Geographically speaking, the Cote d'Azur is part of the Alps. If you surf the spots off Cannes or Nice, you can see the snow-capped mountains from the water - an uplifting feeling! A morning windsurfing session and two hours later you're on the ski piste in Les Aures? No problem!
We present these spots in this spot guide
- 1) Le Mourillon
- 2) La Californie / Giens peninsula
- 3) L'Almanarre
- 4) La Madrague
- 5) La Badine
- 6) La Bergerie
- 7) Les Salins
- 8) La Londe les Maures/Plage de l'Argentiere
- 9) La Plage du Grand Jardin
- 10) Cabasson/Bregançon
- 11) Le Lavandou/La Faviere
- 12) Gigaro/Plage d'Heraclée
- 13) Pampelonne/Plage de Tahiti
- 14) La Bouillabaisse
- 15) Beauvallon
- 16) Saint-Aygulf
- 17) Fréjus Plage
- 18) Saint-Raphael
- 19) Ile d'Or
- 20) Agay
- 21) Cannes/Mandelieu
- 22) Cannes/Palm Beach
- 23) Sainte-Marguerite/Saint-Honorat
- 24) Juans-les-Pins
- 25) Saint-Lorent du Var
The attractive location between the mountains and the sea has meant that the Cote d'Azur has changed considerably in recent decades. Unfortunately. Anyone who visits the inland area, the fantastic beaches around Porquerolles or the wild coastal stretches of the Var region will get an impression of how things must have looked here in the past, before tourism, construction and money destroyed so much. Today, the "French Riviera" is a schizophrenic place: On some beaches, sunburnt tourists lie towel to towel in high summer, while one bay further on the beautiful, rich and very rich are among themselves. Rugged and unspoilt stretches of coast alternate with gigantic villas, gigantic pools and even more gigantic marinas. At the height of summer, the beaches are bursting at the seams, as are the streets. Fortunately, even the region's politicians are slowly beginning to rethink and realise that unchecked growth, congested roads and excessive construction will not change everything for the better. But if you come in the low season and are in the right place at the right time, you will discover the beautiful side of the Cote d'Azur: almond trees in bloom, flat water and wave spots, warm temperatures and the uplifting feeling of having the snow-capped mountains of the Alps in view while riding the waves or jibing.
General information about windsurfing in the south of France
Journey
Flights are available from many airports to Marseille or Nice, with prices ranging between 150 and 300 euros. As always, it is advisable to check the luggage conditions and book your equipment. However, as you need to be mobile if you want to be on the water a lot, travelling by camper is ideal, as it is just under 1000 kilometres from Cologne and Munich to Hyères. The toll on the route is around 70 euros - but there are well-developed motorways and traffic jams are rare.
Wind, weather & neoprene recommendation
In general, the stretch of coast between Toulon and Monaco can be divided into two regions: Var in the west and Alpes Maritimes in the east. In the western part of the Cote d'Azur, the Var region, the Mistral in particular still comes through unhindered from the west to north-west, which is why the spots around Hyères certainly have the best wind quota in the area. According to statistics, 30 to 40 per cent of the wind here blows at more than 12 knots, which is only partially consistent with the experience of the locals on the ground - they estimate the rate to be significantly higher.
Mistral is caused by cold air from the north when a low pressure system moves eastwards over northern France. The inflowing cold air is channelled in the Rhone Valley and then blows as a cold downdraft from the northwest. This weather situation can occur all year round, although the winter months from October to May are clearly the main focus. Small sails always belong in your luggage in Mistral weather conditions.
The further east you move along the Cote d'Azur into the Alpes Maritimes region, the more difficult it is for the Mistral, as it is increasingly blocked by the mountains. The area around Cannes therefore rarely shines with conditions for 4-seater sailing and if you want to fully savour the mistral phases, it is best to stay around Hyères.
Although the eastern part of the Cote d'Azur largely escapes the influence of the Mistral, a trip here can be worthwhile, especially when the wind is blowing from a south-westerly to westerly direction or when areas of low pressure moving through are fuelling the "Marin" - a warm and humid south-easterly to easterly wind. Marin rarely reaches wind speeds of over six, but it does bring warm temperatures and nice waves.
