Post: #1

I have the opportunity to check out France again. I was in Paris briefly this January in transit and the Parisians were as rude as I remember.

However, I was more prepared as my Francais is a lot stronger and I was able to navigate a little better.

Now, I will be hitting up Biarritz in August. I don't know much about the place. Are there any events happening during that time that I should target for?

I should be in London mid July and I was thinking of ferrying it across. However, I prefer to fly instead and looks like Ryanair is the way forward.

Can I get a direct from Ryanair to Biarritz? What's the charge if I change the dates of my flight?

I will go suited and maybe try and get something fitted, not sure about custom yet (taking G's advice partially, no smokes though).

What about the best malls to shop in Biarritz? What kind of prices can I expect? Lizards and day game..how receptive are they?

My French is so so..but my exuberance is unlimited so I reckon I must be able to take down a lizard or so.

An old friend of mine wants to come from Monaco to Biarritz, can I get a flight direct from there? Or should I go there from London on Ryan and then train it over to Biarritz?

She is actually a Naijalicious but she has a French friend (Italian parents) who wants to check out Biarritz.

How should I go about this?

Please list decent malls to shop and day game and events that may be occurring. I will stay until mid August.
List airlines. Never flown Ryanair before but I am hearing huge things. I don't like trains much so would prefer to keep it 'el avion'.

Advise, please.

Merci et Gracias.

Post: #2

Ha.

What ever you do, don't fly Ryanair!

You will get all kinds of weirdos coming out of the closet on here trying to diss you. And they might even revive this thread a year from now.

You have been warned.

On to Biarritz:

I have spend two summers of my life here. Unfortunately, they were when I was 20 years old and 21.

I should also add this this is one of my favorite places on earth.

So I won't be able to give you too many specifics, but then again, 90% on of the threads on here guys don't give any specifics even when they went to a place last weekend. So I am sure you are used to it.

That being said, if it is still anything like when I went, August will be packed.

Weather can change on a dime, but should be hot. Maybe too hot.

Tons of Topless girls.

How do you swoop topless girls at the beach?

Great question.

Look no further as this is the only good sheet written on the subject on the Internet:

How to Pick up Topless Girls at The Beach

http://www.thegmanifesto.com/2011/09/how...beach.html

Le Grande Plage will be a mob scene. More girls than your heart desires. And they are topless.

Anglet, is a short walk away, and is dope as hell. Fly young girls. And they are topless too.

Bayonne has a festival that is nuts, got in a street fight there, not sure when it is. It could be August.

If you want specific bars, you are going to have to look elsewhere. Day Game and Night Street Game will be king here.

Smoking Game is double King here, but you probably don't want to believe that. So don't sweat it.

There are also clubs in the center. This is a small town. It should take asking two people to figure it all out.

Honestly, if you don't have that West Coast Surf vibe going for you here, it will be an uphill battle. Or a real heavy Playboy vibe, but I didn't flow that steez when I was a kid, so I can't confirm.

At least in my opinion.

Ask more questions and it may jog my memory.

Hope this helps.

Post: #3

gmanifesto - sounds cool. Do you think I can get away with speaking Spanish there since it's so close to Spain or is French pretty much required? Would it be a bilingual place? I know you are fluent in Spanish so this might be more up your alley.

I have never surfed before but my Naijailicious friend (don't laugh) has actually taken up surfing and is pretty good. Which beaches can I catch a good wave from?

I am wondering if I should branch out in Monaco a little. Do you think I should do a hotel or hostel in Monaco?

Tailorwise, can you recommend any stores to go in and ask about suits? Cloth cut in Europe is the best, in my opinion.

What about good shopping centres (malls)? Can you recommend any?

Do you think things have changed much in 12 years (you said you were there when you were 20)?

I just need to go down there with the right ammo.

Thanks, G.

Post: #4

Moma,
Biarritz, Bayonne, Anglet, St-Jean-de-Luz, Hendaye, Bidart etc...this is my backyard, my neck of the wood so to speak as I grew up there. I was posted there every summer for 3 months when I was a young pup growing up...I'm in a rush now, but I'll be dropping you some actual names of places, clubs, bars, parts of beaches that are best for our sport and so forth. This is a glorious spot to learn and enjoy surfing, windsurfing, yachting...I loved windsurfing in Biarritz and specially Anglet! Unreal there! I'm in a hurry now, but if you're a surf fan, in Biarritz one place: La côte des Basques but watch out for the tide, it can be a major bitch there if you're not careful! Also, an another easy but fun water sport to learn and enjoy there: bodyboarding. Fun times!

Btw, G, when was the last time you went to that area? Btw, what places do you usually hit/where do you usually post up in terms of beaches?

