This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
If there were awards given for the surfer having the most fun in the water, Laure Mayer would be a multi-world champion.
Hailing from the charming French-Basque town of Saint Jean de Luz, the smiley longboarder now calls the Australian coastal enclave of Byron Bay home. In this interview we chat with Laure about her life there and her upcoming Xanadu longboard week.
What became clear from the outset was that this was no ordinary conversation.
Besides her infectious personality, a life philosophy firmly rooted in enjoying the now and her obvious skills in the water, Laure is someone who’s manifested what many call the dream life purely by following her passions.
We’re stoked that between running a successful women’s swimsuit brand and busy surfing schedule, Laure was able to share her story with us.
Laure, how are you? Thanks for jumping on this chat with us.
Good, and no worries!
Where are you right now?
I’m in Australia. I’ve been here for 12 years now. I’m in Byron right now but I’m going on a road trip in June down the coast. I’m excited about it! I’ve been here for a very long time but still haven’t made it past Sydney.
How fun! You’re going to love it down there. Can you tell us a little about yourself? Where are you from? How did you get into surfing?
I’m from the Basque Country in the southwest of France. That’s where I grew up and my introduction to surfing actually started with snowboarding. I got into surfing when I was maybe 16 and went full into it when I was 19. It wiped my passion for snowboarding haha!
I also took it up by myself, but I lived in a place that has waves (Saint-Jean-de-Luz), so there were surfers around me and a surf club that opened in my hometown when I was younger… I signed up straight away.
We’ve got really good breaks where I’m from too, so I had waves at my doorstep and that’s where I started surfing.
And what brought you to Australia?
I wanted to learn English and study more, and it was a good, safe destination. I didn’t know anything about it! I didn’t even know that English in Australia was different.
I had already lived abroad for two years in Spain and Portugal doing community exchanges. When I finished, I was like, “Damn… I’ve run out of community exchanges but I want to keep travelling”! So I took a gap year and I picked a country that had surfing.
I didn’t move to Byron Bay straight away, but eventually I got a job up here and a share house so I decided to stay.
Byron Bay is a dreamland for surfers. The Pass is especially good when it’s smaller but there are also heaps of other waves around the area.
In my opinion it’s probably the best spot in the world for longboarding. I mean, you can Google top longboarding spots in the world and probably Byron Bay will come up. There are really good waves for longboarding. We’re very lucky. That’s probably really why I ended up staying haha!
What does a typical day look like for you in Byron?
I work for myself, so I try to surf early in the morning if possible just so I can work later. When I’m trying to get the best waves, I look at the tides and the winds and I work my schedule around that.
Do you enjoy working for yourself?
I mean, when you work for yourself, you can do whatever you want. Sometimes if I have too much work, I don’t actually get to surf as much as I want, but that’s my rhythm. I probably surf every day or at least four or five times a week.
Is that your primary means for staying fit?
I also do self-conditioning as well as pilates three times a week to stay fit.
Your women’s swimwear brand LORE OF THE SEA is actually stocked at Xanadu. What in your opinion makes a good swimwear piece?
For me, the ideal surf swimsuit must meet several key criteria.
It should remain secure, even in heavy surf or during wipeouts; provide comfort without causing any rashes; make you feel confident while wearing it; and be durable enough to last many seasons, thanks to high-quality materials and robust construction.
All LORE OF THE SEA suits tick these boxes. They’re also crafted from recycled fabrics in small batches so we steer clear of the fast fashion industry’s practices.
Well said! Having a swimsuit that can handle wipeouts is key for us haha can you tell us about your own surfing goals at the moment?
I’m expanding the types of boards I’m surfing. I want to keep doing that and be more adaptable, you know.
I like the idea of being able to surf any type of wave and not be restricted by the type of board that I’m surfing. That’s my goal. I feel like I’ve mastered longboarding now and there’s so much more that I can learn and get better at that it’s actually really exciting.
And what boards are you riding right now?
My board sponsor is Nettleton. He makes my logs and he’s been shaping my boards for a long time. I’ve got mid-lengths from him as well and I’m getting twin fins from other brands too. He doesn’t like to make twin fins, but he’s cool with me getting boards from other shapers haha.
Do you think there’s such a thing as the perfect surfboard? What makes you fall in love with a particular board?
What I love about a board is when it makes me surf better. I learn new things on each board and then they take me to the next level. Today, if you were to ask me what board that would be, I’d be like… this is it, I’ve got it already.
So the perfect board is the one you feel most comfortable on?
Yes.
Do you have any tips for surfers getting into longboarding when it comes to choosing a board?
Don’t get hung up on noseriders because it doesn’t actually mean anything. A noserider is just a marketing term for some types of longboard.
Yes, some boards are more adapted to noseriding than others, but I feel like it’s not always the case. And don’t go too thick or too big straight away. I learned how to longboard on a performance longboard.
Interesting. Surfing new boards is like learning a new language. It opens you up to a whole new way of seeing the ocean and waves. Are you excited about coming back to Lombok?
Yes! I was there in January and it was really fun. It was nice that we could find waves with no one else. I thought it was really beautiful and I feel like I didn’t get a chance to explore the island as much as I could have, so I’m really excited to go back.
For sure being able to surf without large crowds is one of our fav things about Lombok. Do you have any big plans for surfers attending your retreat?
I’m looking forward to showing them how to really enjoy themselves in the water. And also, I like to unlock things with people when they’re surfing.
I love seeing them go from a beginner to a more advanced level. It fills me with so much joy! So I’m looking forward to unlocking a few extra skills and sensations for the guests.
Is there anything you’d like to say to them before they arrive?
Just surf at home (if you can) and then come surf at Lombok with us – I can’t wait!
Thanks, Laure. We can’t wait to have you. See you soon!
Thanks so much! Enjoy your day. See ya!
Laure will be hosting two week-long retreats in late November and early December. Maximum 12 participants per retreat.
To learn from arguably one of the world’s most stylish longboarders (and awesome humans), book your place now. Note that these retreats are for surfers already comfortable catching their own waves. They’re NOT suitable for beginners.
In this case, you can always book one of our Xanadu Surf & Yoga retreats, which are suitable for all skill levels.
