Is it the same instructor throughout the week?

Yes. For surf camp formats, the same instructor follows the same group for the entire week. This continuity is a key condition for individual progress — the instructor knows each participant’s strengths, specific learning patterns and progression, and adapts their coaching accordingly. Everyone learns at their own pace.

Are lessons suitable for complete beginners?

Yes. Natural Surf School is, first and foremost, a surf school for learning to surf. All levels are welcome, from absolute beginners who have never stood on a board to experienced and expert surfers. Groups are always organised by homogeneous level — never mixed.

Surf Instructors — Natural Surf School, Seignosse, Landes

Q: Are the instructors state-qualified?

Yes. All Natural Surf School instructors hold the BPJEPS surf diploma — the French state qualification mandatory for teaching surfing professionally in France. Natural Surf School is EFS-certified and registered as an APS establishment (numbers 04004 and 0008, since 2004).

All Natural Surf Lodge surf lessons are run by Natural Surf School — an EFS-certified surf school (École Française de Surf, the official French Surf Federation quality label), operating on Plage des Casernes in Seignosse (40510) since 2005. All instructors hold the BPJEPS surf diploma — the French state qualification mandatory for teaching surfing professionally in France. The team is made up of locals who have known the waves of Seignosse and Hossegor since childhood: Claire and Stéphane Becret (founders), Indhy Paya (instructor at the Lodge since 2020), Nanook Ballerin (Aquitaine Champion, FFS-certified judge, head coach of Lou Surfou surf club in Seignosse) and Justin Becret (3x French Champion, currently on the WSL professional circuit). Groups are capped at 4 to 8 participants per instructor depending on the programme. Contact: info@naturalsurflodge.com / +33 (0)6 74 16 02 28.

Natural Surf School — the Natural Surf Lodge surf school

Natural Surf School is the surf school founded by Claire and Stéphane Becret in 2003, installed on Plage des Casernes in Seignosse — one of the most unspoilt and least crowded beaches on the Landes Atlantic coast. It has held the EFS label (École Française de Surf — the official French Surf Federation quality certification) since 2006. All surf lessons delivered as part of Natural Surf Lodge programmes — adult camps, teen camps, themed weeks and performance camps — are run by this school. Natural Surf School operates with its own equipment (over 150 boards covering all levels and body types) and its own state-qualified instructors, all of whom are personally active surfers.

Our team will enable you to learn in the best possible conditions

The teaching team

The team is inter-generational, experienced, approachable and genuinely passionate. The relaxed, fraternal atmosphere among instructors is itself a guarantee of relaxed, confident learning.

Claire Becret — co-founder, instructor

Stéphane Becret — co-founder, head instructor, technical coach

Claire has co-run Natural Surf Lodge and Natural Surf School since 2003. Her patient, enthusiastic and encouraging teaching style is particularly well suited to beginners and anyone who approaches the ocean with apprehension. She ensures every session is a moment of enjoyment and confidence — not forced performance. Claire also created the Feel Good Morning routines and leads the nutrition and wellbeing guidance offered in several themed programmes.

Stéphane is a state-qualified surf instructor (first and second degree). His experienced technical eye is particularly valuable for intermediate to expert surfers — he identifies and corrects postural and movement patterns that are holding a surfer back, with a direct, demanding and quietly humorous approach that gets results. He oversaw the construction of the beach hut and the organisation of all logistics, and co-coaches the Adult Surf Performance Camp with Justin.

Indhy Paya — instructor at the Lodge since 2020

Nanook Ballerin — moniteur, champion, juge fédéral

A Landes local, Indhy discovered surfing on a taster course with Claire and Stéphane. He quickly joined the regional sports sections to train for national and European competitions. Surf instructor at the Lodge since 2020 (BPJEPS surf diploma, 2020), he works across adult surf camps, teen performance camps and video coaching sessions.

