Les Bords du Lac

French Surf Station

Hossegor is a big wave epicenter along France’s Atlantic Côte d’Argent, and this sunny, waterfront residence offers plenty of upbeat color and playful, ocean-inspired décor—along with a garage full of surfboards and a curated menu of activities for when relaxing pool or surfside just isn’t enough.

Emblematic of cool, colorful California surf shacks, with plenty of space to spread out, this cheery Basque-inspired estate, with its shiny pool and cabana, stretches deliciously across a lush lawn only steps from a sandy lakeshore beach, and a quick bike ride from Hossegor’s legendary breaks. One of the exclusive holdings in the Iconic House portfolio, this much-celebrated villa for rent in France has been featured in Vogue France, AD, and Milk magazines. It blurs the boundary between luxury hotel and holiday rental, and offers dozens of amenities, including a spa, electric vehicle, pétanque court, and a sports lover’s dream garage filled with boards, bikes, games and golf clubs.

Notable interior designer Dorothée Delaye’s playful styling further ups the relaxed, California-dreaming ante. It features saturated colors, patterned textiles, mod art, and vivid finishes in gemstone-hued tiling, shiny painted ceiling beams, and vintage-inspired furnishings.

AROUND

Boldly rising from the pine-studded shores of Hossegor’s marine lake, only minutes from the Atlantic, this villa for rent in France offers a traditional slice of life in Les Landes, the dune-covered region on the southwest coast. Big-wave chasers come for the mighty breaks that result from the area’s deep, underwater trench offshore. Coveted sands include La Gravière, Les Culs Nuls, Les Estagnots and La Nord, beaches where majestic swells crash onto the fine white sand. 

Iconic House’s mission includes offering guests memorable experiences, and the home’s curated activity menu includes learning to play Basque pelota, onsite spa treatments, surf lessons with a pro, cycling or mountain biking tours, and private chef services.

Hossegor’s marine lake is encircled by waterfront bars, restaurants and intimate oyster and fish huts, and its busy town center offers Michelin-starred dining and all goods and services. The region’s famed Capbreton fish market is a 15-minute drive from the property, a marketplace where dozens of fishing boats deliver their daily catch. Coastal exploration to the south will lead to the elegant seaside resort town of Biarritz, a European royal playground set on the gleaming Bay of Biscay that earned notoriety in the 1800s. Continuing south, the slow-living, oceanfront village of Bidart is a traditional Basque country coastal favorite, and bordering Spain, St. Jean de Luz is a pretty fishing village known for its regal architecture and museums. (King Louis XIV married Maria Theresa of Spain here once upon a time.)

LOCATION

Soorts-Hossegor, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. Nearest airport: Biarritz

BEST TIME TO VISIT: April to November