In Biarritz, the surfer look blends in (a little too much) with the crowd

In Biarritz , you don't just lay your towel on the beach. You also establish a style. Every summer, vacationers adopt, with varying degrees of ease, the look of those who live here year-round. Canvas shorts, logo T-shirt, cap screwed on, well-worn sneakers. The surfer image sticks to the skin of the city and its visitors.

For a long time, this style embodied a sense of belonging, almost a culture. Today, it seems to permeate everyone, even if it means losing some of its flavor.

Skip the ad

Robin, manager of a multi-brand boutique that has been operating for years, has seen this evolution begin. " Before, everyone wanted to dress like a surfer. There was a real expectation around the new collections: boardshorts, surf brand T-shirts... We'd buy one and never take it off all summer. "

But those days seem to be over. " Today, the market is saturated. There are too many brands, too many products, everyone arrives already equipped. People have ordered everything online, before even setting foot here. " Even he has seen his shelves evolve. Fewer purely surf pieces, more lifestyle, products designed for urban strolling, well-cut, well-marketed. " The sport itself is doing very well. There are more and more people practicing it. But the surf style, the one we wore spontaneously, has been absorbed by global fashion. "

Holidaymakers want to play the game

Julie, for her part, isn't offended. Behind her café counter, she watches the holidaymakers' comings and goings with affection. " Yes, there are some who overact a bit. Those who bought the cap embroidered with 'Biarritz' written on it, the T-shirt, and the surfer's swimsuit... But deep down, it's nice. "

She sees this appropriation as a way to slip into the atmosphere. “ It’s their way of saying: I like this city, I want to integrate for a summer. As long as it stays light, it’s quite joyful. ” She herself acknowledges that local style is difficult to define. “ It’s a mix. Clothes weathered by salt, old Vans, patched shorts… It’s more an attitude and a nonchalance than a uniform. ” She sums it up: “ Those who want to look too much like a local, you can spot them from ten meters away. Those who don’t really care are sometimes more successful! ”

Those who want to look too much like a local can be spotted from ten meters away. By imitating, we become uniform.

Clémentine, a shopkeeper, is critical. " Frankly, we see the Parisian bobos from afar. They arrive in disguise every summer, it's the same parade. With their organic cotton caps and their 'Ocean Vibe' printed bags." What strikes her is the gradual erasure of true local nuances. " By trying to look like everyone else, we end up erasing what made us unique. Everything becomes homogenous, smoothed out, globalized. "

Skip the ad

She advocates a more sincere, more grounded style. " We can draw inspiration, of course. But we have to keep a certain amount of discomfort and surprise. True Biarritz style isn't Instagrammable. It's a bit raw. "

Surfing, a culture, not a costume

And yet, not everyone views this mimicry game with a negative eye. François, a civil servant and surfer in his spare time, takes a step back. " People want to feel like they belong, it's human. If they need to wear shorts and a T-shirt for that, so much the better. "

But he, too, feels the trend has reversed. " Before, we dressed like surfers because we lived in the water. Now, we dress like surfers to give ourselves the illusion of being part of it ." In his eyes, what matters is what you do, not what you flaunt. " Putting on a wetsuit won't make you a surfer. What matters is consistency, respect for the ocean, and the connection you build with the sea. " Every summer, he sees beginners come and go with great looks, and others, discreet, who do better. " Those who progress are often the most sober. They spend less time looking at themselves, more time trying. "

For the locals, the difference is obvious. But the advice is kind: no need to force it. A simple T-shirt, bought locally. Comfortable sneakers. Shorts that can withstand the sand. And a little nonchalance in the look. And in this summer theater where everyone plays their part, Biarritz remains faithful to its stage: facing the ocean, a style that glides, but doesn't invent itself.