Leucate (Aude)
Beach breakAll levels
An open Languedoc beach, famous for windsurfing, with waves when an east swell comes in.
The best days come between October and April and don't last long, so keep an eye on the forecast. The clubs in Marseille, Toulon and Montpellier keep an active community going. Water drops to 13 °C in winter: a 4/3 wetsuit from November to April.
Map
Sète (Hérault)
Beach breakAll levels
The sandy lido between Sète and Marseillan, where Montpellier's surfers meet.
Martigues (Bouches-du-Rhône)
ReefIntermediate
Reefs on the Côte Bleue west of Marseille, among the best waves in Provence.
Marseille
Beach breakAll levels
Marseille's city beaches, which wake up with the mistral's westerly swell.
La Seyne-sur-Mer (Var)
Beach breakAll levels
Toulon's surf beach, on the Saint-Mandrier isthmus, with an easterly swell.
Hyères (Var)
Beach breakIntermediate
The beach on the Giens isthmus, a windsurfing mecca that picks up the mistral swell.
Cagnes-sur-Mer (Alpes-Maritimes)
Beach breakIntermediate
Pebble beaches between Nice and Antibes, the most reliable spot on the Côte d'Azur.
Conditions at a glance
| Spot | Wave type | Level | Best swell | Best wind (offshore) | Tide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Franqui | Beach break | All levels | E, SE, NE | W, NW | All tides |
| Sète (Lido) | Beach break | All levels | SE, S, E | N, NW | All tides |
| La Couronne (Carro) | Reef | Intermediate | SE, S, E | N, NW | All tides |
| Plages du Prado | Beach break | All levels | SW, S, W | E, NE, SE | All tides |
| Les Sablettes | Beach break | All levels | SE, E, S | N, NW | All tides |
| L'Almanarre | Beach break | Intermediate | W, SW | E, NE | All tides |
| Cagnes-sur-Mer | Beach break | Intermediate | SE, S, E | N, NW, NE | All tides |
Indicative information gathered from surf guides and surfers' experience. Conditions change with the sandbanks: check the forecast and ask at the beach.
Which wetsuit to bring
The water is around 13 °C in winter and 23 °C in late summer.
4/3 wetsuit
The autumn-to-spring suit for water at 12–16 °C.
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3/2 wetsuit
For water from 17 °C.
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Shapers in the French Mediterranean
Order a board designed for these waves from a local shaper.