France · Pyrenees-Atlantics
Grande Plage Sud (Rue Garat)
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: Excellent2016
- 2017: Excellent2017
- 2018: Excellent2018
- 2019: Excellent2019
- 2020: Good2020
- 2021: Good2021
- 2022: Excellent2022
- 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 | Excellent |
| 2017 | Excellent |
| 2018 | Excellent |
| 2019 | Excellent |
| 2020 | Good |
| 2021 | Good |
| 2022 | Excellent |
| 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 Nord-Cale Aux Chevaux524 mPyrenees-Atlantics
- Socoa1.5 kmPyrenees-Atlantics
- Fort de Socoa1.6 kmPyrenees-Atlantics
- Larrouleta Plage - Urrugne2.5 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: Halles, about ~410 m away.
Food, stays & town
- Nearest town: Saint-Jean-de-Luz, about ~300 m away.
- 130 places to eat within 1 km Closest is Chez Gus, about ~120 m away.
- 32 places to stay mapped nearby Closest is Hôtel de la Plage, about ~150 m away.
- 14 shops nearby, the closest about ~370 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 Sud (Rue Garat)?
Grande Plage Sud (Rue Garat) is a coastal bathing site with an official EU Bathing Water rating of Good for the 2025 season — meets the EU bathing-water standard in the latest annual assessment. That annual classification comes from the EU Bathing Water Directive: national authorities test for two indicator bacteria, intestinal enterococci and E. coli, throughout the bathing season, then report the full-season results to the European Environment Agency (EEA) the following spring — the 2025 season's rating was published in spring 2026, and the 2026 season won't be rated 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. On site you'll find Sandy shore, Showers, and Toilets. You can park about ~210 m away.
That rating has been consistent: every one of the 11 classified seasons on record has come back Excellent or Good. The most reliable swimming window here typically runs from July–September, with the sea usually at its warmest around August. Outside that window the water is cooler and often quieter. It's been a consistently reliable spot too — the rating has held at Good for 3 straight years. Saint-Jean-de-Luz — the closest town — sits about ~300 m from here.
Worth remembering: “Good” isn't a live reading, it's an annual grade — Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor — set once a year from that season's water samples and describing the average, not this afternoon's conditions. For what the sea is doing right now, check the “Right now” panel and 7-day outlook above. It sits in Pyrenees-Atlantics. There are 130 places to eat within a kilometre — Chez Gus is the closest, about ~120 m away.
Frequently asked questions
Is the water at Grande Plage Sud (Rue Garat) safe right now?
Generally, yes. Grande Plage Sud (Rue Garat) holds a Good rating for 2025, the second-best classification, and 11 of 11 classified seasons have met the Excellent-or-Good bar. It's also held steady at Good for 3 straight years.
Is the sea warm at Grande Plage Sud (Rue Garat) today?
Right now, the sea at Grande Plage Sud (Rue Garat) is measuring around 24°C; see the “Right now” panel above for the latest conditions. That's the reading right off Pyrenees-Atlantics.
What's the best month to visit Grande Plage Sud (Rue Garat) for swimming?
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 does the water quality rating actually measure?
The grade comes from a full season of official sampling for intestinal enterococci and E. coli, reported to the European Environment Agency each spring under the EU Bathing Water Directive, which assigns Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor. Some countries (Croatia, via IZOR) also publish individual in-season samples ahead of that report; Grande Plage Sud (Rue Garat) doesn't have that feed yet.
Can you drive to Grande Plage Sud (Rue Garat)?
By car, it's easy — parking is right by the beach. By bus, the nearest stop is Halles, about ~410 m away. The nearest town is Saint-Jean-de-Luz, about ~300 m away.