Today's weather for Biarritz, France8th Nov 2009 10:34

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Weather Overview for Biarritz

Biarritz is a coastal town located on the Bay of Biscay in southwest France. It enjoys a mild, humid oceanic climate, aided by its southerly location in the Basque country, right next to Spain. The weather is mild throughout the year, largely as a result of the influence of the Gulf Stream.

Summer, from June till September, is pleasantly warm with average highs of around 22°C. Night times remain warm with average lows of 14°C in June rising to 17°C in August before tailing off again. Humidity is always low so whatever the temperature, conditions remain pleasant. Rain does fall quite regularly but usually in short bursts; this is the sunniest time of year. July is the sunniest month with eight hours of sunshine per day, and also the driest. The sea is gorgeous for swimming throughout the season, though some might take a few moments to get used to the cooler temperatures at the beginning of the season.

Autumn, in October and November, rapidly cools down with average highs falling from 19°C in October to just 13°C in November. Night time lows are nippy throughout the season, falling to 12°C in October and 7°C in November. Sunshine levels decrease but sunny periods are still quite common. This is the wettest time of year; November receives the most rain at around 160 mm which falls on about half of the days in the month. This is not disastrous by any means and many pleasant days are still to be had, though the sea is certainly too cold for swimming past mid October.

Winter, from December till February, is chilly but not cold. The average high temperature gets down to 11°C, and the average low temperature down to 4°C, for the entire season. It rarely drops below freezing; snow and frost around the coast is incredibly rare. Rainfall levels lessen but stay quite high and it can often be grey, though sunshine levels are not as abysmal as they are in the UK. December and January usually see around three hours of sunshine per day which increases to four in February. While this is not winter-sun destination, conditions are better than those at home (in dreary London).

Spring, from March till May, is increasingly pleasant though rainfall remains the same. The average high temperature steadily creeps to 14°C in March, 16°C in April and 18°C in May. The sun comes out for around five or six hours a day though this can be sporadic, coming out for a few days then hiding behind gloomy clouds for extended periods. The sea temperature and night time lows remain cool. This is a good time to visit if you want to see the sights rather than lounge at the beach, though the latter is sometimes made possible as from mid April the temperature can soar up towards into the 20s.

The Bay of Biscay is home to the western coast of France and Northern Coast of Spain. Parts of the continental shelf (the shore) extend right into the bay- as a result the water in parts is very shallow, creating very rough seas which can form excellent surf. In the winter months the Bay plays host to some very violent storms, although in Biarritz the winter months are generally significantly drier than the summer months.

The beaches in the region are exceptional, and have in fact won many awards for their high standard. Many of the beaches are affected greatly by the tides, with one of the main surfing beaches ‘Cote du Basque’  having almost no sand when high tide rolls in. The Cote du Basque was in fact the birthplace for surfing in France and has remained very popular. The main beach, Grand Plage can get very crowded particularly in the height of summer, but there are smaller more secluded beaches that you can escape to, to avoid the crowds if you wish.

Biarritz is a famed surfing town- the surfing capital of France. Its magnificent beaches and seaside ambience make it an ideal summer getaway, particularly if you are up for catching a few waves- or at least attempting a few waves at one of Biarritz’s many surf schools. The town was the first European town to welcome surfers back in 1957 and since then has been one of Europe’s most popular surfing destinations. In the height of summer, in late July, surfing enthusiasts flood into Biarritz for the weeklong annual Biarritz Surf Festival. All of the town’s beach fronts are used for the festival, and for a whole week the city permeates a Hawaiian Summer surf vibe.

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