Guéthary & Hendaye · France
Surfing Alcyons
A left reef in Guéthary & Hendaye, France, for advanced and pro surfers.
Les Alcyons is a left that breaks off the jetty by the small port at Guéthary, a few kilometres south of Biarritz. There's only one peak, so the lineup is competitive.
It starts working when the swell is over about 1.5 metres and holds up to 3 or 4 metres. It's best on a rising tide. At low tide the currents are strong and the bottom is rock, so it gets dangerous. It's for experienced surfers.
It's at its best in autumn and winter on a solid north to north-west swell. Guéthary is a small village with cafés above the harbour, a good place to watch it from. If it's too crowded, Parlementia and Lafitenia are close by.
When to surf
Alcyons
Alcyons is at its best from October to March. Conditions it likes: Solid N-NW swell.
October to March: Prime
Big, powerful swell, mild Basque winter
April to June: Good
Reliable swell, milder crowds
July to August: Quiet
Smaller swell, packed beaches, festival crowds
The year across Côte Basque
Waves near Alcyons
Parlementia
under 1 kmGuéthary & Hendaye · Right Reef · Advanced / Pro
Avalanche
under 1 kmGuéthary & Hendaye · Left Reef · Pro
Cenitz
under 1 kmGuéthary & Hendaye · Reef Break · Intermediate / Advanced
Straight-line distances. By road it is usually further.
Getting there
Where to stay: Guéthary is small and pricey but puts you right on the reef; Hendaye is a bigger beach town near the Spanish border.
Transport, costs, where to stay and the rest of the waves in the area are in the Guéthary & Hendaye guide.
Guéthary & Hendaye surf guideSurf it often and something here is wrong? Tell us and we will fix it.