Surf Spots

Montalivet

Gironde, France

Noirmoutier

Northwest France, France

Ondres-Plage

Landes, France

Ondres-Plage is an exposed sandbar break that produces a fast, hollow wave with well-defined left and right handers. It comes alive from around 1 meter and holds shape up to 3 meters or more. The break works best on a mid-incoming tide or within two hours before high tide; at high tide the waves close out with steep shorebreaks that slam the beach. Northwest swell paired with southeast winds (typically offshore in the morning) produces the cleanest conditions, with October seeing the most consistent clean waves during autumn. Free parking and motorhome facilities sit behind the beach, with bike paths connecting to the town center and accessibility ramps for easier entry. The spot lies about 9 kilometers from Bayonne in the broader Landes surfing region, near more famous breaks like Hossegor and Capbreton. The beach draws relatively light crowds compared to nearby spots.

beginner · intermediate · shortboard

Ostriconi

Cannes, France

Palavas les Flots

Mediterranean, France

Parlementia

Basque Country, France

beginner · intermediate · shortboard

Paulilles

Mediterranean, France

Penfoul

Brittany North, France

Penfoul is a sandy surf and bodyboard beach at Landunvez on Brittany's Iroise coast, framed by cliffs and large rocks. It offers left and right waves, with northwest swell and south to southeast wind among the reported favorable conditions. Rocks remain a concern as the tide falls, and large tides expose a long stretch of beach; check the shoreline before entering.

Penthièvre

Northwest France, France

Phare de la Coubre

Northwest France, France

Pin Rolland

Marseille, France

Pinarellu

Cannes, France

Plage d'Agosta

Cannes, France

Plage de Bretteville

North France, France

Plage de la Baule

Northwest France, France

Plage de Longchamp

France

Plage de Longchamp is a 650-meter exposed beach break on Brittany's Côte d'Émeraude between Dinard and Saint-Briac-sur-Mer. It produces left and right-hand waves that work best on northwest swell with offshore winds from the south or southeast. The break is unreliable overall, especially in summer when it often flatlines, but responds to both windswells and groundswells when conditions align. Closing out around overhead, the wave produces hollow peaks on good sandbanks during windless periods, with right-handers performing better on rising tide. A rock in the middle of the beach creates a mid-tide hazard. Winter—particularly February—offers the most consistent opportunities, though even then only around 18% of days produce clean, surfable conditions. The spot hosts a modest local community through two surf clubs, Bernik Surf Club and Emeraude Surf School. The Bernik Surf Open competition has been held here, and the town organizes the annual "La Fête de la Glisse" festival in early September, bringing together surfers and practitioners of other board sports for a community event. Access is straightforward, with ample free parking along Boulevard de Longchamp and Rue de l'Aquilon. The beach is supervised during the season and equipped with showers, restrooms, and a first-aid station. A restaurant operates on-site, and public transportation is available via BreizhGo Line 516. The spot remains less crowded than major nearby breaks despite its reliable infrastructure, making it a quieter option for visiting surfers.

Plage de Mayarko

Southwest France, France

intermediate · advanced · shortboard

Plage de Rochebonne

France

Plage de Rochebonne is a sand-bottomed beach break that handles west-northwest swell effectively and benefits from southern winds. The break features stronger currents and more powerful wave action than typical beginner venues, demanding more technical skill and positioning; it works best during high tidal ranges typical of Brittany's Atlantic coast, with autumn offering the most consistent conditions between April and October. Rochebonne has hosted the Championnat d'Ille-et-Vilaine de Surf (the regional Ille-et-Vilaine Surf Championship), documented as occurring in 2019; the beach draws instruction through local surf schools. Beyond this competitive use and teaching presence, I found no documented notable sessions, historical significance, or named surfers particularly associated with the spot. Located in the Paramé neighborhood roughly ten minutes from Saint-Malo's center, the beach offers straightforward access via parking, a pleasant beachfront promenade, and stairs leading to the sand. A nineteenth-century dyke known as La Digue de Rochebonne runs along the shoreline. Tidal swings are pronounced and directly affect wave quality and safety—high-tide conditions can be severe, with water reaching the dyke itself. Amenities including restaurants and facilities are available near the entrance.

