7 Awesome Surf Camps in France for 2026
France has an allure that few places in Europe can muster. Those big, beefy A-frame peaks in Hossegor steal the show. But there’s so, so much more than that.
Head up the coast of Landes Department and you’ll traverse hundreds (literally) of miles of dune- and forest-backed sand that’s got beach breaks and groyne points that work basically all year round.
There are waves for all levels there, going from summer cruisers for the longboarders to winter tubes for the pros.
Speckling the coast there are just a few downright gorgeous towns that have emerged as big-time players in the surf-camp industry, specifically because they can offer loads of whitewash for beginners, proximity to the waves, and that laid-back family feel that the French Atlantic is so famed for.
Naturally, those such towns will feature heavily in this guide to the best surf camps in France. From the tried-and-tested glamping surf spots of Mimizan-Plage (a personal fav) to more showy Hossegor further south, there’s lots to get through, suited to a whole range of different surfers.
We’ve visited the lot towards the end of 24′ to seek out surf camps that are worthy of mention…
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 and a our guide to surf camps
Quick-click links to our top surf camps in France
- Surflife [Mimizan]– Best overall surf camp in France
- St Girons Surf House [Vielle-Saint-Girons] – Being right on the beach
- So Nice Surf School x Camping La Grigne [Le Porge] – One of the best surf schools in the country
- Brunotti Surfcamp [ Vieux-Boucau-les-Bains] – The best party surf camps in France
- JO&JOE Hossegor [Hossegor] – The best surf hostel stay in France (a bargain!)
- Hôtel de La Plage [Hossegor] – Best for a self-planned surf trip
- Hoya Surf Camp [Biscarrosse] – Best non-package surf camp
Surflife, Mimizan l’Espécier
The best overall surf camp in France
Surflife are a brand that have cut their teeth doing camping-surf mashups in both France and Portugal. They’ve now sniffed out a new location on the Landes coast just south of everyone’s favorite chilled French surf town: Mimizan.
It’s a bit back from the coast, huddled in by big swathes of pine forest.
That adds to the atmosphere. You’ll smell the pine cones in the spring and summer warmth and get to bed down under the trees.
They offer both private and group tipi tents there, each with access to a pretty big swimming pool, a chillout area, and a dining tent (which is where you’ll gather for the 5x nightly dinners that are included to eat as a big family).
There’s four surf lessons in total included in the package, which isn’t huge by any stretch. The real bonus – besides the fact that the tuition you get is really high quality (we’re talking like 29 years’ experience teaching on this coast) – is the remoteness of the beaches there.
You’ll find that there’s hardly a soul out at the same spots and you can move up and down the beach to find peaks that suit your level. It’s a joy and you’ll feel alone in a sea of Landes pines and dunes.
St Girons Surf House, Vielle-Saint-Girons
Best for: Being right on the beach!
Step out of the dorm and double rooms at the St Girons Surf House and you’ll find your feet right in the sand. That’s how close this highly rated lodge comes to the wonderful beaches of Landes department.
And they really are wonderful beaches for surfers. You get 365 days of pumping Atlantic swell here thanks to direct exposure to the W and NW channels. That means the summer – when the camp runs between June and September – offers great conditions for learners, even when the wind is still and the sun is shining.
The program is simple but effective. There are 5 lessons of 2 hours each throughout the week, backed up by expert surf theory classes and pinpoint video analysis. All that should help you improve, while the relative quietness of the beaches here compared to, say, Hossegor, makes them perfect for improvers who don’t like crowds.
You can choose between single beds in shared rooms or go for a private double as a couple, costing around $1,663 for the whole package. Breakfasts are included, as is one BBQ dinner.
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.
So Nice Surf School x Camping La Grigne, Le Porge
With one of the best surf schools in France
Sometimes a local surf school just goes into the stratosphere, and that’s been the case with the So Nice Surf School of Le Porge in southwestern France. These guys have gone and got themselves 260 reviews on Google with a perfect 5-star score. That’s a feat even the best dang places can hardly manage, so they certainly deserve a mention on this year’s list of the finest surf camp purveyors in the home of baguettes and bon bons.
The whole thing is a real summer blowout. The So Nice crew – and they really are rather nice – have gone and teamed up with the folks at La Grigne camping. It’s a bit of a classic French coastal camping plot set in the pine woods just a short walk from the vast, long beaches of the Gironde.
Guests stay in big shared tents, or can pay extra for a private tent to themselves. Either way, you’ll be in the surf school’s own little corner of the campsite, which is downright fun for the six weeks they run packages throughout May and June.
Packages are across five days, which include 4 surf lessons of 2 hours each. They’re run entirely under the supervision of So Nice school, which means fantastic quality equipment and some of the best teaching in the region. After that, chill on the beach, kick back in a hammock with your book, or glug beers in the campground with your surf buddies. It’s a hard life, eh?
Check prices and availability at So Nice Surf School x Camping La Grigne
Brunotti Surfcamp, Vieux-Boucau-les-Bains
With one of the best surf schools in France
The team at Brunotti Surfcamp – a Dutch company (we think?) – have come up with one of the most varied surf camp offerings in France for this year. Basically, every week it’s something new.
