Surfing for beginners in Brittany

[Sophie]

Total beginner here.

We've set our hearts on learning to surf in Brittany. Will take a car over to St Malo or Roscoff.

So any advice on the closest great surf school to those ports and beautiful place to be for nature-lovers, with reliably good waves at all tides in the area?

Would you recommend doing lessons the whole week or just for a few days then hiring a board? My 12 year old is a skateboarder, and I have reasonable balance and we love the water.

Thanks in advance for any top tips!

[Jester]

Heya Soph, welcome!! I'm sorry I don't know anything about Brittany but I'm not long off the nursery slopes in terms of surfing so I know what it's like starting out

1. Definitely go for lessons - you will get the most out of surfing that way. You'll also stay safe, tides and rips can be death dealing if you don't know what your doing. A local instructor will put your safety in paramount importance at all times and teach you how to be safe too! I hope they have good instructors with a high level of English (and want to actually speak it!) You know the French!

2. You'll get tired it's a fantastically vigorous sport and you'll be wrecked after a day or three so I'd advise breaking up your learning.

3. Only hire at a place that has lifeguards or where you KNOW the beach well, that means the tide, where the rips are, how the waves break at certain times of day etc. (See point 1)

4. Prepare to be addicted! surfing is just about the best sport in the world and there's something about it that drives you to want to do it again and again and again!! It's flippin awesome!

5. You're in the best place to ask questions, read EVERYTHING on here (I did) and ask questions, start in the lessons section that gives great advice on how to do everything and what you're to expect. You'll be coming back here often

And have an awesome time!! Post up how you get on and share the stoke! happy hunting.

[billie_morini]

Sophie,
lessons every day is excessive for your son and you. Take a lesson or two, then try to use the things you learned. Learning to surf requires tenacity. I'd expect your son to advance more rapidly than you as an adult. Some thina just work like this. If, following two consecutive lessons and a few days on his own, your son wants another lesson, then you'll be able to set that up.

The reason surfing requires tenacity is because there are MANY little things to learn. So, do not become frustrated. You'll both start out catching white water (waves that have already broken). When you stand up on white water, you'll feel like you are walking on water. The big thrill comes after this. It's catching unbroken waves. When this is achieved, the front of the board is above the water. You'll feel like you are on a magic carpet. Then, the wave breaks and you make the drop. For an instant, you'll experience weightlessness as you make the drop with the breaking wave. This is the sensation that makes surfing addictive. It is the same sensation experienced when making a sharp turn on a leaning motorcycle. This is why motorcyclists ride and ride and ride.

Wishing your son and you have an enjoyable holiday.

[Jester]

Ah billie you're making me wanna get back out there again ASAP!! Yup..^^everything he said

[passter56]

Heya Soph, welcome!! I'm sorry I don't know anything about Brittany but I'm not long off the nursery slopes in terms of surfing so I know what it's like starting out

1. Definitely go for lessons - you will get the most out of surfing that way. You'll also stay safe, tides and rips can be death dealing if you don't know what your doing. A local instructor will put your safety in paramount importance at all times and teach you how to be safe too! I hope they have good instructors with a high level of English (and want to actually speak it!) You know the French!

2. You'll get tired it's a fantastically vigorous sport and you'll be wrecked after a day or three so I'd advise breaking up your learning.

3. Only hire at a place that has lifeguards or where you KNOW the beach well, that means the tide, where the rips are, how the waves break at certain times of day etc. (See point 1)

4. Prepare to be addicted! surfing is just about the best sport in the world and there's something about it that drives you to want to do it again and again and again!! It's flippin awesome!

5. You're in the best place to ask questions, read EVERYTHING on here (I did) and ask questions, start in the lessons section that gives great advice on how to do everything and what you're to expect. You'll be coming back here often

And have an awesome time!! Post up how you get on and share the stoke! happy hunting.

Thank you for this advice jester, I'm new to surfing.

[Jester]

Hey no problems passter! Have you got in the water yet? What was your first experience like?! If there's any question I can help you with let me know

There's s great beginner's section here under 'FORUM' > 'LESSONS' go check it out and read up everything if you're like me and want to get as much info as possible. Also check out the 'surf simply' videos on YouTube. They're really helpful

Everyone here is willing to help so ask away and use the search function a lot! Happy hunting

[Samtielemans]

Hi everyone! I'm new to the idea of surfing in Puerto Rico, and it looks really fun! I had a few questions:

1. Are there many beaches that don't have rocks along the shore? I would love to be at beaches that have sandy bottoms in case I fall or walking out there I kick something.

2. I read something about sea urchins? Will I step on those?? Not sure if they are at every beach or not..

3. Does anyone just body surf? If so, what beaches would be good for those?

4. What is the best beach for beginner surfers where the waves are too overwhelming?

Thanks so much!!

[jaffa1949]

Hi everyone! I'm new to the idea of surfing in Puerto Rico, and it looks really fun! I had a few questions

I think you are severely lost Puerto Rico is not in Britany.
Most beaches have rocks at either end but if the beach is sandy the sea urchins will be at the rocky ends!
Sandy beaches can be good for. Bodysurfing but they can have rips and longshore currents , you need to understand those before you start bodysurfing.

Gentle waves that you can paddle into, be they in Britany or Puerto Rico!

I think that you need to have few lessons because the whole beach scene seems a little unknown to you!