If you’re visiting the South of France this summer, you need to know the best things to do in Biscarrosse with kids!
Biscarrosse is on the South West coast of France, with long, sandy beaches and big waves. The region also has several very large lakes, and huge areas of national parkland, with forests to explore.
Our base for the week was the Lac de Biscarrosse Yelloh! campsite in the town of Parentis en Bon.
You can see our full review of the site here, but it’s a lovely base with a fantastic swimming pool.
Top 5 Ideas for things to do in Biscarrosse with kids
Surf Lessons at Biscarrosse Plage
This part of France is world-famous for the quality of the surf, and the Acquitaine region as a whole is a mecca for surfers from all over the world.
Little wonder that our first pick of things to do in Biscarrosse with kids is to get surfing!
There are a few different surf schools in Biscarrosse, and the first we tried was Point Break.
You can join a group lesson here for as little as 30 Euros.
Personally, for a beginner, I’d always book a private surf lesson. Surfing is seriously hard to learn, and having one-to-one attention is the quickest way to learn. And the safest.
The one time my daughter took a group surf lesson, I watched her get slammed in the head by a surf board, without any instructor noticing or checking she was okay. We paid around 50 Euros an hour per person and had an instructor for our two girls, which meant plenty of one-to-one teaching and I felt confident they were safe.
For younger kids, I really loved the vibe at Kiwi Surf. This school offers lessons and also has a fabulous beach club, where the kids can relax while YOU surf. There are games, pool activities, team challenges on the beach – and all under the watchful eye of a team of childcare experts. Awesome.
Biscarrosse Aquapark
Seriously, you cannot go to Biscarrosse and not spend a day at this site in Port Maguide.
AquaPark Biscarrosse is a giant inflatable playground set on a lake. It’s too challenging for little kids, but I’d say aged 8+ should be able to cope, if you’re prepared to get wet too!
The course has a range of inflatable slides, climbing walls, balance beams and more. At the centre of the parc is a tall wooden tower. Initially, I thought it was for the lifeguards, but no – this is a tower for kids to jump off, into the water.
And for those who are over 18 there’s The Catapult. This involves 2 people jumping off the tower onto a giant inflatable pillow, bouncing a third person thirty feet into the air. It looks like SO MUCH FUN.
The park is ridiculously cheap, at 10 Euros per hour for older kids, and 8 Euros for smaller children. We paid 15 Euros per child for two hours.
As a bonus for parents, there’s a lovely little beach bar called L’Idyll overlooking the inflatables, so you can grab a (very expensive) drink and watch all the action.
If you prefer, you can walk up some steps to L’Histoires, a lovely restaurant and cocktail bar which has fabulous food, and the most gorgeous view of the sunset.
Definitely one of our favourite things to do in Biscarrosse with kids!
Bisc’Aventure
This high-rope tree adventure centre is a perfect option for days when the weather isn’t amazing. The trees shelter the kids from most of the rain, and there’s a sheltered cafe area where parents can wait, if they’re not taking part.
What we particularly liked about Bisc’Aventure is that there are plenty of activities to do besides the high-wires. That’s not to say the high wires aren’t fun. There are 13 different courses of different levels, each with between 5 and 20 obstacles. Flea and her friend Zara took on all but the most challenging obstacles, but there’s plenty here to keep more nervous climbers happy.
Alongside the park you can pay an additional fee for what the park calls “adrenaline activities”. There’s The Free Jump (leaping off a tall platform onto a giant inflatable) and the Big Jump (jumping off an even taller platform into thin air, stopped by a strong elastic rope.
And for the especially daredevil, there’s the giant catapult. This involves being strapped in to a harness and flung 50 feet skywards in under two seconds. I didn’t do it but Flea did – and it looked TERRIFYING.
Tickets to the park cost from 14-25 Euros depending on age, plus an additional cost for the adrenaline activities, from 6 euros for a single activity to 30 euros for all of them. The site is easily reached, just on the outskirts of Biscarrosse Plage.
Paddle Boarding at Lac de Biscarrosse
We were very lucky that while we stayed at the Camping Lac de Biscarrosse we were literally on the shores of this beautiful lake.
As well as the usual paddling and swimming, you can rent paddle boards here by the hour, and take them out on the lake. Pedalos and kayaks are also available if that’s more your speed. Rentals are handled by the small unit on the beachfront. There is also a children’s play area and trampoline, and a snack bar selling cold drinks and ice creams.
The water is shallow a huge distance from the water which is a bonus for kids and those of a nervous disposition. While paddle boarding is nowhere near as hard as surfing, it’s advisable to learn on a lake rather than the sea if at all possible. We paid 20 euros for an hour’s hire of three boards, and had great fun.
Do check the opening hours, as they can vary depending on the season.
Climb La Dune du Pilat
I’m not sure you can say you’ve “done” this part of France if you’ve never climbed la Dun du Pilat, also known as the highest sand dune in Europe. It’s about 100 metres tall!
Children will love showing you up by racing ahead like little mountain goats. This fact alone makes this one of the best things to do in Biscarrosse with kids.
On a hot day, if you’re wearing stupid shoes, it’s a 15-20 minute climb to the top of the dune, but they do helpfully provide stairs so you don’t spend ALL your time stumbling about like a drunken fish (looks sidelong at 12 year old). If it’s cooler, I imagine it’s probably only ten minutes.
And at the top, you’re rewarded with the most spectacular views of the coastline.
You can climb down the other side of the dune in about 5 minutes to dip your toes in the ocean, but then you’d have to climb back up again, and I couldn’t face it.
I know.
I’m a slacker.
In my defence, I did just climb 120 ridiculously steep, sandy steps.
Instead, I suggest sitting down with a cold drink to enjoy watching the paragliders over the sand. It’s a phenomenal view, and more than worth the clamber. Then slide down on your butt.
I hope you enjoyed our recommendations for the best things to do in Biscarrosse with kids. It’s a beautiful part of the world, and well worth exploring. Let me know if you have any other recommendations in the comments!
Images: Shutterstock/Depositphotos/Author’s Own
Biscarrosse is definitely now on my bucket list! Every activity with kids are perfect! From the surf lessons to paddle boarding and the aqua park! I feel like I need to be there right this is instant especially that it’s summer!