Ripstar SurfCAMP: surfing with the whole family in Montalivet, France
Are you looking for a fun and active family holiday, for young children but also when you already have teenagers? A holiday where you spend time together in nature, try new things and enjoy an active but also relaxing trip? Then we can highly recommend a Ripstar surf camp for the whole family!
Just like many other Belgians and Dutch people, we love traveling to France! We travel south again with our VW camper bus and start our holiday in Montalivet, France, a small surfing town also called ‘Mellow Monta’ because of the ideal waves for both novice and experienced surfers.
Montalivet is also one of the 8 coastal towns where you can follow a Ripstar surf camp. They have camps for all ages, adults only, teens only, 30+, … and all levels. But also specifically for families, and that is what we come for!
In the past we have surfed with the entire family, and we were immediately sold. We are really looking forward to a week of family surfing camp in the South of France!
Where is Montalivet Ripstar surf camp located?
Montalivet is a French coastal town on the Atlantic Ocean, a little above Bordeaux. By car is the easiest way to get to Montalivet as it is only 8 to 9 hours from Belgium or 11 to 12 hours from the Netherlands.
You can drive directly to Montalivet by taking the ferry at the end (Bac from Royan to Verdon Sur Mer, here you will find more information about rates and times). From then on it is only a 20 km drive to the Ripstar surf camp in Montalivet.
We drive Perla, our Volkswagen T3 bus, and take it easy. Via Normandy and the Loire region we drive along the Route Nationale and Départementale towards Bordeaux. For a few days we meander along French roads, cross vineyards and castles and ultimately drive via Bordeaux (and not via the ferry) to Montalivet, at the tip of the Médoc region.
Don’t feel like driving yourself? Then you can also go by plane or train to Bordeaux from Brussels or Amsterdam and rent a car there. We always choose SunnyCars, a very reliable rental company, with full insurance always included and 24/7 Dutch-speaking assistance.
The Ripstar camp: Spend the night in a glamping tent
The Ripstar surf camp itself is located in the pine forests. Ideal because when it gets hot, there is a lot of shade! The sea is about an 800 meter walk through the dunes.
The camp itself has several tents for all families, with a nice central zone with picnic tables, a ping-pong table, a tent full of board games and outdoor games, and a nice bar and lounge corner.
You spend the night during the surf camp in a safari/glamping tent. The girls sleep in a bunk bed, and we get a double bed. There is a refrigerator, lounge chair, kitchen equipment, and a large barbecue where you can prepare almost anything yourself.
You can do some shopping in Montalivet in one of the supermarkets. If you feel less like cooking, you can opt for a vegetarian dinner 3 times a week. You can optionally add meat or fish to your menu.
Most surf camps run from Sunday to Sunday, and check-in is between 4pm and 6pm. We are welcomed by the Ripstar crew and immediately treated to a delicious welcome dinner. There is a nice welcome package waiting in the tent itself, but we won’t tell you what it contains, you can discover that for yourself.
Time to go surfing: how are the surfing lessons going?
On Monday the time has finally come. We are going to brave our first waves on the French coast. During our surf week we receive lessons from the fantastic Leanne, an experienced ISA certified surf instructor. Despite our previous surf lessons in Morocco and Costa Rica, we start with the beginners. Thank goodness, because it’s been a while and our muscles are clearly not ready for surfing after the ride from Belgium.
You can choose 3 or 5 surf lessons during your surf camp. First, you always gather on the beach to warm up briefly. Don’t forget sunscreen or zinc cream for your face, hands, and feet. After a bit of theory/explanation, it is time to brave the waves.
After some trial and error, and mainly thanks to Leanne’s adjustments, we stood up straight on our plate the first time. What a great feeling. It’s wonderful to see your whole family busy in the water, everyone has 100% visibility.
You will receive some more explanation in between. Our instructor is really great and gives you lots of tips to start surfing freely yourself later. She tells you how to read the waves, how to surf safely, how to do better, and helps you catch a wave as best as possible.
After each lesson (1.5 hours) we return to the camp, tired but satisfied. We rinse out our wetsuit, which we can use for the entire week, and then it’s time for a well-deserved shower. The adrenaline of surfing lingers for a while and we can recover in the afternoon at the camp.
In addition to all the practical lessons in the water, you will also receive a theory lesson in the evening with a bit of surfing history. Did you know that surfing was invented in Hawaii?
And photos are also taken during the lessons (all of which you will receive afterward). The photographer keeps a close eye on you to take the perfect photo of you while you coolly surf that perfect wave. And to discuss your attitude with the instructor during an information moment. You can learn a lot from that! Tip, don’t forget to smile when you stand on your plank.
If you want, you can also go surfing freely during the entire week, just take a board and go to the sea yourself.
Extra activities during the surf camp
In addition to surfing, many other activities are also organized. There are, among other things, daily yoga classes that make your muscles flexible again after all that exercise. Also ideal to clear your head and reset everything.
