France is seen by many as the birthplace for truly European surf - First founded by a foreign traveller by Hollywood scriptwriter Peter Viertel in 1956 whilst shooting a motion picture in the area of Biarritz. He was so impressed with the waves he saw then that he sent for his surfboard to be shipped over from California.

Shortly after many Surfboard and Surf gear manufacturers caught whiff on the imminent surf explosion and setup their homes here where today you'll find them flourishing as huge multinational companies.

Since these historic events the French surfing community has had an influx of surfers from all over the world coming back year after year and it's not an uncommon sight to find a gaggle of Pro-Surfers surfing one of the famous south west breaks.

The south west breaks can produce some of Europe's best waves, with the autumn, winter and spring seasons receiving the most powerful & consistent swell with also the least amount of crowds. However it's the summer months when the fashionable surfers come out - the swell may not always be as consistent but there's enough huge beach parties and attractions of the opposite sex to keep anyone entertained during the flat spells.

Flat spells are a very rare occurrence though especially in the south west where you'll find a yearly average swell of around 4 - 6 ft. The water temperature during the summer months is defiantly for board-shorts wearers with an average temp of 24 - 26 degrees, however a wetsuit will probably be required for all you yellow bellies during November to April with the average temp hanging around the 18 degree mark.