Lacanau-Océan

The flagship beach break of the Gironde coast: a long, straight sand beach with shifting banks that produces punchy, hollow peaks and hosts the Lacanau Pro, France's longest-running surf contest. It is exposed to Atlantic swell and breaks over shallow sand, so it can be heavy on the right bank and section-y on big swells. The central peaks are crowded; walking north or south finds empty banks.