The eastern Cote d'Azur is also a tip in spring and early summer, when you can regularly enjoy fair weather thermals from the south to south-west, which develop when the hinterland warms up on sunny days, air masses rise there and air is sucked in from the sea. However, large sails are always part of the luggage; more than five Beaufort are the exception rather than the rule.
Even if the Cote d'Azur cannot keep up with the windsurfing strongholds around Leucate and Marseille in terms of wind frequency and strength, the region does have one decisive advantage: between October and May, it is usually much milder here, often shivering in a mistral storm at five degrees in Leucate, while you spend your surf break in Nice wearing a T-shirt in a beach café. In summer, with an average water temperature of 23 degrees and air temperature of 27 degrees, a shorty or short sleeve is sufficient; in winter, with an average air and water temperature of 13 degrees, a 5/3 neo is fine.
Jeans tip: You can find live wind data for many spots at www.baston.fr
Shafts
Yes, there are official breakers here too, albeit less frequently than around Marseille, which is battered by the mistral even more often. The prerequisite for waves on the Cote d'Azur is strong winds (south-east to east) or, around Hyères, mistral from the west.
Living & Camping
First things first: in the height of summer (mid-July to the end of August), a trip to the Cote d'Azur is less recommendable, beaches, roads and accommodation are full to the brim and little can be done without pre-booking. The situation is different between September and June, when you can find accommodation in all price categories and the campsites are also less busy. Speaking of camping: wild camping is not recommended in this densely populated region. While it is sometimes tolerated in the off-season, in the height of summer it is often consistently fined on the spot. Open fires or a burning barbecue in front of the campervan in the forest are punishable by a fine of up to 1500 euros, but even in Nice you can get a pretty fancy suite with a 6-course meal. The Giens peninsula to the south of Hyères is ideal for campers who don't want to chase the wind every day. Here you can camp virtually right on the spot under old pine trees and also have the best wind quota.
Surf schools & clubs
In the surfing strongholds around Hyères, the prices for courses and hire are reasonable, but if you want to get on the water with hire equipment in Nice or Saint Tropez, you often have to dig deep into your pockets: 30 euros per hour is simply too much of a good thing. So check the offers in advance and book in advance if necessary!
Shady sides
The Cote d'Azur is not as hot as the area around Marseille, but caution is still advised here. Simply hiding your keys on the front tyre before surfing is just as little a tip as leaving valuables (visible) in the car - break-ins are not uncommon. Caution is also advised in supermarket car parks and at petrol stations, especially in cities, and it is best for one person to stay with the car at all times.
Seaweed is a problem at some spots, so a suitable fin should be in your luggage.
Last but not least, the price level: apart from the high season, camping & accommodation is quite affordable, but eating out and sometimes even equipment hire are often expensive.
The best windsurfing spots around Cannes, Nice & St. Tropez
1) Le Mourillon
Located to the east of the port city of Toulon, the spot scores points above all with its large parking area and an impressive windsurfing centre. You can easily get into the water on the man-made beach and should do so especially in easterly and westerly winds - flat water fans and intermediates will find uncomplicated freeride conditions here. The wind is sometimes a little gusty because the surrounding area is quite hilly, but you can work on your manoeuvres here safely and without the risk of drifting off. Away from the beach, there are some stones/piers and sometimes sea urchins in the water.
2) La Californie/Peninsula Giens
A few hundred metres to the west of the Plage d'Almanarre is a wave spot known only to a few locals, which delivers beautiful waves with wind from the right in strong westerly winds. If you make the effort to get there, you can orientate yourself by the fishermen's houses on the water, but you should have some wave experience: A rocky entrance and the shallow reef require some courage and sometimes a spare mast in the board bag. Parking at the spot, which is only a short distance from the main road, is unfortunately difficult or even impossible.
