Biarritz weather in January
January in Biarritz: cold, soaked, with clean air — not the time — 15 rainy days.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#12 of 12 months in Biarritz · #1204 of 1413 destinations to visit in January · comfort 46/100 (tier F)
- Days
- 12°C
- Nights
- 5°C
- Wet days
- 15
- Sun
- 6 h
- Humidity
- 80%
- Daylight
- 9 h

Traveller notes on Biarritz in January
Forum posters describe January in Biarritz as similar to December, cold around 10-12C and potentially wet and windy, though posters note there's usually at least a day or two of notably milder weather within any given winter stretch. Posters are direct that winter here is actually the driest season overall, with long, dry, sunny spells a genuine feature of the Basque coast's mild oceanic climate, even as a visitor could just as easily get lucky with 15-17C days or unlucky with persistent driving rain off the Atlantic. Posters consistently describe Biarritz as very much a summer tourist town, but note the roughly 40,000 year-round residents and a university in nearby Bayonne keep plenty of restaurants and shops open through the quieter winter months. Posters generally rate January as cool, changeable but genuinely livable, with real chances of both pleasant and rough weather days.
Other months in Biarritz
June to August is Biarritz's best weather and its high season together. July averages near 24°C, and the sea is warm enough that the forum says you can often surf in shorts by mid-month, with some days not needing a wetsuit at all — they put the water at 20–21°C, the record a little higher. The honest caveat is that the weather is temperamental: a couple of really nice days, then rain, then a couple more, with afternoon thunderstorms in the mix, against seven wet days on the record. The rocky coastline is the surf advantage here — the breaks vary with the wind, so something is usually working.
Add your own note from Biarritz's card on the map.
Biarritz climate normals — January
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Biarritz in January
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
BusyChristmas holidays in France, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Biarritz's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Toughest weatherBiarritz's weather peaks July–September.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Biarritz in January
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Season
Atlantic swell season
15 Sep – 31 MarSurf seasonRiskThe long-period groundswell arrives with the autumn and the beach breaks turn serious; the Belharra reef off Saint-Jean-de-Luz only breaks on the biggest of them. Summer here is a learner's ocean, winter is not. Source ↗
- Season
Winter shutdown
1 Nov – 15 MarOff-season shutdownClosuresA chunk of the seafront restaurants and the surf schools close between the Toussaint holiday and the spring, and the town returns to its residents. The thalasso spas and the Basque bars stay open through it. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Biarritz — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Biarritz?
Biarritz in January — FAQ
- Is January a good time to visit Biarritz?
- January in Biarritz: cold, soaked, with clean air — not the time — 15 rainy days. It ranks #12 of 12 months for Biarritz on SeasonMap's comfort score (46/100).
- What is the weather like in Biarritz in January?
- In January, Biarritz averages a daily high of 12.4°C and a low of 5.1°C, with about 153.1 mm of rain over roughly 15.3 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Biarritz in January?
- Biarritz has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 37 in January.
Within 300 km: San Sebastián's Tamborrada on 19–21 Jan, and Bilbao's Cabalgata de Reyes on 5 Jan.