Hendaye, a privileged location for families looking for space and safety.
With water temperatures reaching 23°C at the height of summer, Hendaye is an ideal location for families looking for space and safety.
In 2019, Internet users ranked it the 4th most beautiful beach in France!
This beach is also a good compromise for both beginners and experienced surfers looking for a thrill.
Beach operators offer a range of services, including tent rental, deckchairs and beach clubs for children. In summer, sandcastle competitions follow on from zumba classes and yoga initiations.
Practice
Discover Kalilo, the totally free app for all the useful information you need about Hendaye’s beaches.
As well as practical details about your favorite beach, find out all you need to know about surveillance hours, accessibility and available services (such as fast food, yacht clubs, etc.).
This application, offered by the Basque Country Community, is regularly updated with fresh data throughout the day.
Blue Flag since 2021
A true benchmark since 1985, the Blue Flag is awarded every year to towns and marinas that have an ongoing policy of sustainable tourism development.
Blue Flag winners in France and around the world are committed to limiting the impact of tourism and maritime activities on the environment and conserving resources.
In 2021, the juries have selected 194 winning communes in France… including Hendaye (for the Grande Plage and the 2 Jumeaux)!
Hendaye beach has been offering A-quality bathing water for several years.
Analyses deployed along the coast provide results within 3 hours, before bathing areas open. If the analysis result shows a possible deterioration, a new sample is taken in the morning to check the evolution of the situation. The results are available on the Ministry of Health website:
The Kalilo app is essential for all the useful information you need about Hendaye’s beaches.
And it’s getting rave reviews from holidaymakers on social networks!
Good to know
Please note that dogs are not allowed on the beach, winter or summer (fines vary from €17 to €450).
However, the following are permitted on the beaches:
- Guide dogs for the blind.
- Assistance dogs accompanying people with motor disabilities, or any other disability that is particularly invisible (hearing-impaired, autistic people, etc.).
- Signal dogs for the hearing impaired.
- Awakening dogs accompanying people with epilepsy or Down’s syndrome.
- as well as coast guard horses.
Please note that the entire beach is a non-smoking area.
From June to September, an equestrian brigade will be working along the bay and on the beach.
Focus on …
So that swimmers and surfers can coexist in good conditions, let’s respect the swimming areas!
Hendaye invites you to enjoy its beach, maintained daily in summer.
In 2025, bathing is supervised:
Grande Plage (from Sokoburu to rue des Eucalyptus) – +33 (0)5.59.20.01.57
- Weekends from May 8 to 11 (Victory), May 17 to 18, May 24 and 25 and June 29 to 1, 2025 (Ascension): from 12:00 to 19:00.
- Weekends of June 7, 8 and 9 (Pentecost), June 14 and 15, 2025: from 12:00 to 19:00.
- Every day from Saturday, June 16 to September 14, 2025 (inclusive), from 9:30 am to 7:00 pm.
- Weekends of September 20 and 21 and September 27 and 28, 2025: from 12:00 to 19:00.
- Every day during the All Saints’ vacation, from October 18 to November 2, 2025 (inclusive): from 12:00 to 19:00 (depending on weather conditions).
Plage des 2 jumeaux (from the “Croisière” residence to Les 2 Jumeaux) – 05.59.20.02.14
- Every day from June 30 to August 31, 2025 (inclusive): 11:00 am to 7:00 pm.
Swimming is supervised only between the 2 signs surmounted by red and yellow flags and bearing the words “LIMITE DE BAIGNADE” (“SWIMMING LIMIT”).
Beaches are supervised by firefighters and 3 MNS-CRS (Maître Nageur Sauveteur des Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité).
Police officers will provide surveillance and security on Boulevard de la Mer and adjacent streets.
This year, HandiPlage, located on the beach “les deux jumeaux”, will be open from July 1 to August 31, welcoming the public from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm.
The beach has an access mat (near the Grande Plage lifeguard station) suitable for people with reduced mobility (wheelchair users, the elderly, mothers with baby carriages, the visually impaired, etc.) and pedestrians.
Surf
Surfing will take place exclusively in the 3 dedicated zones (see attached map), delimited from south to north by the chequered flag (aquatic and nautical practice zone – surf zone), as follows:
- Zone A, from the tip of the dunes at a distance of 230 metres east of the Sokoburu breakwater to buoy B at GPS coordinates (43°22.63’N /1°47.05’W), to buoy A at GPS coordinates
(43°22.67’N/1°47.21’W) - Zone B divisée en 2 zones :
- Zone B1 opposite Rue des Eucalyptus to Boulevard Général Leclerc in front of Résidence Croisière at buoy C at GPS coordinates (43°22.64’N/1°46.51’W)
- Zone B2 opposite Boulevard Général Leclerc in front of Résidence Croisière up to Rue des Néfliers, at buoy D with GPS coordinates (43°22.66’N/1°46.34’W) at buoy C with GPS coordinates (43°22.64’N/1°46.51’W)
- Zone C, from Rue de la Sablière to Rue de la Côte, to buoy F at GPS coordinates (43°22.72’N/1°45.92’W) to buoy E at GPS coordinates (43°22.69’N/1°46.13’W)
Surfing is permanently forbidden in supervised bathing areas.
Swimming is forbidden in these areas due to water sports activities.
Surf schools are authorized at the locations indicated by the competent administrative authority. The total number of surf schools for the entire Henday coast is set at 12.
On the beach, instructors must take every precaution to ensure that surfers and their equipment do not disturb the safety and peace of other users.
In zone B, for safety reasons, the use of resin boards is strictly forbidden.
In the “ephemeral” bathing area, bathing is supervised and surfing and similar activities are prohibited.
Surface and underwater fishing
Surfcasting is prohibited from May 1 to September 30, from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.
All other fishing activities and underwater hunting within the 300-meter zone are subject to municipal authorization.
The regulation of professional and recreational sea fishing, the collection, shipment, transfer and marketing of all shellfish and crustaceans along the department’s coastline are regulated by prefectoral decree.
Kite-surf, foil and wind-foil, jet-ski
The use of these machines is prohibited from May 1st to September 30th.
Windsurfing may be permitted in Zone C.
Management of windsurfing will be at the discretion of the station managers, depending on the safety requirements of the area.
- Smoke-free beach: smoking is prohibited on all the Commune’s beaches.
- Sokoburu dunes: in order to preserve the dune area, it is forbidden to cross the ganivelles, to damage them or to use the wood of these coastal protection devices.
Access to the dune area is tolerated only for pedestrians and only on identified paths. Grubbing, picking and planting are strictly forbidden on the dunes. - Camping, campfires, barbecues and picnics are strictly prohibited on all beaches and dunes.
- Fireworks displays and lantern releases are strictly forbidden on all beaches and dunes, unless expressly authorized.
The use of devices capable of causing confusion with signals of any kind, particularly pyrotechnic distress signals, is strictly forbidden. - Begging of any kind is forbidden, and no one may beg without special authorization.
- The use of metal detectors is authorized subject to a request for authorization addressed to the municipal services.