A country of contrast and home to the origins of surfing in Europe. Year round swells batter the coastline with winter being the most consistent, though surfing is often possible in the summer months as well. The northern area of the France offers a relaxed vibe and a varied but tidal dependent coastline. The water is cold and the winters are hard. Moving south the water warms and the surf becomes more consistent. The west facing coastline offers the greatest consistency, stretching from Normandy to the Dordogne. The reefs and points of Brittany and Limousin conceal many hidden gems. France's most famous waves lie in the south west, this 200 plus km of beach contains the world class Hossegor and the famous trench which bisects the continental shelf, delivering Atlantic power straight onto the beach. Offshore winds are predominantly from the east.