Beach hopping – On the road with a HYMER to a video shoot in France and Spain

Two surfers, eight boards and one HYMER Free S 600! It all started ten years ago when Stefan Klare came up with the idea of building inflatable stand-up paddle boards – only with a difference. With specially developed technology: thinner, more sturdy and, above all, with better performance, the new boards by TRIPSTIX should come along. Over the years, several prototypes had been created and it was now time to film the promotional video for the finished product. And so, at the end of June 2021, Stefan and Chris climbed aboard their HYMER Free S 600 and set course for a surfer’s paradise. 

Chris Gollhofer

Photographer and author

Destination
France and Spain

Model

HYMER Free S 600

From the Allgäu to Anglet in 18 hours

For the combined surfing trip and video shoot, the two entrepreneurs depart the Allgäu region of Southern Germany in the middle of the night on a direct route to Anglet near the Franco-Spanish border. It’s no coincidence that their first stop is Anglet – the town lies directly on a bend that connects a west-facing and a north-facing stretch of coast. Depending on the prevailing winds, they can quickly reach the best surf spots from there.

The first day of surfing

On the first day of surfing in Anglet, the conditions outside the van door are so good that Stefan can easily surf his way directly into “La Barre” amid the glorious sunshine and waves cresting just over head height. Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever and the conditions change throughout the day, making surfing out of the question by evening. A glance at the weather and surfing app confirms bad conditions for the next few days, but this is no cause for concern – with a HYMER as their mobile production studio, they can easily escape the weather.

The ensuing 18-hour journey is long, but the seats in the HYMER Free S 600 are so comfortable that even vast distances can be covered in total comfort.
Photographer and author Chris Gollhofer

Heading further south

And so the two surfing entrepreneurs continue further south to Zarautz in Spain. On arrival they are greeted by fine weather – but the Atlantic Ocean appears more like a lake than a sea. There isn’t much to be done about that. Our sports-mad surfers are faced with two options: either press on and hope for better conditions elsewhere, or stretch out on the hammock and watch the upcoming European Championship football match between Portugal and Germany. Later, the phenomenal view from the cliff and a well-deserved 2:4 victory for Germany confirm that this choice was indeed the right one! The next day, they set off early in the morning – across the Basque Country to Cantabria.

Between Bilbao and Santander

Along the coastal road, through several fishing villages and past smaller harbours, Oriñón is the next stop. This small town lies halfway between Bilbao and Santander. It has a beautiful bay that offers exactly what the surfers are looking for – a relatively empty beach with waist-high waves. They quickly park the HYMER on top of the cliff and take the narrow path through the bushes down to the beach.

They have found the perfect surfing spot!

The first surf session is pure, unadulterated fun – as expected thanks to the perfect conditions. The decision is made. They will shoot their promo here! They head back to the van to check the weather and wave forecast. The waves are looking pretty good, but the weather isn’t fully on board – clouds are forecast to start rolling in at 09.20 the next morning. So they set the alarm clock for 05.45 to get started as early as possible.

05.45

It’s already light and the bay is empty. The conditions are as favourable as the app predicted and their promo is soon in the can. Then it’s time for breakfast. They quickly raid the refrigerator in the van and brew up some coffee on the hob – a relaxed meal gives them the perfect opportunity to cook up their plans for the remainder of the trip. With the weather app now showing a less-than-promising outlook for the next few days and all the required footage safely on board, they slowly begin their long journey home.

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Towards the rain

They take the direct route to Islares along the coastal road, where a more or less continuous downpour awaits them. They decide to press on to Laga – but the rain also greets them there. Their next stop is a place called Lekeitio.

A break in the weather

In Lekeitio the sky is a little brighter, almost sunny – perfect for a quick pit stop in the café right on the beach. Half an hour later, the air is pleasantly clear and there are only two other surfers in the sea – time to plunge into the cool water! The waves are waist-high, similar to Oriñón, and the scenery is so beautiful that the surf session stretches out to over two hours. Feeling jaded but happy, the pair relax on their beds afterwards. Thanks to the cold foam mattresses and comfortable slatted frames, they find it hard to get up – except, perhaps, to fetch a nice cold beer from the on-board refrigerator.

The last day by the sea

The next morning they head directly to Hendaye, passing the obligatory coronavirus checks at the border. With the coming days’ weather expected to feel more like April than July, their hopes of finding good surfing conditions are fading. And so the cold sea is promptly shunned in favour of a visit to another pleasant café. As dusk begins to fall, the cloud cover over Moliets finally breaksand France bids them farewell with a picture-perfect sunset, as if wishing them a safe journey home.

Premium adventures
Escape the daily grind in comfort

The HYMER Free S 600 is the perfect choice for anyone looking to get away from it all in total comfort. The Mercedes Sprinter chassis with front-wheel drive and extensive comfort and safety equipment guarantees maximum payload reserves and additional headroom inside the vehicle. This makes the HYMER Free S your perfect companion for small trips and big adventures alike.

The perfect HYMER for any adventure

You can experience stories like these with any HYMER.
In our model overview you are guaranteed to find a motorhome or a camper van that also goes with your travel plans.

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