Facing fears and finding joy on a family surf camp in France

Last updated on October 7, 2024

It’s no secret round here that my mind is often a wrestle between the pragmatic and the spiritual (remember that time I threw myself into a new-age wellness whirlwind in Bali?). While my scepticism is in healthy shape, I ultimately like to believe in something bigger.

And when it comes to Ujusansa, woo-woo as it may sound, I feel like I was guided there by something beyond my own planning prowess. It was exactly the vacation we needed. I can’t remember how I found it. I just know that as soon as I saw it, I felt its draw. The only problem being: it’s a surf camp and I’m terrified of waves.

I got stuck in the washing machine of a powerful wave in Sri Lanka, aged 18. Up until then, I’d been fearless on my body board, but the power of the wave and the “I’ve no idea where’s up or down” spooked me and I’ve been scared of the ocean ever since. I love surf culture and even lived in a surf town for six months. I just couldn’t brave the surf myself.

A utopia for families

So when we booked Ujusansa, I did it mostly for Steve. He grew up skateboarding and has wanted to learn to surf for years, never quite finding the time. This felt like an ideal opportunity. There’s a kids’ club during surf lessons, so I envisaged that while he was out surfing and the kids were being looked after, I’d have my own free time to relax, and then I’d do yoga in the evening. And that’s what many people do at Ujusansa. You don’t all have to surf.

Lessons are available for kids aged seven and up (or younger if they’re proficient swimmers), but we came across many family groups where not everyone was taking part. The pros of the camp go far beyond the surf lessons. You get three meals provided every day, healthy in the least boring way possible, and abundant with inventive salads and nutrition that hits the spot. It was like being in a high-end deli where you get to try a bit of everything (my idea of heaven!). Our fussy kids were taken care of too with options like pesto pasta and potato wedges always on the menu. And there’s an honesty system for ice creams, wine, beers and other drinks throughout the day.

A time to relax

The camp itself is gorgeous, set in a pine forest beside the ocean. Wooden paths snake around a collection of around 20 spacious bell tents, and beside that is a communal area where meals are served and people gather to play games or share a bottle of the local Bordeaux. Kids play in the sand, parents read in hammocks and everyone has a go at ping pong.

It’s a perfect set up for a family holiday, providing the holy grail of time for parents to relax while the kids are happily entertained. This is given in a formal sense via childcare during surf lessons. But even beyond that, the kids are often busy playing with new friends while the adults get to enjoy time in their own way, reading or chatting with fellow guests. One of the things I heard adults say most often was: “This is the first holiday I’ve had as a parent where I’ve actually been able to relax”.

On the flip side, the opportunity for time together as a family is vast. This isn’t a “put them in kids’ club all day and have separate holidays” situation. The whole focus of Ujusansa is quality time with family. But sometimes, for family time to work best, you all need some independent time too, which is why the childcare and play areas are so welcome.

Some of our best times together from our whole five weeks in France were during our stay at Ujusansa. We spent long lazy afternoons on the beach, playing at the camp and exploring the local area. And for families with older kids, they could all learn to surf together. It’s an unhurried, slow pace of life that you quickly settle into from the moment you arrive.

Pine Beach Paradise

The Ujusansa camp is part of the much bigger Pine Beach Paradise, which houses a few other surf camps, including the massive BoardX community from Belgium and Ripstar from the Netherlands. It’s a largely Dutch-speaking crowd in the wider Pine Beach Paradise, but Ujusansa is an English-speaking camp, attracting European families.

Everyone can use the shared Pine Beach amenities, including yoga spaces and the awesome Action Area where you can play ball games or have a go on the wave skate ramp. We loved trying to rekindle our slackline skills from Berlin.

And while the camps, the ocean and nature’s playground are more than enough to entertain, there are also many other options nearby. Explore the cute surfing village of Montalivet, or head to the local adventure park where they have go-carts and treetop courses. Or for something more grown-up, you can take day trips to wineries, chateaus and endless other beaches along the coast. Plus there’s a lake if you’re looking for calmer waters. A favourite find for us was a wine-themed mini golf!

The Ujusansa story

Ujuansa was started by four friends from Slovenia who fell in love with the surf lifestyle and found their waves in the Basque country. It’s had a few incarnations along the way and is now primarily a family camp, although they also run some weeks for young people too. We had English, Dutch, French and Italian families in our group, and this diversity was one of the things we loved most, getting to chat across different cultures.

The staff are Slovenian (and you know how much I love Slovenia!), many returning year after year to work their summers there. The kids’ club is run by actual kindergarten teachers, the kitchen by trained chefs, and the surf instructors are fantastic, many working as ski instructors in the winter months. Every single staff member is passionate about surfing – and it’s partly that passion that makes it contagious.  

The surfing side of things

So what about the surf and the reason most people go? The way it works is that there’s a 1.5 hour lesson on four of the mornings of your stay. And then in the afternoon, there’s a surf shuttle where the staff take the surf boards to the beach and you can choose to practise if you like. On the days without surf lessons, there’s a morning shuttle too. And on one of the evenings, you have a surf theory lesson. There are beginner and advanced groups and the abilities vary within each one. And in the late afternoon, there are yoga lessons too.

