This Saturday, April 4th, lifeguards took up their positions on Biarritz’s Grande Plage from midday. A clear signal: the 2026 beach season is officially open on the Basque Coast.
With the arrival of spring and the first sunny days, the City of Biarritz has decided to set up its beach surveillance early. From today, rescue stations are operational on the Grande Plage, offering swimmers and surfers a safe environment to enjoy the ocean.
Enhanced safety measures for 2026
This year, the municipality has stepped up the resources deployed along the coastline. Lifeguards, trained in the latest sea rescue techniques, maintain a permanent watch during opening hours. The bathing flags — green, yellow, or red — continue to guide beachgoers in making safe choices, just as they do every year.
For surfers, the surfing zone remains marked by blue flags, a well-known landmark for regulars on the coast. Swell conditions, often unpredictable at the start of the season, call for caution from everyone.
Essential safety tips
The municipality reminds visitors of a few key guidelines: always swim in supervised areas, follow the flag signals, and avoid overestimating your abilities in the water. In the event of a current, the recommended approach is not to fight it but to swim parallel to the shore.
Surveillance hours will be gradually extended as the season progresses, with full coverage planned for the summer holidays across all of Biarritz’s beaches.
A great sign for the start of the season in Biarritz, once again confirming the city’s reputation as the capital of surfing and seaside living on the Atlantic coast.