Biarritz/Camping/First surf trip advice please!!!

[milliemillie]

Hiiiii

After some top tips for my first ever surf trip woo woo ! Going it alone and I don't have that much common sense so I feel like I should be asking questions!!!

I've been advised to head towards Biarritz/Hossegor? and this does tie in to the road trip I'm planning so unless anybody here says 'NO THAT'S ONLY FOR PRO'S YOU'LL DROWN' then I'd like to go to that area !

Thinking of getting there for September and avoiding kids hols.

Going to buy a trailer tent / folding camper / something like that...

Can anybody recommend me any campsites that are on the cheaper side cos i've had a look and everything looks pricey £30 a night? or is that standard?

In France is it cool to camp wherever or do you get in to trubbz if you're 'wild camping'??

I've been surfing twice when I was like 13 for a total of probably 6 hours - should I get lessons or?? If so how many do you reckon are necessary till I'd be good on my own? I skate and snowboard so feel like I am at a slight advantage as a beginner in terms of being comfortable with going sideways and using my feet and my body weight n shizz! But I'm sure there's a lot more to it than that and i don't want to drown.

THANK YOUUUUUUUUUU

[jaffa1949]

Milliemillie, how competent are you in the surf? Skating and skiing you are already standing and pointing downhill then gravity sucks. Lesson would help but you can do it on your own, I would suggest if you do not understand the nature of the surf you don't surf uninhabited beaches. If there are lifeguards ask them about conditions and safe areas. We don't want you to drown either!
Biarritz and Hossegor are probably OK for your adventure! Treat yourself as a raw beginner it is all upwards from there

[RinkyDink]

I think Biarritz might be the ticket. I've read there are 5 different surf schools in the area. The beach, from videos I have seen, looks like it's mostly beginners so you shouldn't have trubbz meeting other beginners. I'm not sure about camping 'n shizz there. I've never been there. The night life in Biarritz is supposed to be legendary though. Start at a learner's beach, LEARN SURF ETIQUETTE, and head to Hossegor or Pipeline once you gain some skills. Have fun.

[milliemillie]

I think Biarritz might be the ticket. I've read there are 5 different surf schools in the area. The beach, from videos I have seen, looks like it's mostly beginners so you shouldn't have trubbz meeting other beginners. I'm not sure about camping 'n shizz there. I've never been there. The night life in Biarritz is supposed to be legendary though. Start at a learner's beach, LEARN SURF ETIQUETTE, and head to Hossegor or Pipeline once you gain some skills. Have fun.

Ahhhh thank you so much!

[waikikikichan]

Going it alone and I don't have that much common sense.

If you had "Common Sense", you wouldn't go it alone. Surfing takes many skills, of which physical fitness is important. But to "Be Aware" of ocean conditions and other surfers, of which you don't have control of, takes "Common Sense" to keep from drowning.

6 hours of feeble stand ups and you're going to go on a surf safari by yourself ? You probably won't drown, but I hope those trying to rescue you in the process, don't get hurt. You don't see newbie/beginner drivers in car accidents, you see them driving away from them.

[RinkyDink]

Going it alone and I don't have that much common sense.

If you had "Common Sense", you wouldn't go it alone. Surfing takes many skills, of which physical fitness is important. But to "Be Aware" of ocean conditions and other surfers, of which you don't have control of, takes "Common Sense" to keep from drowning.

6 hours of feeble stand ups and you're going to go on a surf safari by yourself ? You probably won't drown, but I hope those trying to rescue you in the process, don't get hurt. You don't see newbie/beginner drivers in car accidents, you see them driving away from them.

I have a feeling Millie's understanding of English may have led her to say she doesn't have "common sense", which makes her sound like she doesn't know how to think intelligently, instead of saying that she lacks knowledge of surfing. I think your advice is still helpful. In my opinion, she can probably go it alone, but should take a lesson and practice surfing with a pack of beginners like her.

[waikikikichan]

I have a feeling Millie's understanding of English may have led her to say she doesn't have "common sense", which makes her sound like she doesn't know how to think intelligently, instead of saying that she lacks knowledge of surfing.

Common Sense aside, going to a foreign place for the first time, not knowing where to stay, what to eat and being all ALONE, sounds like a recipe for disaster. Not even counting the inevitable bumps, bruises and collisions of a newbie surfer.

The OP does other sports competently. Snow and Skate are "board" sports like Surfing is a "board" sport. That's when they get in over their head when they try to surf. Surfing has the added dimension of working with mother nature ( even more closely than in snowboarding ). She has knowledge on standing up, but hardly in catching the wave. Surfing is 90% paddling 10% riding ( for a normal surfer, even less for a newbie ).

Please please don't go alone. Or at least make solid arrangements way before you get there. Even in Hawaii, there are too many scams that prey on the weak and ill informed.

[jaffa1949]

Milliemillie has enough sense to be asking questions here. But like all other board sport fans is lead to believe the skills are immediately transferable , but she says she is asking questions because it might be that easy.
Some credit there but the ancillary skills swimming reading the breaks paddle etc are the challenge points as we tell everybody.
Going alone to a beach by yourself as a newbie = big risk!

We want to keep our newbies and see them prosper. No casualties please.

[Oldie]

Free camping, alone, in France is not a good idea. Apart from being fined, the risk of being robbed is even higher than it normally is.

There are nice surf camps where you can combine learning in a group (which is much more fun than trying it alone) and affordable living.

Coming from decades of windsurfing and skiing, I find surfing pretty counterintuitive in some areas, so I suggest to take lessons. This is also helpful to get familiar with the location and special conditions i.e. currents etc.

[milliemillie]

Thanks everybody - fear not, I do have common sense I didn't mean that literally, I'm actually pretty brainy I'm just after some helpful advice in a field I've no knowledge in

I've 'gone it alone' around plenty of mountains before so happy with that side of things

I've been swimming none stop getting fit for this - not underestimating for a second how difficult it could be and how well I need to be in control of what's going on

I'll keep a look out for a cheap enough surf camp then for lessons and accomo.

Nice one thank you!

[icetime]

Also you won't have much of an advantage surfing if you already snowboard, there's a big difference, surfing is about moving your weight back and forward, not left and right on a snowboard, you can't surf just rail to rail, it's possible but you need to learn to carve, my advice, pick up a few lessons at a surf camp, it'll pay off in the long run, have fun and don't go out alone

[roggy]

I've been in a surf camp in San Sebastian some time ago, this is really close by to Biarritz but already in Spain!
It's good because when you are in a surf school you don't just learn how to surf but also a lot about the sea, weather, the water etc! safety regulations etc!
go for it