-mild water. For learning, summer from June to August is ideal because the surf is smallest and the sea is warmest.
What wetsuit do I need for surfing in Hendaye?
Bring a 4/3 full suit and boots for winter and early spring, when the water dips near 12 degrees. A 3/2 suits spring and autumn, while a springsuit or shorty is enough in summer when the water reaches 20 to 22 degrees.
Why is the surf at Hendaye smaller than at Hossegor?
Hendaye’s beach sits in a bay sheltered by surrounding capes and headlands, which filter out the dominant Atlantic swells. As a result, when Hossegor is firing double-overhead closeouts, Hendaye is often only chest high and easy-going, which is exactly what makes it such a good learning beach.
Are there hazards I should know about when surfing Hendaye?
The main hazard is rip currents, which are strongest near the ends of the beach and by the Bidassoa river mouth at the north end. Also watch for rocks near the Deux Jumeaux at the south end, and be mindful of crowded school lineups in summer.
Can I get to Hendaye for a surf trip without a car?
Yes, Hendaye is the southern terminus of France’s Atlantic coastal railway, reachable by TGV from Paris and regional trains. It also links to San Sebastian across the border, and Biarritz airport is about 30 to 40 minutes away, so a car-free surf trip is very doable.
Hendaye is where the Basque Country goes easy on you: a long, sheltered beach that stays gentle when the rest of the coast is roaring, backed by more surf schools than almost anywhere in France. Come in summer to learn or autumn for the cleanest waves, wrap up in the cooler months, mind the river-mouth rips, and use it as a calm base for a coast full of bigger waves. See you in the lineup.