Facing fears

As our vacation approached, I became more keen to give surfing a try. I desperately liked the idea of it, but wasn’t sure I could face that fear. Plus I was worried I wasn’t strong or fit enough to even manage. Eventually, I decided to give it a go with the expectation that I’d only do the first day’s lesson. I wasn’t even sure I’d go in the water. And as we all walked down to the beach with the waves roaring onto the shore, I could barely speak through my fog of fear.

But somehow, I got in the ocean. It was partly meeting another nervous participant and then seeing so many little children giving it a go that finally gave me the courage. But it was also the gentle encouragement of all the surf instructors. I felt safe in their hands. And by the end of that first lesson, I was exhilarated. I had tumbled into the surf, been bashed about by waves and had salt water up my nose. But all the tricky bits were outweighed by the pure fun of trying to surf and the elation of facing down fear.

From then on, I did all the surf lessons and most shuttles. I revelled in it and looked forward to each one. On our first lesson, our instructors talked about the surf bug, where you get addicted to the waves, and I think I well and truly caught it. And while this isn’t a story of uncovering a secret talent (I’m pretty sure I was at the bottom of the pile when it came to skill and barely stood up but a handful of times), it is a story of finding joy. I think I’d probably be happy if I remained a beginner surfer for life – I love simply being in the water, trying to read its movements and having fun with its swells. Above all, I love that I did it. I learned it’s never too late to face your fears.

The surfing bug

Steve also caught the surf bug (with significant more skill than me) and we’ve resolved to go back to Ujusansa next year. All four of us loved it, and perhaps Otis will be able to join lessons by then. Even if not, he and Arlo are desperate to return. They had the time of their lives simply playing in the camp.

Time in nature brings out the best in our boys and also us, and this vacation ticked boxes we didn’t even know we had. I rarely return to a place – my wanderlust always tempts me elsewhere – but with this, I’ll make an exception. I can’t wait for our return (perhaps we’ll see you there?). It’s the best family vacation we’ve ever had.

Read on for info our special Bridges and Balloons discount code for 2025.

How to book a stay at Ujusansa Family Surf Camp

If you decide to book a stay at the Ujusansa Family Surf Camp, you can use our discount code to get a 10% discount off the total booking (including accommodation, surf and yoga lessons). Simply add the code ‘SurfingBalloons’ at the checkout. We’ll be there for the final week of August, so perhaps we’ll see you there!

A full week for 2 adults and 2 kids, including accommodation and food for all, and lessons for the adults, costs around £2,300 with the discount. It isn’t super cheap, but we think it’s definitely worth it.

Book your stay now.

Why Ujusansa might not be for you

As you can tell, we fell head over heels for Ujusansa Family Surf Camp, but that’s not to say everyone would like it. If you don’t love being in nature and are looking for traditional luxury in the form of hotels and full-service amenities then this probably isn’t the one for you. But if you want an active, back-to-nature family holiday then I can’t think of anything better. Here are of the small grumbles I heard from other guests.

  • There are no toilets or showers in the tents themselves – instead they are in a separate block, a few minutes’ walk from the tents. This means you have to go outside to get to them, which some people might find annoying at night. Each family gets a key to their own toilet, which means it’s as clean as you keep it. The showers were also in a separate shared block. They were clean and plentiful, so we never had to wait for one to be free. If you have little children who might need the loo in the night, you could bring a travel potty with you.
  • Ujusansa is next to another campsite, which sometimes hosts youth groups. On one night of our stay, they had a party that went on until about 10pm with fairly loud music and group singing. Seeing as the Ujusansa schedule is quite late anyways (our kids were going to sleep around 9/10pm), it wasn’t a problem for us. Plus Arlo fell asleep while the music was on anyways. It was far enough away that you’d be able to sleep through it – plus it was only one night. To be honest, I quite enjoyed hearing hundreds of French kids signing along to Somewhere Over the Rainbow!
  • Unlike most glamping holidays in France, you’re not expected to clean your tent, toilet etc at the end of your stay. All that is done for you (yay!). But you do have to do your own washing up each day – you get a designated set of plates, glasses etc and then it’s your responsibility to look after them during the stay. I enjoyed this communal aspect of clearing up, but if you’re looking for a more full-service holiday, this might not be for you.

Book your family surf camp today!

If you’re on the same page as us and love the sound of Ujusansa, booking is now live for 2025. Use our discount code – SurfingBalloons –to get 10% off. We’ll be there in August, so perhaps we’ll see you there! Book your stay now.

A typical day at Ujusansa

8-9:30am: Breakfast

10 or 11am: Surf lesson for 1.5 hours

1pm: Lunch

4-6pm: Surf Shuttle

6:30pm: Yoga

7:30pm: Dinner

9pm: Evening activity (surf theory/movie night/cocktail night)

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