Our family holidays are based at Camping AzuRivage in south west France on the shore of the idyllic Lac Soustons. With so many activities on offer and new friends to catch up with, you may not find the time to explore the area, but if you do, we have some inside knowledge of the best surf hotspots, places to eat and things to do. Check out our recommendations:
Beaches galore:
All of these surf beaches are a spectacle – beautiful sandy beaches, ridiculous waves and endless entertainment watching the surfers. Here are our top picks:
- Dune de Pyla - at the Bay of Arcachon in the north and almost uninterrupted down as far as Biarritz, almost 150 kilometres of sand, sea and amazing sunsets!
- Messanges - trendy surf spot a short drive from AzuRivage
- Vieux Boucau – perfect spot for a bodyboard and ice-cream
- Moliets-sur-mer - ideal for body boarding and swimming
- Soustons Plage – another surf hot spot a short drive away or lovely cycle through the forest
- Hossegor - uber-cool surfing mecca! With some of the best beach breaks in the world, watch the pros or have a go yourselves.
Stay active:
- Forest bike rides - explore the forests on foot, bike or even horseback and enjoy the varied wildlife you might be lucky enough to see including wild hare, boar and deer.
- Explore the Pyrenees - go hill walking, cycling or have a go at white water rafting in amazing scenery in this mountain range that separates France from Spain.
Culture:
- Bordeaux - head north to the beautiful city on the River Garonne - classified as a ‘City of Art and History’. Home to one of Europe's biggest 18th-century architectural urban areas, there are plenty of lovely buildings and churches to see and being at the heart of the Bordeaux wine region even has a Museum of Wine! With several art and music festivals through the year and bars and cafes to enjoy, your artistic senses will be overloaded.
Shop until you drop:
- Most of the towns are home to the best known surf labels - Billabong, Quicksilver, Element as well as restaurants and cafes. Head to Hossegor for the best combination of surf shops and café culture.
- A short 5 minute drive out of Hossegor and you’ll find a shoppers haven of outlet shops/warehouses with all the trendy surf labels at discounted prices. Perfect for an overcast or rainy day.
Places to eat:
Hossegor:
- Rock Food on Hossegor's sea front it's a must for the real surf enthusiasts. All the dishes are named after famous surfers and you’ll often find a pro surfer serving behind the bar.
- Café de Paris in the centre of Hossegor town is the place to drink coffee, watch the world go by and soak up the ambience.
- La Crepe Bretonne in town is the place to go if your children are hassling you for a crepe, ice cream or a gallett!
- Hossegor’s indoor food market, which although a fraction of the size, could easily rival the amazing La Boqueria food market in Barcelona in terms of its atmosphere and amazing smells.
- Le Napoli, a little pizza place just 50 yards from the beach front. Hands down the best pizzas EVER! Get there early, there’s always a queue before evening opening at 7pm
Messanges:
- La Dune which overlooks the ocean offers great food in an absolute perfect setting.
- Dessert Point restaurant at the village roundabout by Dessert Point Surf Shop offers wonderful wood fired pizzas.
- Heads Beach Brewery Company is a fantastic micro brewery located by the beautiful Plage de Bourdaines in the bourdaines car park. It’s definitely worth the short 25 minute drive from AzuRivage.
If you would like further information about where to book activities in the area please speak to our team many of whom have lived in the area for a while. For further information regarding our holidays, click below.
Happy holidays!