The Giens peninsula stretches into the Mediterranean like an anvil and, along with Leucate, is probably one of the absolute hotspots of the French windsurfing scene. When people talk about "Hyères" or "Almanarre", they actually always mean the Giens peninsula south of the town of Hyères with its 55,000 inhabitants, which has much more to offer in addition to the famous Almanarre World Cup beach. If you want to stay put on holiday, you'll find the perfect set-up of different spot conditions and accommodation options right next to the spot.
3) L'Almanarre
The Plage d'Almanarre is located at the northern end of the bay, at the edge of which a few stones line the beach. Further south, a long sandy beach stretches from north to south. The spot is fully equipped for windsurfers, with car parks and a hire station where you can take courses or hire equipment, as well as a surf shop on site. In easterly winds, freeriders and speed surfers get their money's worth, as the water is then flattened by the offshore wind - perfect for practising manoeuvres, tricks or setting a personal GPS record. However, westerly winds are more common, as Giens is still in the catchment area of the Mistral. NW blows gusty, WNW to SW comes onshore, noticeably more even and usually stronger than forecast due to local strengthening. From wind force 6+, a few nice waves run into the bay, which are especially fun for jumping, but the wind is usually too onshore for frontside riding to leeward. Less than 100 metres to windward, there is a good wave on an offshore reef. On good days it gets crowded here quickly, the rocks are not too far away and the shorebreak can also be challenging in this part of the bay.
4) La Madrague
This beautiful spot, also known as Les Estagnets, is located in the south-western part of the Giens peninsula on a west-facing sandy beach that slopes gently into the water and offers some standing room. You can park in the immediate vicinity of the spot, but on some weekends and during the holidays it can get quite crowded, as everywhere else. Large campers are not allowed due to the height restriction, but there is another access point at the Spinout surf school. The spot conditions are great for freeriding and practising manoeuvres. With a strong westerly wind coming onshore, a small wave quickly builds up, which is suitable for a few jumps but remains moderate. Part of the spot is marked as a kite zone, so please avoid this area! When the mistral is blowing from the north, as is usually the case, the wind is much more constant here than in Almanarre, for example. An offshore easterly wind also works well, once you have overcome the first hundred metres with some cover and a few gusts, you can expect flat water at its best and an endless playground for tricks, jibes and heating.
5) La Badine
An easterly wind blows onshore here and, if it is strong enough, brings beautiful and mostly moderate waves that run out onto a flat sandy beach. These run almost directly from the wind direction and are therefore more suitable for jumping than for frontside riding downwind. There are often a lot of kiters at the start, which you have to come to terms with. The nearest car park is a good distance away, which is why you may have a queasy feeling when you go out on the water and should not leave any valuables in the car.
6) La Bergerie
Not far north of Badine is the somewhat more universal spot of La Bergerie. Here, too, a strong easterly wind shovels beautiful waves onto the beach, which break moderately due to the gently sloping, sandy bottom and also give wave beginners the chance to try their hand here. The parking situation is much better than in La Badine, namely directly at the spot, and there are also far fewer kitesurfers at the start on this section of the beach.
Mistral is also surfable, blowing fully offshore (!) and somewhat gusty due to the trees and dunes in the shore area. Further out, the wind becomes more constant and you can let your fins glow on flat water. Alternatively, you can head 1.5 kilometres further north, to the small harbour of La Capte, where the water is often a little calmer. As in Badine, a seaweed fin is absolutely essential at both spots in summer.
7) Les Salins
There are also spots to visit to the east of Hyères. About four kilometres east of Hyères airport, there is a beautiful beach from which you can see the island of Porquerolles to the south. There are plenty of parking spaces. The south-west and east come almost sideshore from the right and left respectively and, apart from a few chops, hardly build up any waves. That's why it's mainly shallow water lovers who get their money's worth here, and because hardly anyone uses the spot, it stays reasonably empty when all hell breaks loose at the main spots. The only disadvantage: if the wind turns to the west, it gets covered and gusty, then you have to move towards the Giens peninsula or on to La Londe.
