This guide to the best surf camps in Hossegor and the surrounding Landes region offers up plenty of inspo when it comes to surf holidays on the most famously wave-rich section of the French Atlantic coast.
Alongside Biarritz, Hossegor is the capital of French surf. It’s known for the pounding beach tubes of La Graviere and its annual pro comps. But it’s also the gateway to a whole region of long, sandy beaches that tend to lend themselves to beginners and intermediates throughout the spring, summer, and fall months.
That’s important because you’ll quickly see that the surf camps in Hossegor that we focus in on throughout this list aren’t actually always, strictly speaking, in Hossegor. Most are dotted around the Landes region, either to the north up the quieter and beginner-friendly beaches of Moliets, or a little to the south down Capbreton.
That’s great news because Hossegor’s neighboring areas are actually better suited to surf camps. They’re more chilled, less heavy on the barreling A-frames, and a bit cheaper to boot. The good news is that most surf camps in Hossegor and the surrounding region either offer free transfers from a local airport straight to the camp or can organize that for a little extra on the price.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
This is just one part of our complete overall guide to surfing in France
Star Surf Camp
- Location: Moliets, Landes
- Price: 8 days/7 night starting at $661 (£520) per person
The Star Surf Camps brand has really started making waves, so much so that we now rank this as the overall best surf camp in France for 2023. We simply adore their vision for a get-back-to-nature package that whisks you away to the pine forests on the coast of the Landes just north of Hossegor.
You’ll bed down under canvas in cool glamping tents that are hugely spacious and downright luxury – better than lots of hotel rooms in the region that will cost you five times more if you ask us! And that’s not even mentioning the awesome vibe at the camp. We’re talking evenings of live music, shared beers from the open-air bar, BBQs all together. These are the nights you’ll remember for the rest of your lives, folks!
Anyway, the surfing element of the trip takes the form of four full-on surf lessons, one breath and balance workshop for help getting that core in line, and a 90-minute theory session to start things off. It’s lighter on the in-water practice than a lot of camps out there, but generally more effective for complete beginners that really value the technical side of it all.
A note on why we partner with BookSurfCamps.com: Book Surf Camps are probably the biggest online aggregator of surf camps and surf-yoga packages in the world. We sounded out a quite a few potential partners before we affiliated with them. But, in the end, the abundance of choice for beginners, intermediates, and female-only surfing sealed it. We also love the simplicity of their booking system and the trusted brand name, along with the focus on connecting with homegrown local businesses on the ground.
Alma Libre
- Location: Bénesse-Maremne, Landes
- Price: 8 days/7 nights starting at $1,033 (£812) per person
Surf and sort out those chakras on this fully-fledged surf-yoga package. We rate it among the best in the country for yoga and waves in one. The reason for that is that it’s run by a truly passionate couple who take care of all the classes themselves.
Truth be told, it’s a yoga camp before it’s a surf camp. You’ll do Hatha yoga, Power yoga, Ashtanga, and classic Vinyasa over seven separate courses throughout the 8-day stay. There’s usually one session in the morning, followed by another in the afternoon, mostly taking place on the camp’s very own outdoor shala.
The surfing is run daily throughout the week (that’s five sessions in all). It’s basically all on the beaches of nearby Capbreton, an area perfectly suited to improvers thanks to its highly consistent beach breaks.
The camp itself offers both affordable dorm beds and private double rooms. Communal facilities are excellent – there’s a sunny garden, a raised pool, a solarium deck space, and stylish chillout spaces that even have pool tables and musical instruments for use.
La Dune Surf Camp
- Location: Messanges, Landes
- Price: 7 days/6 nights starting at $460 (£362) per person
When it comes to locally owned, intimate surf camps, La Dune could just possibly top the bill for the whole of Europe. It’s small and cozy, oozing real charm and personality. The location? That’s in the small town of Messanges, about 30 minutes’ drive north of Hossegor, along the ridiculously consistent (even in the summer) beaches of Moliets-et-Maa.
There are a couple of reasons we LOVE this one. First off, it’s one of the few Hossegor surf camps that’s situated smack dab in front of a working beach break. Yep, two minutes’ strolling and you’ll be duck diving under neat right-hand peelers, ready to do your thing. Second, the camp is setup to hold just 12 guests at once, so there’s a real sense of camaraderie every single week.
The pad itself is simple yet clean. There are a couple of twin and double rooms up for grabs, a dorm that’s cheaper, and a lovely communal lounge space to boot. Outside, you can kick back in the garden or clock up some vert time on the in-house skate ramp.
JO&JOE Hossegor
- Location: Hossegor
- Price: A week’s surf stay staring at $208 (£163) per person
No list of the best surf camps in Hossegor could possibly skip out on JO&JOE. One of the original backpacker-orientated spots in the region, it offers affordable accommodation with a twist of style and luxury to it, all within striking distance of the main beaches and breaks for your daily fix of surf.
The highlight is surely that sprawling outdoor are and grounds. They count their own netball court, boules pitches, open-air bar, and funky chill-out spaces that really start to shine when the first beers are cracked on Friday night. The accommodation is dorm-based, that’s true. But it’s not your run-of-the-mill hostel stuff. The beds here are big, moveable, pod beds with private storage and whatnot.
You book JO&JOE Hossegor as a standalone acocmodation and then plan the surfing on top. That’s super easy since these guys partner with two local surf schools – the Hossegor Surf Club and Spirit Surf School. They also have an in-house surf guide in the form of European junior champ Kauli Vaast out of Tahiti.
Hôtel & Spa Villa Seren
- Location: Hossegor
- Price: A week’s stay starting at $1,692 (£1,331) per couple
We mention the Hôtel & Spa Villa Seren here because we often recommend it as the perfect oiption for couples or high-end travelers on the search for a bit of luxury with their surfing down Hossegor way. Nestled on the side of Hossegor Lake away from the hustle and bustle of the town center, it fronts the water with its glimmering swimming pool and sunning terrace.
Inside, the rooms are sprawling suites that meld elements of rockabilly, noir, and boho-Scandi design to offer something truly unique. We especially love the walk-in showers in the bathroom suites, and the balconies that overlook the Landes woods and waters.
When it’s time for surfing, you can either drive the five minutes it takes to reach the main Hossegor beaches. Or simply head to reception where they’ll put you in touch with partner surf schools that often do lesson packages that include a pick up and drop off at the door of the hotel.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
