Hossegor, or more precisely Soorts-Hossegor, is located on the Atlantic coast, north of Bayonne and Biarritz in Gascony, near the Basque Country. What sets Hossegor apart from the region’s other seaside coastal resorts with their vast beaches, are its many surf spots and surf schools which explains why Hossegor is sometimes described as France’s surf capital.
But Hossegor isn’t just about surfing: there are many other beach and night life activities to try out and the resort is very busy in the summer.
The beach is within easy driving distance of the town centre. The beaches here are magnificent, typical of this part of the Atlantic coastline, and extend all the way from Arcachon in the north to Saint Jean-de-Luz in the south, near the Spanish border.
Hossegor beaches are easily accessible thanks to their wooden walkways and the most central parts of the beaches are patrolled by lifeguards.
Surfing is one of the highlights of Hossegor and central to the tourist activities on offer. The reason why the Hossegor surf is so renowned is because of the presence of a trench -“Le Gouf” - on the sea floor which creates a concentration of energy, resulting in powerful waves.
Please note that the waves can be incredibly high and the famous “tubes” are reserved exclusively for experienced surfers. You can take some surfing lessons if you want to.
Every year, at the end of April, the Rip Curl Pro world surfing championship is held in Hossegor.
Hossegor town features typical Basque-Landes architecture, in keeping with the local architectural style, even in the new districts. In fact, the building housing the Casino is actually a listed, historic monument.
The town centre is well maintained and quite extensive. There are numerous specialist surf and golf shops and during the tourist season, you’ll have the choice of a wide range of restaurants.
In summer, you can take a guided tour and explore the town’s heritage.