The World Championship Tour is currently on in south west France for the Quicksilver pro and things are heating up. The French lineup is generally shared with several other hot shots on the surf scene – Saffa Beyrick De Vries is one of them. Young Beyrick is in France on a Monster trip with the Euro crew and was kind enough to share some of his top tips with us. Beyrick talks wine, croissants, board choice and beachies…
Beyrick De Vries tearing up Hossegor’s beach breaks.
BEYRICK’S GUIDE TO HOSSEGOR
Nailing petit dejeuner (breakfast)
A rad “grab and go” before the morning surf is obviously a little croissant and espresso combo. A box of pain au chocolates will fuel you all day. As we have been surfing super early due to the tide being high in the mornings a pastry in the dawn light is ideal.
Board choice
La Graviere has a lot of push behind it so usually the grovellers stay in the board bag unless the rounded pins and good wave boards have all been sacrificed to “la Grav”. When it gets 4-6ft+ it draws super hard off the bottom so I wouldn’t use bigger than a 6’2” to prevent pearling the nose on the steep take-offs. Smaller days then bust out the groveller.
Beyrick sips on a pre-surf espresso.
Scoring the best banks and avoiding the crowd
There are a lot of gaps in between the main parking lots that you can try escape to, a bit of walk will be rewarded. Although crowded, the contest bank has been a really good right hander but we will have to see after this big swell settles.
Tips for the win
I am really not being biased when I say I think Jordy is looking good for the win. His confidence on and off the wave is back and he is looking really comfortable out at La Graviere. Medina also seems to be insanely in tune with the spontaneity of the French beachies. With the way each peaking set creates a new rip that wasn’t there before, you have to adapt minute to minute to stay in rhythm.
A walk along the beach can ensure you will find a less crowded spot.
Favourite thing about France
Waves every day as well as a vibrant night life at night due to so many people being in town for the CT.
Wine
The south west of France Bordeaux region is famous for its reds. There’s options from two euro up to as much as your budget stretches. The two euro bottles can be really good.
Beyrick samples French vino.
Cheese
The French love their cheese like they love their bread and pastries. The range is incredible. Just check out the deli counter in Leclerc or any of the delis/patisserie stores and you’ll melt your mind. Petit Basque is the local cheese.
Beer
1664 is default on tap. But there’s a microbrewery at Bourdaines right in the car park doing a decent range of ales and there’s decent banks out front.
Current world no.1, John John Florence scoring his own French kiss.
Ladies
The annual flock of females have started for sure. Although it’s a real pity most of them seem to be unable to afford the top half of their bikinis? Maybe we can do a fundraiser?
Beachies
Due to the preservation of the sand dunes, the place is like a sand factory which results in rip bowl after rip bowl and A-frame after A-frame which is what I grew up surfing in Umhlanga and I cant get enough!
Nightlife
The legendary Hossegor nightlife is full bore in summer season and retreats to the weekends in autumn. The comp week brings a last blast of madness though so plenty of cool bars and clubs to entertain yourself in.
One can never have too many croissants.
*All Images By: Roger Sharp
