What is a surf retreat?
In short: Waved Retreats runs 7-day surf retreats for intermediate surfers, in groups of 8 participants maximum, in Hossegor, France (from €1,690, around €241 per day, villa and private chef included) and in Nicaragua (from €2,300, full board and transfer from Managua included, flights not included). Every stay combines in-water coaching, camera and drone footage, and video analysis every evening.
A surf retreat (or retraite de surf, as we say in France) is a coached stay that combines surf coaching, accommodation and group life over a full week, in a destination chosen for the quality and consistency of its waves. Unlike a simple one-day surf lesson, a surf retreat immerses you in a complete setting: coached sessions in the water, video analysis of every session, mobility and recovery, meals taken care of and accommodation shared with the group.
Waved Retreats was built around that standard: a premium 7-day surf retreat, structured around a method of surf coaching and video analysis, for intermediate surfers who want to progress quickly and for the long term, not just try out a board for a weekend. Two destinations are currently available: Hossegor, in the Landes region of France, and northern Nicaragua.
Waved Retreats: a surf retreat designed for progress
What sets Waved Retreats apart from other surf retreats is the method. Every session is filmed by Hugo, Waved's founder and a video director, with camera and drone, then analyzed that same evening as a group. This video analysis approach lets you correct what actually happened in the water, not just what you think you did on the wave.
Around this method, Waved Retreats has built a complete surf retreat:
- In-water surf coaching, led in Hossegor by Paul, a certified local surf coach, with a clear technical progression goal for every participant.
- Camera and drone footage, shot by Hugo during the sessions, so you can review your paddling, positioning and take-off from several angles.
- Video analysis every evening, as a group, to turn each session into real learning time rather than just another surf.
- Mobility, stretching and recovery with Anastasia, a fitness, nutrition and mindset coach with a bachelor's degree in biological sciences and certifications in sports coaching and sports nutrition.
- A small group, deliberately limited in size, to guarantee genuine individual follow-up for every participant.
- Accommodation and meals included: a villa with a private chef in Hossegor, a beachfront lodge with full board in Nicaragua.
Our surf retreat in France: Hossegor
The original surf retreat from Waved Retreats takes place in the Landes, between Hossegor, Seignosse and Capbreton, one of Europe's most renowned coastlines for surfing. This stretch of Atlantic coast gets swell all year round: ideal terrain to take your surfing to the next level.
Choosing Hossegor as a home base is no accident: the beach breaks of the Landes coast are demanding enough to allow real progress, and with the three towns so close together, there is a wide variety of peaks to choose from. Each day, the spot is picked between Hossegor, Seignosse and Capbreton depending on the swell, the wind and the group's level. Capbreton, with the Gouf, its distinctive underwater canyon, rounds out the range of conditions available, all within a few minutes of each other.
The week includes 7 nights in a villa (in Seignosse, Seignosse Océan or Capbreton depending on the session), a private chef for breakfasts and dinners, 5 coached sessions and 5 video analysis sessions. The retreat costs €1,690 in a shared room, €1,890 in a private room and €3,590 for a couple in a private room. Find all the details of the Hossegor surf retreat (program, spots, accommodation, prices).
What a week at a Waved surf retreat looks like
A week at a Waved Retreats surf retreat follows a rhythm designed to maximize progress without wearing out the group. Surf coaching sessions take place in a small group, while Hugo films with camera and drone. The rest of the day alternates between free time, mobility and recovery. In the evening, it's time for video analysis of the day's sessions, followed by a shared dinner in a friendly atmosphere: progressing surrounded by a group, not alone.
This balance between effort in the water, technical work through video and active recovery is at the heart of the Waved method. The schedule isn't set in stone, though: it adapts to the swell and the wind, so the group gets the best-suited spot each day rather than a rigid program disconnected from the ocean.
The benefits of a surf retreat for body and mind
Beyond technical progress, a surf retreat also works on your fitness and your state of mind. Surfing uses the whole body (shoulders and back for paddling, core strength and balance for the take-off, hip mobility for turns): Anastasia's role is to support it with mobility, stretching and recovery, so you can string the week's sessions together in good shape. Mentally, a surf retreat week gives you a real break: less screen time, a rhythm set by the tides rather than by notifications, and a group that shares the same goal.
