On the beach, not in a shop
Surfboard hire in Biarritz
Pick up your board a few metres from the water, on Côte des Basques beach. From €10 an hour, wetsuit +€5. And above all: walk away with the right one.
Which board for the Côte des Basques?
That is the question that matters, and almost nobody asks it the right way round. You don't choose a board based on what you fancy, but on the wave you are going to surf and the level you actually have.
The Côte des Basques is a long, soft, gradual wave that breaks far from shore over a sandy bottom. It is forgiving, and that is what makes it the best learning spot in Biarritz. But it carries little power: a board that is too small simply won't take off. That is the number one mistake visiting surfers make, renting a board for the level they think they have and spending the afternoon paddling.
Here are the four main families, what they are worth here, and what we have on the beach.
This season we only rent soft-top boards, but in every size, from kids' models to boards for bigger builds. Better to say it upfront than let you find out on the sand. And for surfing the Côte des Basques it is hardly a limitation: it is the gear we put in the hands of nearly all our students, including those who can already pop up.
The soft-top board
all sizesAvailable with usBeginners, kids, families, getting back into it
Wide, thick and very buoyant, it forgives everything: sloppy positioning, half-hearted paddling, wipeouts. Its soft surface spares you the knocks, and spares everyone around you too. It is by far the board people progress fastest on when starting out, and on a gentle wave like the Côte des Basques it is also the one that lets you catch the most waves in a session. We carry every size, from kids' models to boards for bigger builds: getting that size right changes far more than what the board is made of.
The hard longboard
9' and upProgression, small waves, style
Once the basics are in place, the longboard opens up a different kind of pleasure: long glides, walking the board, catching the wave very early. The feel is close to a big soft-top, only livelier and less forgiving. We don't rent them this season, but our largest soft-top sizes come very close.
The mid-length and the fish
6'6 to 8'Intermediate level
The middle ground between the stability of a longboard and the agility of a short board. You pick one when you can pop up reliably and start wanting to turn rather than simply ride straight.
The shortboard
5'6 to 6'4Experienced surfers only
Little flotation, high demands: you need to paddle hard, pop up fast and read the wave ahead of time. On a gentle wave like the Côte des Basques, a shortboard is often the wrong call, even for someone who has surfed a few times before.
Our rental rates
| Duration | Board | Board + wetsuit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 hour | €10 | €15 |
| 2 hours | €15 | €20 |
| 3 hours | €20 | €25 |
| Half day | €25 | €30 |
The wetsuit adds €5 whatever the duration. It is, however, included in all our surf lessons, along with the board and insurance.
Why our rates are by the hour, not by the day
Because we are on the sand, not in a shop in town. You don't come to collect a board in the morning and bring it back at night: you show up, you see it's working, you surf for two hours. No deposit to leave somewhere else, no travelling back and forth, no full day to book for a late afternoon session. It is also what keeps the first hour at €10: enough to give it a try without thinking twice.
Where and when to find us
📍
On the sand, not in town
Côte des Basques beach, in Biarritz. Our yellow and white tent is the first one on the beach. You pick up the board a few metres from the water, no transport needed.
🗓️
April to October
Every day of the season, sea conditions permitting. Check today's conditions before coming: on a big swell, the Côte des Basques is not a playground for everyone.
Frequently asked questions
Which board should I rent as a beginner in Biarritz?
A soft-top, no question. Its flotation and soft surface make up for everything you don't master yet, and the Côte des Basques, a long, gradual, gentle wave, is exactly the terrain it was made for. Jumping straight to a hard board costs you weeks of progress.
Do you rent hard boards, longboards or shortboards?
Not this season: our rental fleet is limited to soft-top boards. We do carry them in every size though, from kids' models to boards for bigger builds, and picking the right size, far more than the material, is what determines how many waves you will catch in a day.
Do I need a wetsuit to surf in Biarritz?
Yes, all year round. The water in the Basque Country rarely tops 22°C even at the height of summer, and drops noticeably in early and late season. A 3/2 mm covers April to October for most surfers. With us, it adds €5 to the board rental, whatever the duration.
How much does it cost to rent a surfboard in Biarritz?
At Green Glisse, on Côte des Basques beach: €10 for one hour, €15 for two hours, €20 for three hours and €25 for a half day. The wetsuit adds €5 whatever the duration. Our rates are built around short sessions, since you pick up the board right on the sand.
Where do I pick up the board?
Right on Côte des Basques beach, under our yellow and white tent, the first one on the beach. No detour through a shop in town: you grab the board a few metres from the water.
Should I rent a board or take a lesson for my first time?
If you have never surfed, a lesson is better value than a rental: the gear is already included, and an instructor gets you in an hour and a half what would take you several sessions to figure out alone. Renting makes sense once you can already stand up and read a wave.
Not sure about your level?
An hour and a half with an instructor will get you further than three solo rentals. And the gear is included.