For some reason I wasn’t ready to write about my experience in France while I was there and it has taken me until now to open up about my experience through writing. France was a real spiritual experience for me in a lot of ways. I arrived at the end of August. When I stepped off of the plane I felt the humidity, I smelled the ocean and I could taste the salt in the air. I was back near the coast and I felt home after a 2 month stint in the land locked Berlin. Before I even met the couple I would unknowingly become so close with, I was on the sand and body surfing wearing just board shorts. I can not describe the feeling of pure joy that came over me, but those of you who are reading this who surf will know exactly what I’m talking about. Just being in the ocean after such a long time away is a powerful thing. I felt renewed.
This feeling of renewal and peace was what would shape the rest of my trip. I hurried to my new home just before sunset and met Jo and Jutta the two most down to earth and genuine people I could have dreamed to stay with. They welcomed me in to their home and I ended up working with them for around 6 weeks cleaning, re finishing, painting and building their home. My schedule was simple - wake up, have coffee and croissants, check the surf (and go surfing if it was good), work on projects around the house in between surf sessions, and then hang around and eat dinner with wine until we were too tired to stay up after such a long day. This continued for the duration of my trip with some days completely dedicated to surfing. Jo took me to all the local spots and by the end of my trip I knew some of the locals in the water by name. Jo and Jutta shared with me what I now wish to share with others if they come visit me. Our conversations ran deep and the things I learned from their lifestyle are invaluable to me now. My perspective on life was shifted slightly after being with them.
France has amazing waves and the culture there is something you have to experience for yourself - my words will only do so much. Just south of Biarritz is a small town called Bidart which is tucked into these little rolling hills with the beach just a short walk away. To the south of Bidart is Guethary, home of the famous wave Parlementia. It is a picturesque town with stone buildings and an old fishing lifestyle. The wave is crowded when it’s big, but breaks perfectly along a well angled reef. It is beautiful to watch from above and even more amazing to surf. If you keep going south there is a great point break and in between all these spots are countless sand bars and reefs that break on a number of different tides and conditions. There is truly something for everyone here. The empty waves of Erretegia were some of my favorite though. They worked when it was 2 ft and clean and they held when it was 6ft and pumping - and considering it’s proximity to where I was staying it was a hard one to pass up for the daily routine.
Not too long ago I was on the subway in New York talking with my best friend about life and where it takes us. We joked about how surfing can be a blessing and a curse and then I realized that surfing has been a part of every major decision I’ve made in my adult life. This seems trivial and somewhat cliche given the culture surrounding surfing, but I am forever grateful for where surfing has taken me. At the end of the day surfing in itself is one amazing thing, but the people I’ve met and the places I’ve been along that journey are what stick with me the most.
