Grande Plage

Biarritz, France

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English below
En plein centre de Biarritz, la plage est extrêmement fréquentée. Bordée par des hôtels, des habitations, et des restaurants, elle offre néanmoins une vue agréable sur des falaises à gauche, et le phare de Biarritz à droite. Le spot est apprécié des surfeurs confirmés tout au long de l'année, mais la fréquentation en été peut rendre la pratique des sports nautiques désagréable. La plage est accessible aux handicapés, mais il sera difficile de trouver un stationnement dans le coin.
La qualité de l'eau est dégradée après chaque forte pluie puisque des installations déversent directement sur la plage des eaux usées non traitées pour décharger le système de traitement des eaux usées.

Downtown Biarritz, "La Grande Plage" is one of the most busy beaches in Pays Basque with swimmers in summer and surfers all along the year. Hostels, restaurants, coffees, and even a casino are located along the beach. Cliffs on the left, and a lighthouse on the right give to the beach a picturesque shape. This famous surf spot might be so crowded that you might decide to turn back. Moreover, it is difficult to park in this area. The beach is weelchair accessible though, with WC and shower available.
Several sewer overflows on the beach might be an explanation in case of heavy rains. Indeed, they spill untreated water directly on the beach.

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Water Quality

No data available
Current Status
This status is based on the latest sample, taken on October 1st, 2018. Surfrider Foundation Europe updates the status of this beach as soon as test results become available. These results were posted to Swim Guide on October 1st, 2018 at 4:07 AM.

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Monitoring Frequency

Source Information

As part of the Watermen Testers program, Surfrider Foundation Europe volunteers monitor recreational marine and freshwater quality at several sites in the region Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The sampling season goes throughout the year, on an irregular basis depending on availability of volunteers. That is why the monitoring frequency selected is "Other" for all the beaches in the region. Priority is given to places where Watermen Testers suspect a pollution. Before (from 2014 to 2017), samples were collected bi-monthly. According to the European Directive 2006/7/CE, water quality is based on 2 bacteriological parameters: E. coli and enterococcus. Threshold between average and poor water quality :
Freshwater :
Enterococcus 660 CFU/100mL
E. coli : 1800 CFU/100mL
Marine water:
Enteroccocus : 370 CFU/100mL
E. coli: 1000 CFU/100mL

A beach is marked green if the two results (Enterococcus and E. coli) are under European thresholds.
A beach is marked red if one of the two or the two results is/are above the European threshold.
A beach is marked grey when there are no current results or there is no available information.

Special status beaches:
Due to the high frequentation of beaches during the summer and the occurrence of storms, leading to wastewater treatment plant overflows, some beaches are exposed to short term pollutions.

Uhabia – Bidart: In case of heavy rains, a valve holds untreated water at Uhabia’s estuary, and releases it 500 meters away from the coast during the night.
Grande plage – Biarritz: Sewer overflows release untreated water directly on the beach.
La barre – Anglet: This beach in mainly polluted because of Adour’s estuary which is just above, especially during floods.

Water Quality Graph