Discovering the surf spots of the Basque coast: Cénitz

SURF SPOT IN GUETHARY: CENITZ

South of Guéthary, on the border with Saint-Jean-de-Luz, lies the Cénitz surf spot—an idyllic, sheltered location. Surfing arrived at Cénitz in the 1970s; back then, local families would surf at high tide and gather shellfish at low tide. Indeed, the rocky seabed is a veritable goldmine: it allows waves to break at high tide while teeming with shellfish once exposed at low tide. Shortly before the turn of the millennium, the beach was designated a protected natural area, banning the harvesting of shellfish; since then, the gatherers have moved on, leaving surfers to enjoy the tranquility of this spot tucked away between the rolling hills.

Surfing here has grown tremendously over the years, despite the beach’s limited accessibility. Today, although the reef might intimidate some surfers, you will see people of all skill levels at the spot; in reality, it poses little danger, as the waves at Cénitz are rarely powerful, meaning the risk of scraping yourself against the reef is low.

The spot works at high tide and is divided into three sections:

-A long left-hander starting from further out on the left side of the break; recommended for beginners, as the reef isn’t very exposed and the wave is well-suited to learning to surf.

-A central surfable wave—breaking both left and right—for intermediate surfers.

-A right-hander on the right side of the spot for skilled surfers; the reef is particularly visible on this wave, so there is less margin for error.

The spot works in almost all conditions, with wave heights ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 meters, preferably with an East/South-East wind.