Why choose a surf retreat over a standard surf course
Many intermediate surfers share the same frustration: they surf regularly but plateau, for lack of structured feedback on their surfing. A surf lesson lasting a few hours doesn't allow for that kind of in-depth work. A full-week surf retreat, with genuine individual follow-up, changes everything: there's enough time to identify what's holding you back (wave selection, positioning on the board, take-off timing, reading the peak), correct it with the help of video, then work on it again in the very next session.
Unlike a typical surf camp in France, where you often book accommodation first with lessons as an optional extra, a surf retreat like Waved Retreats is designed from start to finish: surf coaching, video analysis, physical recovery and meals. Where a surf camp usually focuses on atmosphere and discovery, the Waved surf retreat focuses on progress you can see on screen, session after session.
Who is this surf retreat for?
Waved Retreats is for intermediate surfers: those who can already catch waves on their own but want to step up (read waves better, surf more fluidly, move toward more advanced maneuvers). That's the audience for whom video analysis makes the biggest difference. For beginners, Waved runs a sister site, waved.surf, an online surf school designed for your first steps.
The retreat suits solo travelers as well as couples and groups of friends: participants often come on their own, and the small-group format naturally creates a group dynamic without ever diluting individual follow-up. The team (Hugo, Paul and Anastasia) is introduced on The Waved project page.
New destination: a surf retreat in Nicaragua
After Hossegor, Waved Retreats is opening a second destination: a surf retreat in Nicaragua, on the Pacific coast in the north of the country. The group stays at the Still Salty Escape lodge in El Viejo: bungalows, a pool and the beach right on the lodge's doorstep. Sessions are spread across several spots in the area, including Nauhlapa Bay, Aposentillo, Los Clavos, The Boom and La Isla, chosen according to the day's conditions. You can surf there all year round, with slightly more waves in summer.
The method stays the same, only the scenery changes: in-water surf coaching, camera and drone footage, video analysis in the evening. The package includes 6 sessions with the coach, 5 video analysis sessions, a surfboard and full board, for a group of 8 participants. The transfer from Managua airport to El Viejo is included; flights are not, and travel insurance is mandatory. Two sessions are open in 2027: March 27 to April 3 and April 3 to 10, from €2,300 in a shared room (€2,500 per person for a couple, €2,900 in a private room). Everything you need to know is on our surf retreat Nicaragua page.
Frequently asked questions about Waved Retreats surf retreats
Do I need to know how to surf already to join a Waved surf retreat?
Yes, an intermediate level is recommended: being able to stand up and catch waves on your own. The retreat is built to help surfers who already have the basics progress, not as a complete introduction to surfing.
How long does a Waved Retreats surf retreat last?
Each retreat lasts 7 days, built around surf coaching, evening video analysis and time for mobility and recovery.
What's the difference between a surf retreat and a classic surf camp?
A surf camp usually offers accommodation with optional lessons, often for larger groups. A surf retreat like Waved Retreats is an all-inclusive, small-group format built around video coaching, mobility and meals.
Where do Waved Retreats surf retreats take place?
There are two destinations. In Hossegor, in the Landes, sessions are spread between Hossegor, Seignosse and Capbreton depending on conditions. In Nicaragua, the retreat takes place at the Still Salty Escape lodge in El Viejo, in the north of the country, with spots such as Nauhlapa Bay, Aposentillo and The Boom.
How much does a Waved surf retreat cost?
In Hossegor: €1,690 in a shared room, €1,890 in a private room, €3,590 for a couple. In Nicaragua: €2,300 in a shared room, €2,500 per person for a couple, €2,900 in a private room, flights not included.
Can I come to a surf retreat on my own?
Yes, participants often come alone. The small group quickly creates a group dynamic, and individual follow-up stays the same for everyone.
Choosing a surf retreat means choosing to dedicate a whole week to real progress, not just a few hours of lessons. That's what Waved Retreats is all about, in Hossegor as in Nicaragua: a demanding video coaching method, a small group and full support, so you leave surfing at a genuinely higher level than when you arrived.
Updated on 12 October 2026.
