France · Pyrenees-Atlantics
Socoa
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 | 23.7 | 1.2 |
| Thu 3 | 23.6 | 0.6 |
| Fri 4 | 24.0 | 0.6 |
| Sat 5 | 23.8 | 1.3 |
| Sun 6 | 23.6 | 1.5 |
| Mon 7 | 23.7 | 1.1 |
| Tue 8 | 23.6 | 1.1 |
Water quality history
Official EEA classification, one rating per bathing season, 2015–2025 — real data reported by national authorities.
- 2015: Good2015
- 2016: Good2016
- 2017: Good2017
- 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 | Good |
| 2016 | Good |
| 2017 | Good |
| 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
- Fort de Socoa571 mPyrenees-Atlantics
- Grande Plage Sud (Rue Garat)1.5 kmPyrenees-Atlantics
- Grande Plage Nord-Cale Aux Chevaux1.8 kmPyrenees-Atlantics
- Larrouleta Plage - Urrugne2.0 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: Plage de Zokoa, about ~120 m away.
Food, stays & town
- Nearest town: Saint-Jean-de-Luz, about ~1.6 km away.
- 20 places to eat within 1 km Closest is O'Spot, about ~110 m away.
- 4 places to stay mapped nearby Closest is Camping Juantcho, about ~800 m away.
- 2 shops nearby, the closest about ~240 m away
What kind of beach is this?
This beach belongs to a small coastal village. It's usually calmer than a resort or town beach, though a popular village spot can still fill up on the best summer days.
Estimated from OpenStreetMap surroundings data (ODbL).
- Families
- Water sports
Is the water clean at Socoa?
Socoa sits on a stretch of coast classed as a coastal bathing site, carrying an official EU Bathing Water rating of Good for the 2025 season. Under the EU Bathing Water Directive, national authorities test for intestinal enterococci and E. coli through the season and report the results the following spring — the 2025 rating was published in spring 2026, and 2026's won't follow 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 sits in Pyrenees-Atlantics. You can park about ~220 m away.
That rating has been consistent: every one of the 11 classified seasons on record has come back Excellent or Good. If you're timing a visit around water temperature rather than crowds, July–September is the safest bet, with August typically the peak — expect a cooler, calmer sea either side of that stretch. Saint-Jean-de-Luz — the closest town — sits about ~1.6 km from here.
That “Good” label comes from a full season of official water sampling, not a single test — it's one step on a four-point scale (Excellent, Good, Sufficient, Poor) reassessed once a year. Today's actual conditions can differ from the seasonal average, so for a live snapshot see the “Right now” and 7-day outlook panels above. It's been a consistently reliable spot too — the rating has held at Good for 11 straight years. There are 20 places to eat within a kilometre — O'Spot is the closest, about ~110 m away.
Frequently asked questions
Can you safely swim at Socoa?
It's a solid yes: Socoa 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 11 straight years.
How warm is the sea at Socoa right now?
Right now, the sea at Socoa is measuring around 23°C; see the “Right now” panel above for the latest conditions. That's the reading right off Pyrenees-Atlantics.
What's the ideal time of year to swim at Socoa?
July–September is typically the most reliable swimming window, with the sea usually warmest in the second half of summer. That applies to the water around Pyrenees-Atlantics.
What does the water quality rating actually measure?
National authorities sample the water for intestinal enterococci and E. coli bacteria through the bathing season and report the full-season results to the European Environment Agency each spring for the season just finished, which assigns one of four annual classifications — Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor — under the EU Bathing Water Directive. Some national authorities, including Croatia's IZOR, also publish individual in-season sample results ahead of that annual report.
How do I get to Socoa without a car?
By car, it's easy — parking is right by the beach. By bus, the nearest stop is Plage de Zokoa, about ~120 m away. The nearest town is Saint-Jean-de-Luz, about ~1.6 km away.