You will be in holidays near La Rochelle in Charente-Maritime? You plan to do surf near La Rochelle but you don't know the ? Don't panic, I wrote this for you help quickly find a surf spot that suits at your level close to La Rochelle in France. Indeed, when you do not know a town, it can be complex to find a spot or go surfing. This is why, We are going to give you several instruments useful to quickly find a surf spot near La Rochelle in France.
Introduction to surfing near la rochelle
When I visited Charente-Maritime, I was impressed. This French department, bordered by the Atlantic, is a playground for surfers. The beaches here vary: from gentle beachbreaks to towering reefs. But, when is the best time to surf there?
From April to October, the beachbreaks are perfect for all levels. However, in winter, the islands provide protection from strong winds. A notable detail: the climate. Thanks to the Atlantic influence, Charente-Maritime enjoys generous sunshine, especially in Vendée. This is a fact verified by Meteo France.
Accommodation can be a challenge. There aren't many options especially for surfers. But, you can find affordable campsites and bed and breakfasts. In terms of gastronomy, the region is rich. From fresh oysters to “Tourteau Fromagé”, every bite is a delight. For detailed recommendations, I suggest the site Gault & Millau.
Beyond surfing, there is the Zoo de La Palmyre in Royan. With over 1600 animals, it's an ideal outing for the family. If you're into the outdoors, golf and biking are popular in the warmer months.
The 5 best surf spots near La Rochelle
Here is my top 8 of the best surfing in Charente maritime near La Rochelle.
Of course, here is a description for each surf spot in the form of a dotted list:
- Wild coast – 27 : A spot offering both right and left waves, with a beach-break suitable for all surfers.
- Wild coast – 43 : A beach offering right and left waves with a beach-break, open to all levels of surfers.
- Wild coast – 46 : Favorite spot for many surfers, it presents right and left waves with a beach-break, suitable for all.
- Wild coast – La Coubre lighthouse (lighthouse) : Offering right and left waves on a sand bank, this spot is suitable for all surfers.
- Ile de Ré – Small beak : Quiet spot offering right and left waves, with a beach-break suitable for all surfers.
- Oleron–Chassiron : Spot with right and left waves, with a rocky reef, it is recommended for experienced surfers.
- Oléron – The huts : Offering right and left waves with a beach break, this spot is open to all surfers.
- Oleron – Saint Trojan : Perfect for beginners, this spot offers right and left waves with a beach break, ideal for those who are new to surfing.
All other surf spots in the La Rochelle area
Here are other spots in the area.
- Wild coast – the tip of Spain : Beach-break spot offering both right and left waves, suitable for all surfers.
- Wild coast – 47 : Beach-break with right and left waves, ideal for all levels of surfers.
- Grande Côte – Saint Palais : Beach-break where you can surf right and left waves, open to all.
- Ile de Ré – La Couarde : Beach-break offering right and left waves, recommended for experienced surfers.
- Ile de Ré – Le gouyot : Rocky reef offering right and left waves, accessible to all surfers.
- Ile de Ré – Le lizay : A beach-break suitable for all surfers.
- Ile de Ré – Les Grenettes : Rocky reef offering right and left waves, open to all.
- Nauzan : Beach-break with right and left waves, suitable for all surfers.
- Oleron – Grand-Village : Beach-break for right and left waves, open to all.
- Oleron – Les Boulassiers : Rocky reef offering left waves, suitable for all.
- Oleron – Saint Denis : Point-break with left waves, ideal for all surfers.
- Oléron – Wood green – Les Allassins : Beach-break offering right and left waves, open to all.
- Trillou Pass : Beach-break with right and left waves, recommended for experienced surfers.
- Pontaillac : Beach break suitable for all surfers.
- Aytré – lopette beach : Rocky reef offering straight waves, suitable for all surfers.
- island of rérivedoux : Beach-break offering right and left waves, open to all.
- La Rochelle – Head of Bay : Beach-break where you can surf right and left waves, ideal for everyone.
- St Georges de Didonne – the pier : Point-break with straight waves, suitable for all surfers.