8) La Londe les Maures/ Plage de l'Argentiere
There are two spots around the harbour: The first entry point is to the west of the small harbour on a beautiful sandy beach. This is also where the Le Pensard campsite is located right on the water. The locals, on the other hand, usually surf to the east of the harbour, at Plage de l'Argentiere. Both beaches face almost due west-east, which means that even with westerly winds there is a more constant wind and less cover than in Les Salines. Waves only get lost here in strong south-easterly winds, usually it remains uncomplicated flat water conditions for cruising or tricks. There are plenty of free car parks and you can rig up on grass. The westerly wind blows somewhat weaker than on the Giens peninsula, mistral from the WNW is covered and therefore not a tip here.
9) La Plage du Grand Jardin
It takes a bit of effort to surf this gem of a spot - access by car is not possible. You can reach the spot by heading up from Plage de Cabasson, a few hundred metres to the south. A white sandy beach lined with pine trees awaits you at the Plage du Grand Jardin, where moderate waves break in strong winds from SW to WSW for jumping and riding. There is also an area with smooth water for tricks and jibing, so head to the north-west end of the beach. The wind then blows diagonally onshore from the right. The fact that you usually surf alone here makes it all the more unforgettable.
10) Cabasson/Bregançon
If you surf here, pull yourself together, because the French president might be watching you. In August, the head of state regularly spends his summer holidays at Fort Bregançon, which is located not far south of the spot and offers a great backdrop. With a strong south-westerly wind, a nice but mostly harmless wave for jumping builds up here, similar to the Plage du Grand Jardin, and the wind then comes sideonshore from the right to onshore. If the wind turns too westerly, windward jamming and the unfavourable (onshore) angle quickly ruin the fun, then it's worth turning up to the Plage du Grand Jardin, where the angle remains somewhat better. Two negative points should not go unmentioned here: Parking is extremely expensive - depending on the size of the vehicle, you pay eight to 20 euros for a day ticket - and if you get too close to the President's residence, you will make the acquaintance of the local police boat.
11) Le Lavandou/La Faviere
The small village of Le Lavandou is fully dedicated to tourism - empty in winter, full in summer. Access to the spot is easy and if you don't have a battleship as a vehicle, you can park for free at the spot. You can surf here directly in the town on a large sandy beach that faces east and is located between the harbour facilities of Port de Bormes-les-Mimosas and Port Lavandou. The easterly wind blows onshore, ideally from the north-east, which blows diagonally onshore from the left. With appropriate ventilation, it pushes large and powerful waves onto the beach, the shorebreak then takes no prisoners and requires appropriate wave experience in combination with some windward swell. The best place to get in is downwind of the harbour pier, where the shorebreak is a little tamer. Outside, there are big ramps for jumping and riding.
If the wind shifts more to the north, you are better off at the La Faviere spot, which is located south of the Port de Bormes-les-Mimosas. Here you can park directly at the spot, even with a large camper, and the harbour pier upwind offers some protection from the crashing shorebreak. Just watch out for the T-shaped pier at the entrance!
12) Gigaro/Plage d'Heraclée
A great spot with a fantastic sandy beach, surrounded by pine forests and therefore a little difficult to find. There is a charge for parking in summer. In spring and autumn, when the weather is fine, thermals from the southwest regularly develop here, usually reaching 12-15 knots and providing freeride or slalom fun. Gigaro is even better when low pressure blows from the SW, which is then also thermally amplified and pushes nice waves into the bay. With a sideonshore wind from the right, you can then jump nicely, especially in the right-hand part of the bay, although you should watch out for a few rocks. East winds are also good for freeriding in the right-hand part of the bay, while west winds are unfortunately very gusty.
13) Pampelonne/ Plage de Tahiti
The long stretch of beach not far from Saint-Tropez is where the stars and starlets loll in summer and it is not uncommon to see numerous mega yachts moored off the coastline. The parties in the exclusive clubs are legendary, as are the prices for parking, eating and sleeping. In the winter months, it's still worth coming here. When the wind blows from east to north-east, this is one of the most beautiful spots on the Cote d'Azur: At the northern end of the Plage de Tahiti, near the cliff, the waves come in even better and you can enjoy sideshore riding with wind from the left. Jumps are also possible. Northeast is ideal, with east it gets a little more onshore.
