![]() Dick Zanuck, a surfer, had brought a board with him from California. Two Californian film makers, Dick Zanuck and Peter Viertel, found themselves in Biarritz for the adaptation of Hemmingway’s The Sun Also Rises. It was back in 1956 that surfing on the Basque Coast began. The breakwaters in Anglet protect from cross-shore winds and clean up the surf, whilst big, powerful barreling waves roll in at Biarritz and Guéthary.Ī late evening surf in the Basque Country with the sun setting and the Pyrenees silhouetted in the background is a pretty magical experience. From classic beach breaks to point breaks and reef breaks, you’ll be challenged and overjoyed in equal measure. Surfing in the Basque Country is all about variety there’s a huge range of waves whether you’re a shortboarder, longboarder, total beginner or seasoned pro. The sandy bottom is interspersed with slabs of reef that trigger breaking waves when it’s too big on the beach, and it’s reefs like Belharra that are responsible for the big waves that the Côte Basque has become famous for. In stark contrast to the huge ruler-straight beaches that distinguish Landes and Gironde, the Basque Coast is peppered with rocky coves and headlands. The French Basque Coast covers the 60 km of coastline from the Adour river mouth just north of Bayonne to the Rio Bidasoa that separates France and Spain just south of Hendaye. Nowhere is this more the case than in Hossegor where the hollow barrels of La Gravière that draw crowds at the annual Quiksilver Pro France are just a short walk from mellow La Sud. Sandbanks shaped and reshaped by winter storms and strong spring tides jack up powerful peaks that in winter can reach up to 3 m.ĭespite the long, straight sandy beach, each spot has its own characteristics and it’s possible to go from bone-crunching shorebreak to a beginner-friendly wave in just 500 m. A deep submarine trench that dissects the ocean floor directly opposite Hossegor is responsible for southern Landes’ world-class barrels. With more than 100 km of fine sandy beach that faces square on to the Atlantic, Landes takes the brunt of the Bay of Biscay swell. But, surfers tend to stick to breaks nearest the coastal resort car parks and the long stretch of continuous beach means that with a bit of a walk you can be rewarded with an empty peak. Add to that, water that can reach 22 degrees and freshly shaped sandbanks from the previous winter’s storms, and it’s little wonder that these are also some of the most crowded surf spots in France. Landes in the Aquitaine region of southwestern France is home to some of the best beach-breaks in Europe. Tour du Mont Blanc – A Classic Long-Distance Walk in the Alps.France also has some spectacular Roman and Medieval sites, and if you have a chance these should not be missed.Bike Alp - MTB Holidays in the Southern French Alps This town and the area is a popular tourist destination. The National Prehistory Museum is here, and it is at the center of a concentration of some of the more spectacular Ice Age cave art. The small French town of Les Eyzies in the Dordogne has frequently been described as the world capital of prehistory. While the most well known of all, Lascaux, is no longer accessible - many other cave art sites are still open to the public, and some all year round. Numerous castles preside from hill tops looking out across the valley below, where the Dordogne's namesake river gently follows its course.įrance has some of the finest prehistoric cave art in the world, in some spectacular regions, from the limestone valleys of the Dordogne to the majestic Pyrénées mountains in the south. Wine and gourmet foods feature prominently and medieval history can be seen all around. It's here where black truffles are unearthed, where frois gras pate is made, and where the best walnuts can be tasted. The medieval town Sarlat-la-Canéda centers on the Rue de la Republique and the Cathédrale Saint Sacerdos.įew regions sum up the best of France better than the Dordogne. The town of Périgueux is home to the Cathedrale Saint Front, with its 5 domes, and the Vesunna Museum, which is built around Roman ruins. It's also the site of the Hundred Years War and so history abounds. Renowned for the prehistoric cave paintings of Lascaux Cave in the Vézère Valley, this is where Cro Magnon Man made his home. Located in the southwest of the country, it is set between the Loire Valley and Pyrenees mountains. ![]() The Dordogne is often referred to as one of the prettiest regions in France.
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