Atlantic Surf Camp in Montalivet: A Week of Waves, Campfires, and Coach-Led Surfing

The camp sits in Montalivet, France, a beach town on the Bay of Biscay about an hour north of Bordeaux. The beach here is sand-bottomed and wide, with consistent Atlantic swell that breaks gently enough for learning but still gives improvers something to work with. Nearby towns along the coast — Lacanau, Hossegor further south — are established European surf hubs, so there's plenty of surf culture around if you want to watch better surfers or shop for gear.

The week is structured around three days of surf school, with rest days in between for free surfing. Day 1 of the trip is the bus journey from Ljubljana; you arrive at camp on the morning of Day 2, get your wetsuit and board, and meet the team. Surf school starts on Day 3. On beginner courses, you'll cover equipment, safety, paddling, and catching whitewater on the first day, with a theory session in the evening about weather, waves, and ocean safety. Day 2 of school is spent practising standing up on the board. Day 3 usually involves being filmed in the water, followed by a video analysis session in the evening where instructors point out what to fix — and where everyone laughs at each other's wipeouts.

Improvers and advanced surfers follow a different track. Improvers start where they left off on a previous camp: choosing the right entry point, duck-diving under waves, positioning in the lineup, reading the sea, and timing the take-off. If you're ready, you might move from a foam board to a Mini Malibu or an Evolution board, which the instructor will help you choose. Advanced surfers get coaching on turns and getting more out of each session. Because the school runs separate groups for each level, you're never held back or pushed too fast — and the improver course runs even if only one person signs up for it.

What makes this different from a standard surf camp is the level of support around the whole trip. The bus from Ljubljana is included in the price, so there's no airport transfer to arrange. Everyone's tents are already pitched with beds and bedding inside. A photographer shoots the entire week and sends everyone a link with all the photos and videos at the end. And the camp is set up for a group holiday: hammocks, a chill-out lounge, ping-pong, beach volleyball, a barbecue, and a movie night under the stars. It's social without being forced — most people arrive not knowing anyone and leave with a group WhatsApp that keeps going.

What's included

- Return bus transport from Ljubljana to Montalivet - Accommodation in standard tents (pre-pitched, with inflatable mattresses) - Surf course suitable for your level (beginner, improver, or advanced) - Surfboard and wetsuit for the whole week - Use of camp facilities: hammocks, barbecue, chill-out lounge, sun loungers, ping-pong - Photographer and videographer during surf school - Link to all photos and videos from the week - Video analysis session - Theory session on waves, weather, and safety - Camp social activities: movie nights, volleyball, ping-pong tournaments, longboard skating

What's not included

- Food and meals (half-board €99 or full-board €119 per week) - Tipi tent upgrade (€50 per person) - Bedding rental for standard tent (€30) - Bike rental (€30) - Yoga sessions (€20 for 3 x 1.5-hour classes) - Cancellation insurance (€40) and CORIS insurance (€20) - Surf equipment deposit (€50, refundable) - Personal expenses, drinks in town, dinners out on Fridays - Travel to Ljubljana if you don't live there