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Surf spot guide · Basque Country, France
Short, hollow left reef beside Guéthary harbour that barrels hard over a shallow shelf on N and NW swells.
Les Alcyons is a short, punchy left that breaks directly off the western side of Guéthary's small harbour over a shallow, uneven reef shelf. The wave jacks abruptly on takeoff - boils surfacing across the face telegraph the reef below - and drives into a tight barrel before closing out, rarely exceeding 50m of rideable wall. What it lacks in length it compensates in intensity: the steep entry, hollow shape, and fast sectioning demand precise positioning from the first stroke. Locally known as Harotzen Costa, it requires a genuine N or NW swell to push energy around the headland and onto the shelf. It can tolerate a light S-SW component in the wind. Working range runs from around 1.2m up to 4.5m+ on major NW pulses. Because sessions are infrequent - the spot is rarely on - when conditions do converge the lineup fills immediately with a tight group of experienced locals who surf it regularly and set the tone firmly. A heavy rip current runs through the zone, reinforced by tidal flow on the outgoing cycle, and submerged reef sections across the inside demand respect. The harbour wall on the eastern side provides the main visual reference for lining up. Free parking is available nearby with roadside and car park options, and showers are on site.
Steep reef left that jacks and barrels before the inside closes out hard.
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The lineup packs quickly whenever Les Alcyons turns on - a territorial local crew with deep familiarity of the wave takes clear priority, and the atmosphere is unwelcoming to visitors who do not read the room.
Heavy, localized, rare
Basque Country
France's premier big-wave left reef, breaking over an uneven shelf off Guéthary with walls reaching 7m+ on NW swells.
Basque Country
Guéthary's big-wave reef right: a deep-water bombora that holds massive NW swells and rewards those on the right equipment.
Basque Country
Rocky bay near Guéthary with a defined left, a fun central A-frame, and a right that wakes up at bigger sizes.
+9 MORE →Only worth paddling out when the swell is a solid N or NW at 1.5m+ - the wave does not function in smaller or cross-swell conditions
Study the boils from the harbour wall before entering - they mark the shallowest sections of the reef shelf
The rip runs toward the harbour on falling tides, use this to your advantage on exit but avoid drifting into the wall
Observe the lineup from shore before paddling - the local crew is tight and territorial, and reading the hierarchy first is essential
Free car parking is available near the harbour with roadside overflow
HAZARDS · KNOW BEFORE YOU PADDLE
Free car park and roadside parking available near Guéthary harbour. Showers on site. Entry point is on the western side of the harbour structure. The harbour wall provides the main landmark for paddling out.
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