This climate is ideal for people who can't stand or don't like the sweltering heat and those who like to relax on the beach in June or September-October, considering it an ideal time. Our dear children also feel much more comfortable in this climate!
Biarritz's unique climate
This natural "air-conditioning" effect in Biarritz is mainly due to 2 effects :
1 - Biarritz's particular location at the bottom of the amphitheatre of the Bay of Biscay, facing the Atlantic Ocean, which gives:
- The constant presence of a cool breeze circulating in the bay, even at the height of summer.
- The constant presence of the famous warm Gulf Stream current brings warm water from Mexico and the Caribbean's southern coasts. On entering the bay, this warm current is "stuck" here, unable to flow northwards. Thus, the Gulf Stream acts as an air conditioner for Biarritz while making the coastal waters extremely pleasant for swimming (for example, in southern Portugal, the water remains colder because the warm current never reaches it).
2 - Biarritz is "wedged" between the ocean and the southern Pyrenees:
- Thus, winds from the south rise towards the Pyrenees' summits, up to 3000m, where they lose humidity and go down to Biarritz while warming up (Foehn effect). Biarritz is therefore regularly swept by warm, dry winds from the south, which mix with the milder, more humid ocean breezes off the coast. The dry southerly winds contribute to the fact that Biarritz often has the highest winter temperatures in France, even at Christmas time.
The weather in Biarritz
Spring
- The weather in Biarritz in April: air - about +17°C, water - about +13°C.
- The weather in Biarritz in May: air - about +21°C, water - about +16°C.
The May holidays are always sunny, flowers and trees bloom everywhere, and temperatures reach +20+21. The nights are still cool, but you can sunbathe and start swimming in the gradually warming ocean during the day.
By the way, spring is the hortensias season in Biarritz. Flowers are everywhere, and it's absolutely magic!
Summer
- The weather in Biarritz in June: air - about +23°C, water - about +20°C.
- The weather in Biarritz in July: air - about +25°C, water - about +22°C.
- The weather in Biarritz in August: air - about +26°C, water - about +23°C.
The average temperature in the shade in Biarritz is +26°C in August and +23°C in June and September. Naturally, it is warmer in full sunshine, up to +30°C and more. But thanks to the humidity, there are always clouds forming, which, with a light cool breeze, makes these hot months as comfortable as possible.
Autumn
- The weather in Biarritz in September: air - about +23°C, water - about +21°C.
- The weather in Biarritz in October: air - about +21°C, water - about +18°C.
In October, the average temperature in Biarritz is around +21°C in the shade. This is a time of year when people spend a lot of time on the beach, and it is the time of year when the French media tend to talk about Biarritz as the hottest city in the country.
About the rain in Biarritz
It doesn't rain often and not for long in Biarritz during the summer period, but it rains a lot! It is a tropical rain that makes you run very fast to seek shelter to not get wet in a second. But as a rule, an hour later, the sun comes out as suddenly as it left, and the city and the ocean begin to shine again. This is why Biarritz is bathed in greenery all year round and is famous for its lush hydrangeas. The vegetation remains vividly green even in July and August when Provence is burnt and dried by the sun.
Water temperature and purity in Biarritz
The water temperatures around Biarritz are pleasant and comfortable for swimming, thanks to the Gulf Stream, which carries the warm waters of the coasts of southern Mexico and the Caribbean. The water is much warmer here than in Portugal, for example, where this current does not occur. The average summer temperature of the coastal ocean waters in Biarritz is +23°С. Tourists bathe in Biarritz from early June to late October, and locals have no problem bathing in May and November. Another essential aspect, of which all the locals are proud, is the ocean waters' purity. Here, the water is constantly in motion; it travels and renews itself. The inhabitants pay great attention to the purity of the water. They do not bathe in most parts of the Mediterranean, considering that it is not clean enough compared to their hometown's waters.
The climate and oysters
The mild climate and clean waters of the Bay of Biscay allow oysters to reproduce and develop in ideal conditions for them. This is impossible, for example, in areas where the sea is warmer, and the water is stagnant. A few kilometres north of Biarritz, you will discover a real paradise of fresh oysters. And the oysters that are served to you have been fished only a few hours earlier.
The waves in Biarritz
The waves of Biarritz always offer a beautiful spectacle beyond imagination. Seeing it, some people dream of surfing, while others may be afraid. But Biarritz and the Basque Coast are lucky again - because here we also find beaches that are completely protected from the waves and where the water is calm and very welcoming. So, absolutely everyone will find their happiness here! For example, all children in Biarritz learn to swim directly in the ocean, on beaches where the ocean looks more like a swimming pool :)