14) La Bouillabaisse
The Gulf of Saint-Tropez can be a great place for freeriding and there are various places to start from. If the mistral makes it this far and you don't feel like or don't have the time to go all the way to Hyères, you can get out on the water in the southern part of the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, at Plage La Bouillabaisse. You can even park here free of charge, the westerly wind comes diagonally onshore from the left and apart from a few chops, there are no waves to disturb the shallow water fun.
15) Beauvallon
On the northern shore of the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, you can get your money's worth, especially in the winter months, provided you are a fan of waves and the wind is blowing strongly from the east. You can park for free on the road around the Club Nautique de Beauvallon and there is also space for a few campers. There are several small sections of beach to get into the water. However, the entrance is challenging thanks to the pithy shore break and the current is also noticeable as soon as the waves get higher than 1.5 metres. There is also a nice wave further upwind, in front of the small lighthouse, but it ends on a rocky bottom and often in the wind cover. On strong days, Beauvallon can get up to mast-high, with the wind usually coming diagonally onshore from the left. Wave experience is essential here. SW-W brings flat water with wind from the right.
16) Saint-Aygulf
In Saint-Aygulf you will find a long and wide sandy beach, where you can safely go kitesurfing in the summer months thanks to the very reliable thermals from the south-west and beautiful flat water conditions. The thermals are often stronger here than at other spots, and 20 knots are not uncommon in spring and summer. There is also a campsite nearby. You should only be aware of the kite zone and the (clearly visible) groynes.
In the winter months, there can be good sessions in easterly to north-easterly winds, when the spot shows its wild side with diagonally onshore winds and powerful waves, the shore break has it all. Then you can also move to the beach section Fréjus Plage to the north of the harbour - perhaps the better choice.
17) Fréjus Plage
Compared to the Saint-Aygulf section of the beach, you have a slightly better angle for riding waves here, north of the harbour, during easterly storms. The wave height and shore break are much less demanding, so that even less experienced surfers can have fun here without any problems. In summer, there is also a small centre where you can hire equipment. The regular summer thermals from the south-east to south-west also come through well here and often blow at 20 knots.
18) Saint-Raphael
The spot is located almost directly in the town, so it is difficult to find parking spaces. The best entry point is directly south of the harbour, at the Plage de Veillat - if the mistral (W-WNW) ever makes it to this region, this is the place to be. Access is via a pebble beach or from the Club Nautique, and there are a few chops to jump on the water. However, it can get quite choppy in places with a strong mistral.
19) Ile d'Or
Located around eight kilometres east of Saint-Raphael, this stretch of beach on the Ile d'Or is extremely attractive and framed by a rugged coastline and pine forest. With winds from the south-west to north-west, you can have fun there with nice bump & jump conditions, there are hardly any real surf waves - apart from a few stormy days - but there are nice chops for jumping. The coarse pebble beach is "garnished" with a few rocks and drops off quite steeply, which can make the shorebreak a little difficult. However, the backdrop on the water makes up for this - you surf here between the small rocky island of Ile d'Or and the red rocks of the Esterel mountains.
20) Agay
Around three kilometres further north of Ile d'Or, in the bay of Agay, it is primarily freeriders and beginners and intermediates who get their money's worth. Surfing here is quite safe and there are no choppy waves to disrupt your manoeuvres in south-westerly to westerly winds. Westerly winds are quite gusty, while south-westerly winds are much more constant. The Wind Club d'Agay is open in the summer months, where you can also hire equipment. You can park along the sandy beach.
21) Cannes/Mandelieu
A long sandy beach stretches between Mandelieu and the harbour of Cannes, interrupted by a few groynes. You can usually park for free along the road here in the low season, but in summer or with a large camper van it is difficult to find space.
