Surfing in Moliets Plage
A guide to surfing in Moliets
Moliets Plage is one of the more attractive beach resorts along the Landes coast. Buzzing with surfers and holidaymakers in the summer, there’s loads of surf schools and a relaxed vibe in the water.
Moliets Plage is a typical Landes surf spot. The huge sandy beach is backed by endless pine forest dotted with campsites and holiday villages. The one-way strip along Avenue de l’Océan is lined with restaurants, surf shops and everything you need for a relaxing surf holiday. If you’re keen to learn to surf, Moliets Plage also has its fair share of surf schools and surf camps with qualified instructors to get you catching your first waves.
There’s a bit more going on in Moliets than neighbouring Messanges. In summer the place is buzzing with the beach party crowd. With everything you need in close proximity, Moliets Plage is a small self-contained surf retreat. It’s a great spot if you want to meet and hang out with other surfers from all over Europe.
Watch this: Moliets Surf Camp
The Best Time of Year to go Surfing in Moliets Plage
Moliets is heaving in July and August, busy in June and September and pretty much dead the rest of the year. Typically the surf is smaller and friendlier in summer, then builds through the autumn. From December to April big winter swells can produce some superb 2 metre barrels. The flip side is that it’s more often likely to be blown out.
So, the best time to visit Moliets is going to depend on your surfing ability and what you want to get out of your trip. If you want to join the beach party hoards and have fun in the sun, then you have to be here in July and August. If you’re a keen surfer, the shoulder season might be better. If you’re fully self-sufficient with the ability to paddle out in big conditions, the winter could dish up the perfect sessions.
Even in the depths of winter in Moliets you’ll only ever need a 4/3 mm wetsuit and booties. And, on a sunny winter’s day with a light off-shore breeze and only you and one other surfer in the water, you might well feel the need to pinch yourself.
If you’re here in the off-season and it’s too quiet for you, you can always head south, either to Hossegor or further south still into the Basque Country. Coastal towns like Bidart, Guéthary, Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Hendaye have a local surf scene that stays active year round.
Moliets Surf Forecast
Moliets, surf forecast – surf report and surfing conditions for the next 3 days with swell components including wave height, wave direction and wave period, wind direction and weather forecast.
Moliets surf forecast courtesy of surf-forecast.com.
Moliets Plage Surf Spot Guide
1. La Centrale, Moliets Plage
Spot type: Beach. Offshore wind: Easterly. Bottom type: Sand. Best tide: All tide.
Wave size: 1 to 2.5 m. Swell direction: West, North Lat Long: 43.85263, -1.39311.
Sunset surfing in Moliets | © Flickr – Frédérique Voisin Demery
Moliets is one spot in south-Landes that’s just as good for beginners as for expert surfers. It’s a reliable beachbreak that works right through the year, and you can get some pretty solid sets, especially when the swell hits the 2 metre mark. With an offshore wind and a westerly swell direction, you can tuck into the occasional barrel.
The ever-changing sandbanks kick up waves up and down the beach. You can take your pick of lefts and rights depending on the day. There are always a few people in the water when the waves are good, but it’s never anything like as crowded as the famous breaks further south. As with everywhere along this section of coastline the currents can be a hazard. It’s always worth watching the water for 5 or 10 minutes before paddling out. Moliets is popular with kitesurfers when blowing onshore.
Guillaume’s take:
When the wind’s offshore and the sandbanks are working, Moliets can produce a nice open barreling wave. La Centrale gets super busy in summer and the banks tend to throw up closeouts. South of La Centrale, in front of the golf course, you’re more likely to find a classic south-Landes barrel. North near the river mouth can shape some nice rights.
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Please leave a comment below if you need specific advice for your surf trip to Moliets Plage, or if you have any recommendations to help us improve this guide. Happy holidays!
