Hossegor

The Gouf de Capbreton is a submarine canyon that runs in close to the shore here, and it funnels Atlantic swell so that waves arrive with unusual power and shape at Hossegor and Seignosse; the result is a beach break with a reputation among surfers well beyond France, and a world tour event has been held here for decades. Autumn is the season, when North Atlantic storms send long-period swell. The town itself grew in the 1920s around a saltwater lake, with basque-basco villas in the pines, and it fills with surf industry offices and shops. The beaches are lifeguarded only in summer and the rips are strong.

History

The settlement began with the village of Soorts in the 11th century, its church built in the 14th century on a coastal route of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, together with the Bielle farm, the town's oldest building. In 1869 a canal was dug from the Hossegor pond to the sea, a stone bridge followed in 1913, and on 1 April that year, as tourism grew, the town took the name Soorts-Hossegor; writers such as J.-H. Rosny came from 1903. The railway arrived in 1923, and between 1929 and 1939 five architects built some 400 villas in the Basque-Landes style, hotels, a golf course, the sports casino of 1927-1931 and an art deco seafront esplanade a kilometre long. In 1980 the surf brand Rip Curl moved its European headquarters here, followed by Quiksilver, Billabong and Rusty (Wikipedia, Soorts-Hossegor).

What's there

• The beach break - powerful waves shaped by an undersea canyon offshore.
• The autumn swell - the season when the surf competitions run.
• The lake - a tidal saltwater lake behind the dunes with calm water.
• The pine villas - 1920s basco-landais houses among the trees.

When to go

September and October for surf; June to September for swimming and the town. Winter storms can be spectacular from the shore. The waves in autumn are for experienced surfers only.

Practical notes

The break is genuinely dangerous for inexperienced swimmers and surfers, with strong rips and dumping shorebreak. Lifeguards cover limited zones and only in season. Summer accommodation is expensive.

Nearby

Capbreton adjoins; Biarritz lies south.

Key facts