🏄 The advantages of winter surfing (yes, there are plenty! 😊)
While most people put away their surfboards as soon as autumn rolls around, true enthusiasts know that the adventure is just beginning. Surfing in winter means having the keys to an amusement park all to yourself. With fewer crowds, you can enjoy waves all to yourself, without having to elbow each other to catch your wave.
France, with its varied destinations, has a panel of spots where winter waves are more regular and powerful thanks to the seasonal swell. 🌊
For beginners, winter seems intimidating, so it's actually the ideal time to progress. Fewer spectators to watch the falls, and more space to practice and gain confidence (just kidding, nobody sees you when you fall 🫣).
But beware, choosing the right spot is key to a memorable winter experience. Each destination, from the English Channel to the Atlantic coast, has its own particularities: tides to take into account, more or less capricious swells, and varying weather conditions. 🌨️
In short, surfing in winter is an experience rich in sensations, combining the thrill of conquering virgin waves with the solitary beauty of out-of-season beaches. And who knows, maybe your best surf trips are waiting for you while the rest of us count down the days until the summer vacations.
🌊 Head to the Atlantic to improve your skills
Why freeze your toes off on the Atlantic coast in the middle of winter? Because that's where the magic happens for surfers in search of the perfect wave. Hossegor, the pearl of the Landes region, becomes a surfing mecca as soon as the mercury drops. Here, powerful, elegant waves become the ideal playground for taking surfing to the next level.
And what about the Basque coast? Biarritz, with its vintage charm and dreamlike waves, attracts surf enthusiasts from all over the world. Here, you can share more than just a surf session, exchanging information and souvenir photos, and making friends with enthusiasts from the four corners of the country and beyond. 🏄♀️
It's not just the quality of the waves that make the Atlantic a must for winter surfers, it's also the community spirit that reigns here. Locals are generally happy to share their secret spots and the best info for making the most of the conditions (not to tourists in summer, let's be clear 😜).
❄️ Brittany, a little-known winter gem
Ah, Brittany in winter! A place where thick wetsuits are de rigueur and courage is measured against icy waves. But for those brave surfers who dare to defy the cold, La Torche and Quiberon are true wave paradises.
Every year, as the beaches empty and the wind blows a little harder, these Breton spots reveal their true nature. La Torche, with its waves that seem to have been sculpted by the surfing gods themselves, offers intense conditions. 🌬️
Quiberon is not to be outdone. This jewel of the peninsula puts on its best face in winter, offering memorable sessions where you can almost hear the Breton legends whispering with each stroke of the oar. There, between two waves, you feel small in the face of the ocean's immensity, but great in the feat accomplished.
Braving the Breton cold is not for the faint-hearted (or the cold-hearted like me 🥶), but the rewards are equal to the challenges. 💪
🌞 The Mediterranean in winter, a well-kept secret
Far from the summer hustle and bustle, crowded beaches and joyful shouts of holidaymakers, spots like Palavas les Flots and Canet Plage in the Mediterranean are metamorphosing into havens of peace for surfers in search of tranquility.
Imagine gliding over gentle waves under a clear winter sky, where the only sound is that of your board caressing the water (and a few seagulls 😅 ). Here, in contrast to the rough coasts of northern and western France, the Mediterranean unveils another face of surfing, gentler, but just as rewarding. Sessions here are peaceful, almost meditative, in stark contrast to the raw energy of the Atlantic spots.
And after a morning session, what could be better than relaxing on the quiet beaches or strolling through the villages, which have rediscovered their authenticity far from the hustle and bustle of summer? The Mediterranean in winter is the assurance of a different surfing experience, where every wave caught is a little luxury in the winter cold.
🌴 Surfing in France at Christmas, under the sun
Who said Christmas had to be synonymous with snow and cold? Certainly not the surfers who head to the French islands to catch waves under the glorious sunshine.
In these tropical paradises, Christmas is celebrated in boardshorts or bikinis, far from winter clichés. Saint-Martin, Martinique, Guadeloupe and Reunion offer magnificent beach breaks where the waves gently caress the fine sand. Here, Christmas traditions mingle with the pleasures of surfing, creating unforgettable memories (unless you drink rum without moderation 😅).
Christmas on these islands is an opportunity to discover a rich and welcoming culture, where human warmth rivals that of the climate. Between two surf sessions, local Christmas markets and traditional festivities offer a colorful and joyful glimpse of island life. 🎉
