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Surfing in Messanges

Surfing alone in Messanges, France

A guide to surfing in Messanges

Messanges is a classic Landes surf spot with pumping beachbreak waves on good days and well worth a visit if you’re tired of the congested lineups further south.

Nestled in the pine forest 20 km north of Hossegor, Messanges is packed with holiday makers in July and August and pretty much dead the rest of the year. It’s worth the detour though as there are peaks popping off the whole way up the huge beach and relatively few surfers in the water. This is beachbreak territory so the sandbanks are constantly shifting position, but there are two standout waves that seem to position year after year. There’s an A-frame peak with a decent left and right directly opposite the Vieux Port campsite. And, there’s a second peak further north with an excellent left that works best at low tide.

Although Messanges itself is 2 km inland from the beach, you can grab a bite to eat and a drink right on the beach at Snack de la Plage, and there’s a surf school, and showers and toilets at the end of the beach path leading from the ample car park. And, there’s more parking, picnic tables, toilet facilities and van parking 200 m further back into the forest.

Watch this: Messanges Surf School

The Best Time of Year to go Surfing in Messanges

Messanges has one major advantage over beachbreak hotspots further south. Outside of July and August you can really have the place to yourself. If you’re main mission is to find somewhere you can surf all day without the hassle of having to compete for waves, Messanges could be your perfect spot. May and June and September and October are the best months because the water’s warm and the swell is pretty consistent. And the best thing is, you can have a wave just for you and your friends.

July and August are busy with families on their annual pilgrimage to the sun. The campsites are packed, as is the beach, but if you make the effort to walk up or down the beach a few hundred metres you can still get a wave to yourself.

In the winter the swell picks up and when the swell direction, period and wind all play ball, Messanges can produce some amazing waves. And this being no-man’s Landes, it’s not unusual to get an beautiful barrelling peak all to yourself.

Messanges Surf Forecast

Messange, 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.

Messanges surf forecast courtesy of surf-forecast.com.

Messanges Surf Spot Guide

1. Messanges

Spot type: Beach. Offshore wind: Easterly. Bottom type: Sand. Best tide: Mid tide.
Wave size: 1 to 2.5 m. Swell direction: West Lat Long: 43.81601, -1.4056.

Endless summer in Messanges
Endless summer, Messanges | © Flickr – Inigo Santxo Monzon

Guillaume’s take:

I don’t like fighting for waves, so I usually go to Messanges when the surf is good and Seignosse and Hossegor are too crowded. There’s a wave I like about 150 m south of the surf school that works best between mid-tide and high-tide. And, there’s another nice wave just to the north of the surf school. Both these waves need a north-west swell to work properly and they get maxed out at about 1.8 to 2 metres. Watch out for the rips here, which can sometimes be super strong and take you by surprise.

#messanges Instagram Photos

Please leave a comment below if you need specific advice for your surf trip to Messanges, or if you have any recommendations to help us improve this guide. Happy holidays!

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