Don't miss la Nord... but you might miss it anyway, it's rare with big surf in the summer (more likely sept-october when quick pro is on). If you're a beginner and wanna rent the cheapest boards (Bic) and wetsuits, paddleboards (maybe even waveskis and SUPs if you're skilled), go to the lifesaving club Hossegor Sauvetage Côtier just under the Rockfood and ask for Popeye, the club president. A local legend of lifesaving and surfing (he speaks english too)
Boards are not cheap in Hossegor, avoid town centre surfshops and go to la zone industrielle in Soorts where Ripcurl HQs and other "outlets" are. Sometimes they have second hand stuff or unsolds from previous years slightly cheaper (but you need to know these models, otherwise they'll rip u off with normal price). Real cheapest is to check on the french "blocket",
www.leboncoin.fr. A lot of locals sell their boards there, then you just have to pick it up when you're in France (that's what I did this march, my new baby a 5'10 M10 hogfish for...130€).
Allez bon surf!