Gironde, territory of records :

Before approaching surfing on Lacanau and its neighbourhoods, orderlies a little the decoration.
If you pass in the 33, open large your eyes and benefit from the vastness of natural spaces : more than 200 km of fine sand beaches bordered of dunes, one of the largest forest (of pines) of Europe, an imposing estuary (the Garonne), a territory strewn with lakes (Hourtin-Yokes, Lacanau…), the famous Bassin of Arcachon, the dune of Pyla (higher dune of Europe)…
Here, omnipresent nature is essential, but remain it's fragile and must be respected and preserved by each one among us.
And then that would be the area of Bordeaux if one did not speak about his famous vintages, with which the vineyards strew Ci and there the territory!!
Then, welcome in the Gironde, country of “natural” surfing.

Pines forest Lacanau Océan...

The cycle track, in the middle of the pines Access to the spots by the dune

Surfing Spots “capricious and changing” :

The spots of Gironde are beach break, waves fast which break on sandy funds, sand banks which have the characteristic to be unstable.
From one season to another, from one year to another, sand banks and the baïnes (depressions dug along the beaches, true dangers to the bathers but practical for the surfers which use their currents to pass the bar), move, appear or disappear with the liking from the storms and the strong tides.

The spots, conditioned by these sand banks change often place and the observation of the benches and baïnes is an essential component of the sessions of Gironde.
Side of lacanau, the construction of artificial dams limited the whims of the benches which have a certain stability in the course of the years.
Nevertheless, while moving away from the central beach, nature takes again its rights and the location of the spots begins again of more beautiful!!
But when those are fixed, surfing can be splendid, with peaks right-hand side and/or left, even if the size of the swell should not exceed 2,50m, size beyond which the spots saturate.
Our spots function favorably with a swell in dominant West (NO, O, SO) lower than 2.50m, wind is offshore (NE, E, SE) and in general a semi rising tide.
Besides in summer, it will be necessary for you often to choose between one night of fiesta or a morning session favourable with a surfing of quality (east wind, less surfers…).

Rules and precautions :

The practice of surfing imposes a certain discipline, the respect of rules and the knowledge and the respect of the medium and of its dangers (baïnes, currents, sharp).
We invite you to consult the “code of the wave”, guides rather complete which will present the whole as of these aspects to you. You can download it here (5Mo, PDF)