The spot is primarily suitable for windsurfing in thermal SW winds, which occur in the summer months and regularly come diagonally onshore from the right in the afternoon with winds of over four forces when the weather is fine. Then it remains flat water with a few chops for jumping. The best entry point is at the Centre Nautique, where you can start sheltered between two groynes and from there enter the large bay half-windward. In winter, strong south-westerly winds can also occur under the influence of low pressure, bringing waves with them. The shore break can then pose serious problems for wave beginners, but the locals on the beach are happy to shred it with the surfers.
22) Cannes/Palm Beach
Palm Beach is perhaps the most popular spot in the region, so it can sometimes get quite crowded here. You can park around the yacht club on the Cap de la Croisette, where there are free car parks where you can also park your campervan - provided you arrive in good time. In general, all wind directions from north-east to north-west are possible here, with west and east being locally stronger due to the topography. In westerly to southerly winds, the spot remains moderate and the water, apart from the usual choppy waves, quite smooth. In wintry east to north-easterly winds, the spot changes its face and the wave fans come in droves. At an offshore shoal, with a diagonal onshore wind from the left, there are beautiful waves for jumping and riding downwind. The current is noticeable, the entry into the water is partly over stones, but is quite feasible if you take your time. Wave beginners will not feel at home here, but those with some experience need not fear.
23) Sainte-Marguerite/ Saint-Honorat
The Iles de Lérins are located a few hundred metres from the Palm Beach spot and are best reached by ferry, which takes 15 minutes from the port of Cannes (approx. 15 euros). Alternatively, you can also cross over, which takes around 20-30 minutes. It's best to ask the locals and surf there with them. The wave scene in Cannes makes the crossing mainly because of two great wave spots: the spot called "La Batiguer" at the south-western tip of Sainte-Marguerite can be reached on foot in just under five minutes from the harbour and offers beautiful surf in south-westerly to westerly winds - great for jumping and riding with wind from the right. Some rocks in the water are marked, so be careful! The view of Cannes and the mountains in the hinterland is fantastic. A little to the south is the smaller island of Saint-Honorat with its monastery complex, which is well worth seeing. Those who are fit in the waves can combine surfing and sightseeing on the south beach, which is also less than a ten-minute walk from the harbour. With both westerly and easterly winds, the waves form quickly and you either have wind from the left or the right. Even if the waves themselves aren't martial, the spot is reserved for experts and adventurers - some stones lie just below the surface of the water, so breaking material can cause problems: With luck, Penélope Cruz or Brad Pitt will pull you onto the deck of their yacht, with bad luck the Emir of Qatar. To make the adventure complete: You can also spend the night in the monastery complex...
24) Juans-les-Pins
If the wind at Palm Beach in Cannes turns too much to the south-west or the waves get too high there, you can find a moderate alternative between the two harbours in Juan-les-Pins with an onshore wind from the right. You can enter the harbour here on the long sandy beach, which is interrupted by a few piers. There are also several car parks on the other side of the road. Caution is only required in front of the (clearly visible) groynes, otherwise there are uncomplicated bump & jump conditions without the risk of drifting off.
Two kilometres further south, ambitious and experienced surfers in particular get their money's worth in Olivette - a rocky entrance and waves that can get quite head-high on windy days are not exactly easy.
25) Saint-Lorent du Var
The spot at the Cap 3000 shopping centre wouldn't be anything special in itself if it wasn't supplied by a very special and local wind system. On clear days, a cool northerly wind blows from the mountains, similar to Lake Garda, and ensures shallow water fun with winds of 14 to 20 knots. This phenomenon occurs very regularly all year round, but getting up early is a basic requirement. The wind usually starts at sunrise and ends between 10:00 and 12:00. The best place to park is at the shopping centre (for a fee); spaces on the stone or sandy beach are rare. There is also a surfing centre here. The groynes limit the space available somewhat and the mouth of the River Var means that the water here is three to five degrees colder than elsewhere and there is a noticeable current. After heavy rainfall, the water quality is also very poor.
On days with low pressure from the south-west, waves also come into the bay, which can be used for jumping around with wind from the left. Despite the restrictions, Saint-Laurent is one of the region's surfing strongholds and you never have to go out on the water alone.
Also interesting:
This spot guide first appeared in surf 9/2016
Spot Guide South of France-Downloads:
