Introducing Le savoir-vivre in VIEUX BOUCAU
Enjoy a breakfast of baguettes and cheese in the morning with the sound of the sea in the background and after surfing, feast on a croissant in the typical French town before heading to the legendary Mojito Bar in the evening, where surfers and locals celebrate life. That’s roughly what a day in Vieux Boucau might look like. The small town with 1,600 inhabitants is located directly on the French Atlantic coast and welcomes up to 40,000 visitors a year. Mostly surfers are found here, as the surf spots are considered to be the best in the entire region. The atmosphere in the town is accordingly relaxed, and the locals are considered connoisseurs and bon vivants. “Le savoir-vivre”, as the French would say, the art of enjoying life.
But is that really the case? We got to the bottom of it and met Tobi in Vieux Boucau. Since 2015 he has been a cook at the 18plus camp, which is located directly behind the dune and is mostly surrounded by sand. This makes Vieux visually different from the other camps in France such as Moliets or St. Girons, which are located in the middle of the pine forest. “Compared to the other camps, Vieux is simply better because the place is a nice weather hole. Even if there are a few clouds in the sky, you can always find a sunny spot here,” Tobi also emphasizes. He has also worked in other places, but he has always come back to Vieux Boucau: “Vieux is simply beautiful for me, the camp has a special team spirit and the sandbanks are great. Compared to Moliets, for example, it is not as crowded here, which makes the atmosphere more relaxed. And the mojito bar is legendary with its great atmosphere.” Aha, there we have it again: Le savoir-vivre.
But you don’t book a surfing camp to marvel at French culture. Well, maybe you do, but the focus is still on one thing: the surf. And according to Tobi, the waves here are also special: “The spot in Vieux is simply great. You are usually offered different waves with their own character, so there is something for everyone.” After the short walk to the beach, a wave check confirms his theory: In the water there are surfing groups who are apparently just riding their first waves, and further along in the line-up you can see some decent turns.
But even here there are days with less swell: “But that’s OK. The town of Vieux itself is a huge cultural centre, so there are all kinds of festivals, concerts and other events there. Vieux also has a skate park, which is always a nice change. Apart from that, you can get everywhere easily by bus, which is why it’s definitely worth checking out the surrounding towns.” There is even a market once a week, where you can get a taste of typical French city air.
On these days, the whole town smells of cheese and fresh baked goods. But in order not to have to pay the expensive market prices, the kitchen team tries everything to bring culinary delicacies to the camp: “We cook fresh with everything that the French Basque Country has to offer and try to incorporate French specialties into our menu, wherever possible.” Tobi offers guests a warm, freshly prepared dish every evening. For breakfast you can rely on oven-fresh baguettes with French cheese and many other delicacies such as sausage etc.
At the end Tobi sums it up again: “Vieux simply offers a great all-round package and if you like the sun, Vieux is definitely the right place for you. We also have a lot of regulars, which means there is always a great atmosphere in the camp. But we are always happy to see new faces. I can tell you a lot here, but you just have to experience the atmosphere yourself.” And apparently that is actually the case: When you arrive at the campsite in Vieux, you leave your worries at home and get into the relaxed surfing life. You enjoy the French extras, the good waves and being with the people in the camp. And at the end of the week you have definitely learned one thing: to enjoy life.