Hendaye

The beach of Hendaye is oriented facing west, which means that northeast winds are the most favorable for kitesurfing, arriving in clean side-on from the land. West winds become onshore and can create chop on the water. The launch is done directly from the wide sand, but you should aim for the central area of the beach to avoid crowded zones.

The navigation area extends about 500 meters offshore, with a water surface that goes from flat to chop depending on the tide and wind. At low tide, the water retreats significantly, making launching technical near the shore. At high tide, the water surface is more homogeneous and you can stand for a good distance. Take-off is done on dry sand, often to the north or south of the main beach for fewer people.

Local peculiarity: the wind is often gusty in offshore north, unstable due to the nearby reliefs. Avoid days of strong swell where waves break up to 3 meters. The spot works well in winter with thermal winds or fronts, but always check seasonal prohibitions.