Hossegor
in Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Pine forests, a glassy lake, and then the Atlantic crashing in from the other side. Hossegor has long been the surf capital of Europe, and it wears that title with a certain effortless cool. The waves here are genuinely serious, but you do not need to surf to fall for the place. The food is excellent, the pace is slow, and the light in the late afternoon is the sort that makes you want to stay another week. Come in summer for the buzz, September for the waves and a little more breathing room.