Technical details of spot

Spot functioning

The kite zone is at the northern end of the beach (towards the casino/Les Deux Jumeaux), away from the main bathing areas. Self-organised spot — no formal zones but experienced riders respect informal boundaries. In summer, lifeguards manage the beach and kite zones are restricted during peak bathing hours. The best launching conditions are at low to mid-tide when the beach is wide.

On the water

Atlantic beach break with waves of 0.3 to 1.5m in normal conditions. Sandy bottom throughout. The beach is wider and shallower than Hossegor, making body drag recovery easier. The Bidassoa estuary creates some current on the southern end. Generally more forgiving conditions than the open Hossegor beaches.

Required level

Intermediate

Spot opening date

Open all year round

Open year-round. Best season: May to October. Summer thermal winds (north to northwest) are reliable in the afternoons. Winter brings powerful Atlantic swells and strong onshore winds. The beach is accessible all year but bathing zones in summer restrict kite areas.

Parking

Multiple car parks along the Hendaye seafront, accessible from the N10/A63 motorway. Full services (restaurants, shops, accommodation). SNCF train station in Hendaye — direct link from Bayonne and Biarritz.

Hazards

Powerful Atlantic waves and shorebreak. Tide-affected spot — the beach narrows significantly at high tide reducing the landing zone. Rip currents present, especially near the Spanish border rocks. The Bidassoa river estuary creates specific current patterns. Shared beach with bathers and surfers — respect all designated zones. Strong southwest wind is very gusty near the cliffs.

Wind specificities

Hendaye receives west to northwest dominant winds. The proximity of the Spanish coastline and the Pyrenees creates specific local effects — the Txingudi bay can channel wind differently than the open Hossegor coast. The thermal north wind is reliable in summer afternoons. Wind from the south is accelerated by the Pyrenees terrain and can be gusty and variable near the cliffs at the Spanish border.

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