Europcar

Swap your briefcase for a surfboard and discover Southwest France

Woman And Three Teenagers Walking At Waterside Of The Sea

You are about to travel to Southwest France for a business trip and you get to have a couple of free days to visit this beautiful area. Whether you are a barrel wave fiend or you enjoy the idea of not having to work, now is your opportunity to put away your business suit and try out a different way of life.

You want to surf because that’s what cool people do

If Hossegor is the mecca of surfing, Seignosse, a 15-minute drive from Capbreton in the Landes region, is one of the world’s favourites spot among the surfing community. Of the many sea resorts along the 106 km coast, Seignosse has a really laid-back atmosphere, probably due to the many tanned, tattooed and long-haired individuals living in the area. Thanks to its stretches of flat and endless beaches, you won’t have to share your beach towel with a stranger. 

Les Estagnots, Penon, Les Bourdaines, 40510 Seignosse 

Bayonne En Bordure De La Nive

You can barely stand on a board but you enjoy partying

Exhausted from trying to morph into a bleached-hair marvel, you are in desperate need of a break. In Bayonne, the French Basque’s capital close to Biarritz-Anglet, you can cure your aching body in the Petit Bayonne district located by the river. You will have a fantastic evening and forget you promised your awestruck new boss you would teach her to surf the next day. 

Le Petit Bayonne, 64100 Bayonne 

You enjoy a good dawn patrol, and you are also a zealous foodie

From Biarritz-Anglet, drive 30 min to Saint-Jean-de-Luz with its relaxed feel – it’s the oldest fishing port in the country. There, you can taste the fish-focused local gastronomy, buy some delicious chocolates or binge on the famous Basque cake. And when failing to perform a ‘front side reverse 360’ (real riders will get it), at the Plage de Senix, you could always blame it on the box of macaroons you ate.

Plage de Senix, 64500 Saint-Jean-de-Luz

 

Man Standing On Beach

You love surfing but, you’re not so keen on sharks

About 15 km from Biarritz-Anglet and close to the Spanish town San-Sebastian, Guéthary is a charming Basque city with the imposing Pyrenees Mountains as a backdrop. Some even say the waves there are as spectacular as Hawaii’s, and without the sharks milling around. Once settled, you can finally release the hair from your man bun, hug your board like it is your best friend and proudly exhibit the giant wave tattoo on your back.

Parlementia, 64210 Guéthary

Surfers look at you strangely when you carry your board on your head

Too busy getting ready for the meeting of your life, you forgot to review surfing etiquette. Oh well, drop the idea of riding a wave, and drive 40 min from Capbreton to the Courant d’Huchet, one of the natural protected landmarks of the Landes region. In Moliets-Plage, where the current meets the Atlantic, you can finally acknowledge, while admiring the magnificent view, that surf culture can be merciless. And plan your next business trip to surfing-free Iceland.

Courant d’Huchet, 374 Rue des Berges du Lac, 40550 Léon

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