There are also several evenings of voluntary activities planned for everyone. For example, on the second day, there is a fun music bingo that we also happen to win. A free ice cream and drinks menu at the bar is the reward. And a chaotic game, where we laugh a lot together with the other families.
There are also bicycles available at the camp that you can use continuously during the surf camp. We took it to the pleasant town of Montalivet, to the shop, and cycled through the dunes. Many cycle paths take you to Soulac Sur Mer and Le Verdons Sur Mer (but the wind can sometimes be strong). Don’t forget to ask for a bicycle lock so that they are certainly not stolen.
Additional entertainment is also provided for the children: making surf bands, ping pong or volleyball competitions, playing board games, … And you can also book a fun excursion (for an additional fee), separately for children and parents. More about this in the next piece.
What is there to do in Montalivet and its surroundings?
In Montalivet itself there is a fairly large daily market where you can buy all kinds of local specialties or beautiful souvenirs. Allow at least 2 hours for a visit to the market so that you can enjoy an aperitif and taste the many local oysters. In the main street itself you also have a lot of cool shops with surfing clothing and beautiful things for the home.
Not far from the Ripstar surf camp Montalivet there is also a climbing park. And the Ripstar crew organizes a day out with the children on Thursday afternoon. The climbing park has 5 different height courses and a zipline. After all that climbing, they provide pizza in the camp and watch a movie.
Montalivet is also located in the famous Médoc wine region. And while the Ripstar crew watches over the children throughout the afternoon and evening, parents can visit the Chateau La Branne wine estate, about 20 km from the camp. A nice family business, where you will be welcomed by son Vincent who will first explain how the wine is made and tell you the young history of the chateau. Then it is time to taste wine, which is very tasty. You can then decide for yourself whether you want to buy wine to take home.
Besides the villages around Montalivet, you can also visit the largest dune in Europe, Dune du Pilat in Arcachon, an hour’s drive away. From the dune you have a beautiful view of the surroundings. And of course Bordeaux is also a fantastic city to visit, about 1h20 from the surf camp.
What do you take with you to a surf camp?
If you would also like to go on a surf camp or surf trip with the family, we also have a few tips here for things you should bring with you. We don’t go over all the things you want to take with you on every trip, but especially those items that you shouldn’t forget during a surfing holiday!
- Swimming clothes: of course, you need good swimming clothes. A well-fitting bikini, swimsuit or shorts are essential.
- Wetsuit: the Ripstar surf camp provides a wetsuit, but if you want to surf more often later, it can also be fun to purchase your own wetsuit. The wetsuits from Rip Curl or O’Neill are very good. For the Atlantic Ocean, it is best to have a thickness of 3mm.
- Good flip flops: You’ll be walking a lot on the beach and camping, so bring a pair of sturdy, water-resistant slippers. The flip flops from the Reef brand are our favorites.
- Quick-drying towels: We really love our light and quick-drying towels, ideal for the beach or showering. Also buy a larger one to sit on the beach (sand-free) or for a picnic.
- Surf poncho: a poncho in towel fabric is very useful when you go surfing. Just put it over your head and you’ll be warm when you walk back from the beach.
- Water bottle – thermos: we always bring our own water bottles. Our favorite is the Dopper thermos bottle, which keeps your water nice and cool, even on the beach.
- Sunglasses: Good sunglasses are essential as you will be spending a lot of time in the sun. With polaroid sunglasses you can also avoid being bothered by the reflection of the water.
- Sun cream – sticks: when you surf you spend a lot of time in the sun. So be sure to bring plenty of sunscreen. The sun screen sticks are very useful to apply. Or consider zinc, which completely blocks out the sun.
- Aftersun: if you have been in the sun for too long, make sure you have aftersun with you to care for your skin.
- Games: bring some fun games for the beach or to play together in the evening. Some of our favorites are Kubb, beach tennis rackets, Rummikub, Spikeball and Qwixx.
What did we think of the ripstar surf camp?
The feeling you have when you stand up on your surfboard and get carried away by the wave is unmatchable. Especially after all the hard work of getting back into the water every time and braving the waves in search of that one perfect wave. But to be able to do that together as a family is just a fantastic feeling!
This was an intense week in terms of sport, but you really feel satisfied and happy when you can relax in the evening after such a surfing day. The contribution of the surf instructor is very significant. We are very grateful to Leanne for the many tips. The most important thing is that you keep practicing and don’t give up. In the end, your hard work will pay off!
Besides surfing, we really enjoyed the other activities on and off the camp, together with the other families. Only the weather could have been a little better, but of course you can’t control that. We went the first week of July, the advantage is that it is a lot quieter then.
TIP: If you would like to experience a perfect family holiday, be sure to take a look at Ripstar’s family trips. They have surf camps for all ages in different locations. They also have family ski trips to the snow! You can use the code WIZARDS24 for a €100 discount on all camps.
We thought it was a fantastic experience and can’t wait to come back!
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