Today's weather for Biarritz, France22nd May 2008 16:30

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Weather Overview for Biarritz

Biarritz is a coastal town located on the Bay of Biscay in the southwest France. It enjoys a mild, humid oceanic climate, aided by its location in the Basque country.

 
The weather in the popular surfing town is mild and temperate for much of the year; this is a result of the influence of the Atlantic Ocean and its warm local currents.

Generally Summer is the hottest season, met with slightly more rain then other seasons, Winter is highly enjoyable with long periods of uninterrupted sun, little rain and clear skies, and the shoulder seasons of Autumn and Spring are also enjoyable with mild, pleasant daytimes averages of 11 to 15 degrees.

 
Summer and Spring is when Biarritz sees the majority of its rainfall. The peak summer months of July and August see daily averages of 19 and 20 degrees respectively, and June and September each average a daily temperature of 18 degrees.

 
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.

 
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.

 
In the Bay of Biscay which sees 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.

 
Winter is abundant with long dry sunny periods and sees average temperatures of 8 degrees throughout December to February, before moving up to 11 and 12 degrees come March and April.

 
Winter can sometimes see temperatures that are just as warm as some summer days. There is very little rain during this period and the days are often crisp and clear. As this is tourist off peak season, Winter can actually be a great time to visit Biarritz as you will enjoy great weather (thought generally not as warm) and wont be competing with hoards of tourists for accommodation and sun beds!

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