Post: #5

(06-06-2012 08:18 PM)Moma Wrote:  gmanifesto - sounds cool. Do you think I can get away with speaking Spanish there since it's so close to Spain or is French pretty much required? Would it be a bilingual place? I know you are fluent in Spanish so this might be more up your alley.

I don't remember Spanish being helpful at all. You are 30 min from Spanish border though, if you want to go there.

Quote:I have never surfed before but my Naijailicious friend (don't laugh) has actually taken up surfing and is pretty good. Which beaches can I catch a good wave from?

I would go Anglet and walk way down the beach to find your own spot. There is a full nude beach there. Or was. Keep in mind it will be very crowded with beginners. This is dangerous.

Quote:I am wondering if I should branch out in Monaco a little. Do you think I should do a hotel or hostel in Monaco?

You are talking a whole different ball game and coast now. Really should be a different thread. This is like asking about La Jolla and then asking about Malibu. This is totally up to you.

It would make more sense to hit up Pais Vasco Spain, which is also mindblowingly beautiful.

All the little towns along the coast have week long festivals at some point in summer. It is kind of difficult to figure out when they are from the internet though. If you hook into one, you are in for a treat.

Quote:Tailorwise, can you recommend any stores to go in and ask about suits? Cloth cut in Europe is the best, in my opinion.

Not in that area. I barely wore shoes and a shirt when I was there.

Quote:What about good shopping centres (malls)? Can you recommend any?

No malls that I can remember. If they exist, they are outside the city. Biarittz is a very boutiquey place. Think Laguna Beach or La Jolla. But in France.

Quote:Do you think things have changed much in 12 years (you said you were there when you were 20)?

I bet it has. I remember it changing a significant amount (growing) from one summer to the next.

But the general high-end beach vibe will be in tact.

Quote:I just need to go down there with the right ammo.

Thanks, G.

No sweat.

Post: #6

(06-06-2012 08:42 PM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  I don't remember Spanish being helpful at all. You are 30 min from Spanish border though, if you want to go there.

French or Spanish will get you further than English obviously, but don't forget you're deep in Basque country, so you're not going to get extra bonus points for either language. I wouldn't worry. It ain't Paris...

(Disclaimer: I have no opinion on Ryanair... and will continue not to give a shit... Loving your comeback G.)

Went through on a motorcycle tour once... Can't do bar data, but I can tell you it's an awesome spot... (I wasn't there long, but quality mid-summer was immense)

Post: #7

I also just returned from a Cannes/Nice trip on work... Funnily, I was thinking about G's custom suit posts... and feeling VERY under-dressed the entire time. I always saw myself as a guy that would never do that... but I think it may be time to step up... Will be going through your blog G.

Respect.

Post: #8

Hey Moma,

I'm sitting here with a guy that's going to Biarritz in July because there is a big surfing event at the time. He was in it last year, said it's girls galore like it is here, they just so happen to be topless. It's just not a big money event.

Now here's the thing: His flights are Honolulu to JFK on Hawaiian (which I didn't know they had) Then something else to London, then RYANAIR to Biarritz, but he's gotta go to another airport in London. I punched him in the eye after he said Ryainair, and I don't know why.

Either way, they got flights.

I used to live in Spain, and I went around and surfed that whole coast up as north as I could go. Lacanau Beach had the best waves, as I recall, but that's a little more north. Les Cavaliers is probably the break you want to look for around Biarritz.

If I were you and your buddy, I recommend taking the girls (lizards) to those casinos. There's one that is magnificent.

And because you're a nice guy, Moma, I just googled the Biarritz surf festival and this came up: http://www.biarritz.fr/portail/. Maybe that's it's website, maybe it isn't. I don't speak French.

Aloha!

Post: #9

(06-07-2012 07:15 PM)Citizen_Boris Wrote:  French or Spanish will get you further than English obviously, but don't forget you're deep in Basque country, so you're not going to get extra bonus points for either language. I wouldn't worry. It ain't Paris...

(Disclaimer: I have no opinion on Ryanair... and will continue not to give a shit... Loving your comeback G.)

When I was there everyone that spoke Basque spoke French too. Way less Basque than say San Sebastian.

Are you saying people didn't speak French there?

(06-07-2012 07:19 PM)Citizen_Boris Wrote:  I also just returned from a Cannes/Nice trip on work... Funnily, I was thinking about G's custom suit posts... and feeling VERY under-dressed the entire time. I always saw myself as a guy that would never do that... but I think it may be time to step up... Will be going through your blog G.

Respect.

No sweat.

The G Manifesto is always there for cats when they step into the next level of Game.

(06-07-2012 11:40 PM)Kona Wrote:  Hey Moma,

I'm sitting here with a guy that's going to Biarritz in July because there is a big surfing event at the time. He was in it last year, said it's girls galore like it is here, they just so happen to be topless. It's just not a big money event.

Kona, it is off the chain.

I could tell some of the sickest stories of mad innovated moves in Biarritz I used to pull, but probably no one would believe me.

When the real players would, but it would probably bring out the weirdos.

But yeah, Biarritz is so out of this world fun, that it has to be seen to believed.

I have written about swooping topless girls and it doesn't seem to really catch a fire like Bob in the world.

Personally, I love swooping topless girls.

Post: #10

(06-08-2012 09:09 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  Are you saying people didn't speak French there?

Oh no not at all, it's just that quite a few people in the UK have this idea you'll be hated somewhere like Paris if your French isn't top notch (which isn't actually that true)... I just meant that a lot of people's loyalties would lie with a Basque state rather than having a huge sense of Frenchness... I generally found people around there a lot more forgiving of my crappy French than in the North...Just a very laid back area.

Post: #11

(06-08-2012 09:09 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  Kona, it is off the chain.

This is not the first time I'm hearing that.

I'm doing some serious research, and think I may hit this. There's a lot of North Shore people going.

I may have some questions.

Aloha!

Post: #12

Moma are you serious about using Ryanair?

Anyway, air france flies from London to Biarritz, avoid Ryanair, seriously

Flying on Ryanair is like asking to be thrown in the Briar Patch

Post: #13

Kona,
the Biarritz Surf Festival is truly a sight to see. I grew up there and I was there every summer as a teenager. You'd have the best sufers from around the world and of course, all the models that gravitate towards these kinds of events. Not to mention all the hot babes from Northern Europe, Spain, and France as it's in the primest time of the year in the summer. Used to be in late August, now it is held in July. If you or anyone is in the area, do NOT miss that event.

G,
I remember you mentioning about going to BKK in April. How did that go? How did you fare in the hottest time (weather wise) of the year there? Did you roll suited down even in that oppressive heat?

Post: #14

(06-09-2012 11:30 PM)Vacancier Permanent Wrote:  Kona,
the Biarritz Surf Festival is truly a sight to see. I grew up there and I was there every summer as a teenager. You'd have the best sufers from around the world and of course, all the models that gravitate towards these kinds of events. Not to mention all the hot babes from Northern Europe, Spain, and France as it's in the primest time of the year in the summer. Used to be in late August, now it is held in July. If you or anyone is in the area, do NOT miss that event.

My tickets are bought.

I'm going from Jul 7th to 20th, and will have some questions beforehand.

Mahalo in advance.

Aloha!

Post: #15

(06-09-2012 11:30 PM)Vacancier Permanent Wrote:  G,
I remember you mentioning about going to BKK in April. How did that go? How did you fare in the hottest time (weather wise) of the year there? Did you roll suited down even in that oppressive heat?

Didn't go unfortunately.

Asia is to much of a logistical nightmare for me with time zones.

Went to Hollywood and Mex instead.

Hopefully one day.

(06-10-2012 03:15 AM)Kona Wrote:  My tickets are bought.

I'm going from Jul 7th to 20th, and will have some questions beforehand.

Mahalo in advance.

Aloha!

Perfect timing.

You should have no problem there.

Play up the Hawaii angle and I am sure you will know a bunch of the pro surfers.

Brush up on French and you should be golden.

Post: #16

(06-10-2012 07:20 PM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  Perfect timing.

You should have no problem there.

Play up the Hawaii angle and I am sure you will know a bunch of the pro surfers.

Brush up on French and you should be golden.

Yeah this should be a good time. The new HNL to NYC nonstops on Hawaiian Make a huge difference. There's a lot of people I know going.

There's a girl's pro contest going on at the time, and I gotta wonder if they're gonna be topless?

I'm really happy to hear Vacancier is a native, and the G loves the place because I'm gonna have some questions. The trip isn't for a month though.

That being said, there are 3 basics that I need to ask because I gotta get moving with these things. I've been up and down the coast when I lived in Spain, but I forget some details.

1) The girl's contest is longboards. Should I expect a slower calmer wave in say 15 miles each direction of Biarritz? I've surfed Lacanau more north, and that was strong. I want to bring some boards, but checking them as luggage is just stupid, and I want to give them away anyhow. I'm just gonna ship them. Can you guys talk about the waves a bit? And if you know any secret breaks, please don't be stingy.

2) I recall some really fancy casinos around there. I want to hit those. There was one specifically where most guys were wearing tuxedos. I was in the Navy so was fine in my dinner dress. First off, am I thinking of Monaco? Second, suits I get plenty, but the tuxedo I have isn't cool and I need to go get a new one if necessary. There is a casino there that requires tuxedos? If so, which one if you guys know?