In July, they run a University Week aimed at undergraduates – expect good parties and people of a similar age if you’re lucky enough to still be that young. Later that same month, they do a whole week-long camp that’s just for 23+ ages – it’s a bit more chilled, but has a hedonistic edge.
You’ll stay in a campground that’s less than 100 meters’ walk to the Atlantic, so there’s surf on offer all day every day (and there are boards at hand for you to use for free surfing whenever you like). However, the package includes at least one 90-minute surf lesson every day, which is run by Brunotti’s own in-house instructors and tailored to either total beginners or improving intermediates.
The vibe is good, and there’s plenty of stuff to be doing when you aren’t surfing, whether that’s volleyball, a bit of surf skating, or just dancing the night away with a beer or 10.
JO&JOE Hossegor, Hossegor
A bargain surf hostel in Hossegor
JO&JOE Hossegor / HostelWorldJO&JOE Hossegor sits right in the thick of Hossegor’s surf scene and leans fully into the social, surf-first vibe the town is so famous for. Housed in a large Basque-style mansion that’s been jazzed up with some new bits and bobs just back from the seafront, it’s walking distance to the beach, bars, bakeries, and enough surf shops to keep you distracted for days.
The setup is more polished than your average surf hostel – it’s like a surf posh-tel. But the feel is still very much about shared spaces and meeting other people.
Expect a mix of dorms and private rooms, a lively courtyard that hosts regular events, and a bar-restaurant that becomes a natural meeting point once boards are rinsed and beers are opened. It’s busy and unapologetically sociable — especially in the summer, when it’s got a seriously good energy.
From a surf point of view, it’s a good setup. There’s secure board storage, easy access to wetsuit rinse areas, and a partnership with the local ESCF Darrigood Surf School for when you want lessons. The beach is less than 200 meters away, with waves all year round.
And then there’s the price – you can pay like $20 a night here. BARGAIN.
Hôtel de La Plage, Hossegor
Best for a self-planned surf trip (this is a hotel with a surf school, not a full-on surf camp)
Hôtel de La Plage is one of those coastal stays that genuinely gets surfers. Set right by the ocean in the surf hub that is Hossegor, it’s in a prime location – think condition checks from the balcony in your room. No shuttles, no early alarms – just your first-thing coffee, grab a board, and head out.
The style is relaxed and beachy rather than flashy. The range of doubles and suites are clean and comfortable, with plenty of light, and a little touch of surf art here and there. The place works just as well for solo surfers on a mission as it does for couples or small groups mixing surf with a bit of French coastal living.
Where it really shines is when it comes to the surf setup. On-site surf facilities make life easy, with board storage, wetsuit rinse areas, and even an in-house surf school that offers teaching run by a former Aquitaine surf champion.
Of course, there is a caveat here: This isn’t a classic surf camp like the others listed above. Instead of booking all your lessons and food in one package, you JUST book the accommodation and then add on surf lessons as you go. That kinda’ suits a Hossegor stay if you ask us, since there might well be groups with varying levels of surfers (some who need lessons, some who don’t), and it means you can go at your own pace (a night out here, a hangover there, a surf session tucked in between).
Hoya Surf Camp, Biscarrosse
Best non-package surf camp
Lastly, there’s the budget-friendly option of the Hoya Surf Camp. Set between the high pine woods of the more northerly Landes region, it’s known as a bit of an easier-going version of Hossegor.
If that sounds like just about the perfect place for a beginner or family surf retreat, then that’s because it is. The waves here peel mellow and easy into sand-bottomed runs of sand. And they’re less busy on the whole than their compadres to the south.
Hoya is a book-it-yourself stay that offers a taste of cabin life. You’ll bed down in small wooden pods between the stone pines, and have hammocks strewn between the trees for chilling in. There’s a communal pool, but really it’s all about two things: The low rates and the walking access to the plage, which has consistent waves.
You can pay for add-on surf lessons, board rental, and paddle sessions on site when you arrive.
When should I do a surf camp in France?
That’s really up to you. France has waves all year.
The Atlantic departments of Landes and the Basque Country pick up swell in a 180-degree, meaning there are sets in December, sets in May, and sets in September.
The real question is what sort of swell you want to chase.
The most popular times to visit for surf campers, who are usually in the beginner and lower intermediate categories, is from May to September. Between those months, waves tend to be in the 3-8 foot range and slightly less powerful, plus the water is warmer – a 3/2 wetty is usually enough.
More advanced surfers might prefer to hold off until late in the fall or the winter. Things can get WILD then, with overheads sailing into Hossegor to set off proper bombs. Chances are you won’t be looking for organized surf camps in France if that’s you, but you never know.
One thing to note: A lot of the surf camps listed above only run in the peak tourism season, which is June to September, while others go from May to October.
Just be wary that you might be limited to what dates specific camps are open. Oh yea, and book early! Limited dates mean limited places and French surf camps often sell out fast!
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!
