Erromardie.

Erromardie is a sheltered bay on the Basque coast just north of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, where a mix of rock outcrops and sandy patches breaks up incoming swells and makes consistent quality a rarity. The main feature is a long, lumbering left that peels across the central section of the bay in front of the lifeguard post. The wave is well-covered and relatively mellow in character - fat and slopey rather than pitching hard - and shows best on the push from mid to high tide when the reef is adequately covered. Mondo confirms the a-frame nature of the central peak, though the left is the more rideable side. To the NE, a right-hander wraps close to a rock shelf at high tide, offering steeper, more challenging drops and occasional tube sections, but the proximity to the rocks makes it serious business suited to experienced surfers only. NW swell is the key ingredient; the bay's orientation filters out a lot of energy, which explains the middling consistency. When a proper groundswell does line up, rides in the 50-100m range are possible on the left. The spot draws a crowd when it is on - a campsite sits right behind the beach, feeding surfers directly into the lineup from summer through early autumn. Entry is straightforward from the beach, though the rocky bottom warrants care at lower water.

Fat left that peels across Erromardie's bay, best when the reef drinks the tide.