Spot Check: Guéthary

Surf Bugle's inside guide to the world's best surf spots

The Overview

After the famous beachbreaks of Hossegor, Guethary remains the most recognised break in France. Only 30 miles south of Hossegor, Guethary or Parlementia as it is known however shares very little in common with its famed neighbour. Where Hossegor has quickfire sand bank barrels, campervans of frothing hot groms and pro surfing contests, Guethary has lumbering reef bottom peaks, grey-haired men on ten-foot boards, Michelin-starred restaurants, wine bars and deep water power. 

The Wave

Checking the wave from the top of the old whaling village that overlooks the harbour, on any swell over four feet you’ll see an A-frame peak that breaks over a long dark finger of reef. As the swells get bigger, those A-Frames keep breaking further and further out, the break easily holding solid Sunset-style 15-foot wedges. The right seemingly breaks into a clear channel, the faster lefts running down to a whitewater-filled impact zone and from the top, it all looks deceptively easy. The channel is big, the waves breaking uniformly, the crowd spread wide. 

However once in the line-up the true trickery and majesty of Guethary becomes apparent. The wave is at least 500 yards from shore, it’s always much, much bigger than it looks and those lumbering A-frames shift around, turning those peaks that seemed so easy and makable from the cliff top into roguish A-frames stalking around the lineup just waiting to catch you inside. The channel can often feel a long, long way away. 

It does however start breaking at three-foot and with the summer swells becomes the ultimate longboarder and learning wave, with a forgiving reef and little danger. 

The Equipment 

As such equipment is paramount and it soon becomes clear that the older men riding ten-foot guns just might be onto something. This is a break that has been at the centre of French surf culture since the ‘60s and generations of French chargers have placed it at the very heart of their whole surfing act. The average age seems to be around 50 and the culmination of all these years of experience and feet of fibreglass means it’s not always easy getting your hands on some of Guethary’s magic. 

On the flip side, the wave breaks with real consistency from October to March, and that coupled with the real size, the cold water and the large Sunset-style playing field means if you have the right board, the right 5/4 hooded wetsuit, the right level of commitment and are prepared to cop some serious deepwater hold downs, it’s possible to get a some of the longest, walliest and most powerful waves in Europe.

The Vibe

When you do catch one, after the initial big bottom turn/cutback, the wave will either back off again, allowing another carving combo, or begin to wall up across the bay and demand some serious high-speed lines toward the inside section. When it connects properly, you'll be using more of your rail in one wave than you would in an entire session at Hossegor.

Then all there is to do is dry off and head to one of the many restaurants or bars serving high-quality reds, superb Basque tapas and freshly caught fish. If you’ve survived a few beatdowns and caught a 10-foot Guethary roller, your French surfing experience will be complete. 

The Breakdown

Perfect day: A ten-foot, long period NW swell is brushed by an autumn five-knot easterly offshore breeze. A low tide towards evening means you surf till dark, managing to avoid the deadly clean-up sets and finish the evening with a bottle of Bordeaux red as the sun sinks into the ocean. 

Getting there: Fly into Biarritz, Bordeaux or Bilbao, Guethary is about 15 kilometres south of Biarritz on the N10. 

Boards: Big wave guns or high-volume mid-lengths are the go here. You need length and paddling power, and although not a tubing wave, speed is your friend.  

Essentials: Lung power, paddling power and a bit of French won’t go astray.  

Accommodation: Madonna holidayed here last summer, so this place aint cheap. However either side of Guethary itself, plenty of camping grounds offer super cheap accommodation, and Biarritz is a great base. 

Other waves: Over the channel lies a big wave left called Avalanches. It holds the same size as Guethary, but is even more shifty and hard to read, meaning more chance of hold downs, but also way less crowds. On the inside of Avalanches, Alcyon offers a shorter, slabbier hot dog wave on the mid-tides. 

Best Restaurants: Getaria, Le-Poincon, Txamara, De La Jettee, Le Spot Pizzeria