Biarritz - Cote des Basques Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, surfers, let me break down what’s headed our way for Biarritz - Cote des Basques. The water’s sitting pretty much where you’d expect it for this time of year, so no need to dig out the 5/4 just yet.

The next few days are a bit of a write-off, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it. We’ve got rain showers and a messy cross-onshore wind blowing in from the W to WNW, with a weak, short-period swell struggling to get past 4 ft. The energy’s low (384) and the whole setup is just a chore. Thursday and Friday, 20th and 21st of August, are basically a washout – you’re better off waxing your board at home.

Things start to look a little more interesting by Saturday morning, the 22nd. The wind swings easterly, becoming a clean offshore breeze, and even though the swell drops a touch to 4 ft from the NW (period 9 seconds, energy 269), at least the waves will have some shape. It’s a small window of clean surf, but it’s the best we’ve seen so far. The crowd factor is worth noting – this spot can get busy, so expect some company if you paddle out. By the afternoon, the wind shifts cross-off and the swell fades a bit more.

Sunday the 23rd brings a really early glass-off with a light easterly offshore, but the swell is tiny at 2 ft and weak (63). It’s borderline surfable, but you’ll be working for every ride. The rest of the week from the 24th through the 26th is a flat spell – the swell drops to almost nothing, and what little energy is there gets blown out by everything from a fresh N wind to a lumpy NW cross-onshore. Don’t bother.

Then, on the 27th of August, things get interesting again, but maybe too interesting. Thursday morning brings a fresh onshore wind from the W, but the real story is the afternoon: a 10 ft NW swell (period 9 seconds, energy 1364) rolls in. That’s some serious energy, but it’s honestly too big for this break. The models are saying it’s more of a kitesurfer’s playground than a paddle-surfing session. Only experts should even consider it.

The 28th and 29th still have a lot of swell, 7 ft to 7 ft, but the wind is all over the place – onshore or cross-onshore – making it choppy and messy. The energy is still high, but the quality isn’t there.

Right, our standout window. Circle Sunday the 30th of August on your calendar. The morning brings a glassy, nearly windless condition from the ESE, with a 5 ft NW swell (9 seconds, energy 370). That’s the cleanest, most user-friendly setup we’ve seen in a while. It’s a proper Sunday morning session for the intermediate crowd. The following morning, Monday the 31st, also looks promising: a light offshore easterly and a clean 5 ft NW swell (8 seconds, 330). Both mornings offer real hope.

The first few days of September are a mixed bag – a lot of onshore and cross-onshore wind, with swell hanging around 5 ft to 6 ft. Nothing too exciting.

But then, mark this down: Thursday the 3rd of September. The guidance is pointing to a proper standout. The morning brings a light offshore wind from the ENE, and a 7 ft NW swell (10 seconds, energy 880). That’s a solid, powerful groundswell with clean conditions. It’s a bit punchy for beginners, but for the experienced crew, this is the best opportunity in the whole forecast. The afternoon lightens up a bit.

The 4th of September fades out with onshore winds again.

So, my final call: if you can only go out once, make it Thursday morning, the 3rd of September. For a solid, clean surf with a bit more crowd-friendly size, Sunday the 30th of August morning is your other best bet. Saturday the 22nd morning is a small but clean consolation prize.

Rusty.

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