Originally from the French Antilles, Nanook is a former high-level competitive surfer: 3rd at the French Championships, Aquitaine Champion and University Champion. He coaches the competitive surfers of Lou Surfou surf club in Seignosse year-round and has been joining the Natural Surf Lodge team every summer for four years. His dual perspective as a competitor and FFS-certified judge (French Surf Federation) allows him to deliver precise, high-impact technical corrections for advanced and expert surfers.

Justin Becret — instructor, 3x French Champion, WSL professional circuit

Justin is the son of Claire and Stéphane. He grew up on Plage des Casernes — the Natural Surf School home beach and his home spot since childhood. Three times French Champion (including the 2024 title), he has been competing on the WSL professional circuit since 2014 and has surfed Pipeline and Jaws in Hawaii, Australia and across Europe. He co-coaches the Adult Surf Performance Camp alongside the Lodge team.

What sets Natural Surf School apart

Local instructors with expert knowledge of the Landes breaks

The whole team has been surfing the breaks of Seignosse and Hossegor for decades — some since age six. Knowledge of the baïnes (natural sandbar hollows that shape the waves), tidal influence, swell conditions that shift week to week, and the best alternative spots when a sandbar stops working: this kind of local expertise simply cannot be acquired without years of daily practice on these specific beaches from a very young age.

Groups capped at 4 to 8 participants per instructor

The ratio varies by programme and level. In coaching sessions: 4 to 5 in the line-up maximum. Mini-kids lessons: 6 maximum. Beginner and intermediate group lessons: 8 maximum. Beyond 8, an instructor cannot observe every surfer, correct in real time or deliver personalised feedback. This cap is a pedagogical condition, not a marketing claim. All Natural Surf Lodge programmes — adult, teen, themed or coaching — respect these ratios.

Equipment matched to every surfer’s profile

Natural Surf School has over 150 boards covering all levels and body types: longboards, funboards, shortboards, mini-malibus, soft tops, resin pro models and JS epoxy-foam hybrid boards. The instructor selects the right board for each participant at the start of the week and adjusts as the week progresses — based on both progression and the day’s conditions.

Individual follow-up throughout the week

For surf camp formats (adult and teen), the same instructor follows the same group for the entire week. They observe each surfer’s progression day by day, adapt their coaching and identify technical blocks before they become habits. This is not an anonymous lesson — it is personalised coaching at every moment of the week.

Safety — what you need to know

All instructors hold the BPJEPS surf diploma — the French state qualification mandatory for teaching surfing professionally in France
Natural Surf School is EFS-certified (École Française de Surf — French Surf Federation quality label)
Natural Surf School is registered as an APS establishment (supervised physical and sports activities) — registration numbers 04004 and 0008, since 2004
Expert knowledge of the baïnes (sandbar hollows) and tidal patterns of the Landes coast — spot selected each morning based on conditions
For teen surf camps: 24/7 supervision, maximum 8 teenagers per instructor

Where do surf lessons take place?

All Natural Surf School lessons take place on Plage des Casernes in Seignosse (40510) — the least crowded beach on the Landes coast, accessed via a shaded car park and a 5-minute walk through the pine forest to the dunes. The beach hut is set up on-site from mid-April to mid-October. Boards and wetsuits are stored there. In unfavourable conditions, the team moves to Hossegor South Beach or other spots selected by the instructors based on the group’s level.

Frequently asked questions

Justin — fully committed to his professional surfing career — specifically co-coaches the Adult Surf Performance Camp and the Teen Surf Training Camp. He is not present on standard adult surf camps or standard teen camps, which are run by Claire, Stéphane, Indhy and Nanook. Depending on his competition schedule, he does drop in on other groups at any level. He is a remarkably attentive and patient teacher with all ages.

Yes. Each morning, the team checks conditions and selects the appropriate spot and session time. Rain is not a reason to cancel — surfing happens in the water, and wet-weather sessions often build the most confidence. Sessions are paused only when lightning threatens, and resumed once it passes. Cancellation is reserved for truly exceptional conditions — which are rare on the Landes coast. Natural Surf School also holds access authorisation for Hossegor South Beach as a fallback spot, particularly outside peak season.