3) This one is real basic: I've stayed at Sofitel in Manila and felt hosed but that is Philippines. It had bedbugs. Anybody been to Sofitel in Biarritz?

Mahalo for the advice.

Aloha!

Post: #17

Kona -

1. Waves: Le Grande Plage is a pretty mellow wave most of the time. I wouldn't really call it a "Longboard Wave" though. It can get good.

Anglet - Can get good. Can bowl. Usually fun.

Here is another thing: The tides are very extreme in France. The waves can suck, get good, then suck again in an hour and a half period. Its crazy.

Because of the crazy tidal changes, you can find some "pseudo-secret" spots south of Le Grande Plage. Just take a walk and see.

Geuthary - Hold big waves, reef break. I believe this is correct. I think it mostly breaks in winter. I never surfed it. Met a topless girl from there though with a perfect body.

If you want tubes go north to:

Capbreton: Can get pretty epic with waves breaking off old WWII bunkers in the water. Tubes.

Hossegor: The most well known breakbreak. Basically a A+ beach break often compared to Black's Beach in San diego. They are different but Hossegor can get pretty epic.

I saw Sunny Garcia surf this place perfectly, pulling into tube after tube.

Pretty amazing stuff.

Here is some Hossegor and Capbreton it looks like:





Looks like Hossegor:





Capbreton has more potential for uncrowded surf and more secret spots.

Hossegor is more the "glamour" spot.

Keep in mind, that these spots can all be flat for a week or more and you can get rain for a week straight even in summer if my memory serves me correct.

As far as water temp goes, you can probably trunk it, but may want a spring suit.

You can also sell your boards there for a premium if you want to. Or at least you could back in the day.

I used to bring some extras and make CASH. Not sure if it pencils out these days though.

2. Casinos - you may be surprised to know I never hit them. I barely wore shoes and a t-shirt those two summers, so I wasn't hitting anything that required a suit much less a tux.

I think you can get away without a tux there. Sharp suit would be fine, I would guess.

Biarritz has a pretty high end scene, although I am not the right guy to ask about it.

3. Never been to Sofitel in Biarritz. But I looked on a map and it's right on the beach more or less. Perfect location.

Looks like it has a huge pool right on the beach. You should be set.

Found a vid with a little Sunny G at Hossegor:

Post: #18

Great info as always. Mahalo G.

Its a damn shame what they've done with baggage fees. Hawaiian Air has it down how to tell you how much it is for boards. It's outrageous. You just gotta use a freight carrier.

Like I said this trip isn't for a month, but any info in the meanwhile is appreciated.

Aloha!

Post: #19

(06-11-2012 09:19 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  Found a vid with a little Sunny G at Hossegor:

And Sunny's pretty speedy for a Waianae kid, isn't he. He's good to watch.

Aloha!

Post: #20

No sweat Kona.

Writing about this has taken me down memory lane.

I am damn jealous that you are going.

Say "Bon Jour" to the topless girls for me.

Post: #21

(06-13-2012 11:28 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  Say "Bon Jour" to the topless girls for me.

I did.

We partied for a few days. I'm gonna write up my story soon.

Aloha!

Post: #22

(07-20-2012 04:52 AM)Kona Wrote:  

(06-13-2012 11:28 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  Say "Bon Jour" to the topless girls for me.

I did.

We partied for a few days. I'm gonna write up my story soon.

Aloha!

Nice.

I have been waiting on a legit word from Biarritz.

I hope you had fun.

Post: #23

Kona,

You have to break this down.

I am literally frothing at the mouth.

Then again, I was bitten by a dog the other day when I was getting in my roadwork.

Post: #24

(07-20-2012 08:52 PM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  Kona,

You have to break this down.

I am literally frothing at the mouth.

Then again, I was bitten by a dog the other day when I was getting in my roadwork.

Well go get a shot because I got a lot of data to process.

Le Grande Plage is another world. Don't worry, I put the places that were "Espace Non Fumeur" in my phone.

Aloha!

Post: #25

(07-21-2012 06:31 AM)Kona Wrote:  

(07-20-2012 08:52 PM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  Kona,

You have to break this down.

I am literally frothing at the mouth.

Then again, I was bitten by a dog the other day when I was getting in my roadwork.

Well go get a shot because I got a lot of data to process.

Le Grande Plage is another world. Don't worry, I put the places that were "Espace Non Fumeur" in my phone.

Aloha!

Kona,

Can we get this Biarritz sheet cooking?

I am really interested to see how that place has held up after all these years.