When to surf near La Rochelle
There is no better time to go surfing in Charente Maritime, on the Ile de Ré or Oleron. It will depend on your level of surfing mainly. Winter is where there are the best waves and the most swell. But in summer the water is warmer and the waves are more accessible. So my favorite time is spring or fall. There are still good waves, not too many people in the water and the temperatures are correct.
Here is a summary table of surfing conditions over the year.
| Characteristics | January February | March April | May June | July August | September October | November December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominant swell | SW–NW | W–NW | W–NW | W–NW | W–NW | SW–NW |
| Wave size (m) | 2,1 - 2,4 | 1,5 - 1,8 | 1,2 | 0,9 | 1,5 | 2,1 - 2,4 |
| Consistency (%) | 70 | 57 | 38 | 24 | 50 | 62 |
| prevailing wind | SW–W | N–NW | SW–NW | SW–NW | N–NE | N–NE |
| Average strength | F4-F5 | F4 | F3-F4 | F3 | F3 | F4-F5 |
| Consistency (%) | 52 | 54 | 58 | 58 | 51 | 53 |
| Water temperature (C) | 9 | 10 | 15 | 19 | 17 | 13 |
| Recommended combination | 5/4 | 5/4 | 3/2 | 3/2 | 3/2 | 4/3 |
Where to stay in La Rochelle
The best way to find accommodation in La Rochelle is to do a search on dispatched ou hotels.com to find accommodation at the best price. You can search directly using the search bar below.
applications to find a spot
If you plan to go surfing close to La Rochelle. So there are applications very relevant that bring together the surf spots of the whole world. It's either applications of condition forecast surfing, forecast (wave, vent, tides, etc) otherwise, surf guides here list a large part of the waves to practice surfing in the world. Our team ranked the main ones lowest.
Find a surf beach near La Rochelle with Surfline
Surfline is the largest surf weather website on the planet. Indeed, it is the instrument par excellence of beginners surfers around the world to know where and when to surf. If you want to go surfing near La Rochelle, this specialized website will help you significantly. It also has a mobile app (Apple and Android). Finally, it is possible to take a profile paying to get the surf weather forecast for a period of 15 days. In fact, whatever your surfing level, Or Countries where you plan to practice surfing. Surfline will find you the right places to surf and accessible in the corner.
Stormrider, the legendary surf guide
Then we would like to show you Stormriders. This is the most popular surf guide famous across the planet. It is available in version magazine. But also in version digital through the website www.lowpressure.co.uk. it's about the reference in the area. You will find the description of a large amount of waves in the world. Consequently, if you would like to surf near La Rochelle, you will discover quickly spots to practice surfing with the stormrider guide. They will give you the type of spots (reef break, beach break, point break, etc) as well as the time of year when you see the most swell. And then various advice in order to better integrate the wave, entry into the water, respect for the premises,…..
We recommend that you use magicseaweed and stormrider to find the surf beaches near La Rochelle. Indeed, these two software are additional and will help you considerably to fall on spots to surf across the planet.
Choose a place to surf that corresponds to your level of surfing
Finally, if you want to surf near La Rochelle. So, you have to select a beach to surf that will suit your level of surfing. Indeed, it will be necessary to select the wave of surfing well to avoid hurt or hurt others. To do this, it is better to have a fairly good representation of your surfing level. On the other hand, it will be necessary to use a board for surfing that suits your surfing level. When you are a novice surfer, we recommend that you use a foam board. You have understood it, if you ever start surfing, you will not go to the same surfing beach and will not take the same surfboard as a surfer with intermediate level or advanced.
Hello I am RomainFounder everybodysurf.com, a platform dedicated to the world of surfing. With over 10 years of experience in surfing, I co-founded surf camps in Morocco and Sri Lanka, two world-famous surfing destinations. Over the years, I have acquired an in-depth knowledge of the surf market and particularly surf travel. In addition to surf camps, I actively work with Margaux Soulie in the development of its surf & yoga trips for women.
For me, surfing is much more than just a sport. It's a culture, a way of life that involves travelling, discovering new waves, new cultures, exploring local cuisines, and being part of a global community of enthusiasts.
On everybodysurf.com, I share my surfing tips, gear recommendations, travel experiences and my views on the economics of surfing. I'm delighted to share with you everything I've learned about this incredible sport and its strong culture.
