France · Pyrenees-Atlantics
Grande Plage Nord-Cale Aux Chevaux
Pyrenees-Atlantics, France
On the beach
Right now
Live conditions from Open-Meteo, refreshed hourly.
7-day outlook
7-day marine forecast from Open-Meteo.
Sea temperature
Next 7 days, °C
Wave height
Next 7 days, metres
View as table
| Day | Sea temp (°C) | Wave height (m) |
|---|---|---|
| Wed 2 | 23.9 | 1.1 |
| Thu 3 | 23.8 | 0.6 |
| Fri 4 | 24.2 | 0.6 |
| Sat 5 | 24.1 | 1.2 |
| Sun 6 | 23.9 | 1.4 |
| Mon 7 | 23.9 | 1.0 |
| Tue 8 | 23.9 | 1.0 |
Water quality history
Official EEA classification, one rating per bathing season, 2015–2025 — real data reported by national authorities.
- 2015: Excellent2015
- 2016: Good2016
- 2017: Excellent2017
- 2018: Good2018
- 2019: Good2019
- 2020: Good2020
- 2021: Good2021
- 2022: Good2022
- 2023: Good2023
- 2024: Good2024
- 2025: Good2025
Good in the most recent season, and 11 of 11 classified years rated Excellent or Good.
- Excellent
- Good
- Sufficient
- Poor
- Not classified
View as table
| Year | Classification |
|---|---|
| 2015 | Excellent |
| 2016 | Good |
| 2017 | Excellent |
| 2018 | Good |
| 2019 | Good |
| 2020 | Good |
| 2021 | Good |
| 2022 | Good |
| 2023 | Good |
| 2024 | Good |
| 2025 | Good |
Typical sea temperature by month
Modeled estimatePlausible seasonal climatology derived from latitude, for illustration — not a measured average.
Monthly sea temperature
Typical range across the year, °C
View as table
| Month | Typical sea temp (°C) |
|---|---|
| Jan | 16 |
| Feb | 15 |
| Mar | 16 |
| Apr | 17 |
| May | 20 |
| Jun | 22 |
| Jul | 24 |
| Aug | 24 |
| Sep | 24 |
| Oct | 22 |
| Nov | 20 |
| Dec | 18 |
Location & nearby beaches
Nearby beaches
- Grande Plage Sud (Rue Garat)524 mPyrenees-Atlantics
- Fort de Socoa1.8 kmPyrenees-Atlantics
- Socoa1.8 kmPyrenees-Atlantics
- Erromardie2.2 kmPyrenees-Atlantics
Distances calculated as straight-line (haversine) from official coordinates.
Getting there & around
- Easy by car — there's parking close to the beach.
- Bus stop: Digue aux Chevaux, about ~80 m away.
Food, stays & town
- Nearest town: Saint-Jean-de-Luz, about ~700 m away.
- 125 places to eat within 1 km Closest is L'Océan, about ~140 m away.
- 31 places to stay mapped nearby Closest is L'Océan, about ~140 m away.
- 15 shops nearby, the closest about ~390 m away
What kind of beach is this?
This is a town beach, woven into the everyday fabric of a city or larger settlement — expect company on warm days, especially through July and August, alongside easy access to shops and services.
Estimated from OpenStreetMap surroundings data (ODbL).
Is the water clean at Grande Plage Nord-Cale Aux Chevaux?
Thinking of swimming at Grande Plage Nord-Cale Aux Chevaux? The short answer: its official EU Bathing Water rating for 2025 is Good — meets the EU bathing-water standard in the latest annual assessment. That rating is set once a year under the EU Bathing Water Directive, from a full season of testing for intestinal enterococci and E. coli reported to the European Environment Agency the following spring, so the 2025 season's grade appeared in spring 2026 and the 2026 season won't be graded until spring 2027. In addition to that yearly rating, some national authorities — for Croatia, the national environmental authority — publish individual water sample results during the season itself, ahead of the annual report. It's been a consistently reliable spot too — the rating has held at Good for 8 straight years. You can park about ~200 m away.
Looking to avoid the busiest weeks? The water is typically warmest around August, with the most reliable swimming window running July–September; outside that stretch you'll find a cooler sea but a quieter beach. That rating has been consistent: every one of the 11 classified seasons on record has come back Excellent or Good. On site you'll find Showers, Toilets, and Beach bar. Saint-Jean-de-Luz — the closest town — sits about ~700 m from here.
“Good” is one point on a four-step scale — Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor — assigned once per year from that season's water samples, not a live reading. It describes how the site performs on average across the season, not the exact water quality this afternoon; for day-to-day sea conditions, see the “Right now” and 7-day outlook panels above. There are 125 places to eat within a kilometre — L'Océan is the closest, about ~140 m away.
Frequently asked questions
Is Grande Plage Nord-Cale Aux Chevaux a safe beach for swimming?
It's a solid yes: Grande Plage Nord-Cale Aux Chevaux is rated Good for 2025, the second tier on the EU scale, backed by 11 of 11 classified seasons at Excellent or Good. It's also held steady at Good for 8 straight years.
Is the sea warm at Grande Plage Nord-Cale Aux Chevaux today?
Checking in on Grande Plage Nord-Cale Aux Chevaux right now: the water is around 24°C, per the latest reading — the “Right now” panel above tracks it live. That's the reading right off Pyrenees-Atlantics.
What's the ideal time of year to swim at Grande Plage Nord-Cale Aux Chevaux?
July–September tends to be the sweet spot for swimming here, with sea temperatures usually peaking later in that stretch. That applies to the water around Pyrenees-Atlantics.
What's behind the water quality rating shown above?
The annual classification — Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor — is built from a full season of official testing for intestinal enterococci and E. coli, reported to the European Environment Agency each spring. Some national authorities (Croatia's IZOR among them) also publish individual samples during the season itself; Grande Plage Nord-Cale Aux Chevaux isn't yet covered by that in-season feed.
How do I get to Grande Plage Nord-Cale Aux Chevaux without a car?
By car, it's easy — parking is right by the beach. By bus, the nearest stop is Digue aux Chevaux, about ~80 m away. The nearest town is Saint-Jean-de-Luz, about ~700 m away.