Located in Hossegor, France, La Graviere is a world-class beach break known for its massive dredging barrels that detonate very close to shore. This is Hossegor’s most famous spot, home to pro surfing competitions and a myriad of barrel-hungry locals. The waves here are challenging to surf, with a reputation for snapping boards and bones, breaking for up to 50 meters (164 feet) over a hard-packed sand bottom. Heavy barrels are the name of the game here, so be prepared for a beating, a hard paddle day due to the currents, and potentially the barrel of your life.
What are the best surf conditions for La Graviere?
It gets good from waist-high to triple overhead, but at the upper limits of size, a jet ski crew is necessary to hold position. We recommend riding a shortboard here or a step-up for when the waves get big. This break is suitable only for very confident intermediate surfers and advanced surfers. The surf here usually breaks (5/10) and is typically crowded until it starts pushing double overhead (8/10). The best winds are from the east. The best swells are from the north, northwest, and west. It works on all tides, but the swings are massive, and the break will probably only be good for a short window of time.
We recommend wearing a spring suit in the summer when water temperatures rise to 21°C (70°F). In winter, a 5/4 wetsuit is the call when water temperatures drop to 12°C (54°F). See the temperature chart below for more data on this.