Pointe de Dinan

Brittany North, France

Pointe de Dinan is an advanced point break near Camaret-sur-Mer in Brittany, France, breaking right off a reef bottom. Best approached on westerly swells with northeast winds. Watch for exposed rocks, sneaker waves, and boils at low tide.

Pointe de Lervily

Northwest France, France

advanced · shortboard

Pontaillac

Charente maritime, France

Pontaillac is a beginner-friendly beach break near Royan with a sand bottom. The spot works best at mid to high tide, as it becomes very shallow at low tide and can close out. It picks up NW and SW swell direction.

Pors Ar Vag

Brittany North, France

Pors Ar Vag is a beach break near Douarnenez on Brittany's north coast with a sandy bottom and rock hazards. The break works best with westerly-southwest swell and easterly winds, firing at any tide. Waves approach from both directions.

Pors Carn

Brittany South, France

Pors Carn is a beach break near Penmarc'h in Brittany South, France. The spot works best with westerly swell and southwest winds, with waves approaching from both directions. The sandy and rocky bottom draws considerable crowds here.

Pors Theolen

Brittany South, France

Pors Theolen is a reef break near Cléden-Cap-Sizun in Brittany South with a reef and sand bottom. The spot features rocks and a shallow reef as hazards. It works best with NW swell and SE winds across all tides, suited to intermediate surfers.

Porsmilin

Brittany North, France

Porsmilin is a left-breaking surf spot near Locmaria-Plouzané in Brittany, France. The break attracts crowds and features rocky hazards that require caution.

Pourville-sur-Mer

North France, France

Sables D'or

Southwest France, France

beginner · intermediate · shortboard

Saint gilles croix de vie

Vendee, France

Saint gilles croix de vie is a sandy beach break in Vendée, France that responds to swell from both directions. Best conditions occur with westerly swell and northeast winds. The break can draw significant crowds.

Saint Trojan

Charente maritime, France

Saint Trojan is an exposed beach break on Île d'Oléron that receives consistent swell year-round, working best during autumn months, particularly October. The break is capable of producing waves in both directions across a wide sand beach. Best conditions align with west-southwest swell on offshore east winds, typically firing harder around high tide. The sand allows for faster, more hollow sections, particularly in stronger conditions near a World War I-era shipwreck (the Presidente Viera, grounded in 1916) on the right side of the beach, though this area tends toward crowding. The spot has been actively surfed at least since the 2000s, with a local surf school operating from that era. Competitive surfing has established a foothold through events organized by regional surf federatives, including Winter Cup finals held at Saint Trojan. The beach's size and predictable conditions have made it a regional hub for surfers and bodyboarders alike. Access is straightforward via parking with footpaths through either forest roads or cycling paths at the village entrance. A supervised beach during summer months includes lifeguard presence from late June through mid-September. Approach with caution due to strong rip currents that require respect during entry and exit.

Saint Tugen

Brittany South, France

Saint Tugen is a sand beach break near Esquibien suited for intermediate to advanced surfers. Best conditions occur on high tides with west-southwest swell and northeast winds.

Saint-Girons-Plage

Southwest France, France

beginner · intermediate · shortboard

Sainte Adresse

North France, France

Sainte Barbe

Basque Country, France

Sainte Barbe is an advanced beach break near Saint-Jean-de-Luz with a sand and rock bottom that works best during mid to high tide. The spot handles WNW swells and responds well to NE winds, offering both left and right waves. Watch for rocks near the jetty and expect a long paddle to reach the peak.

beginner · intermediate · shortboard

Saintes-Maries

Marseille, France

Sauveterre

Vendee, France

Sauveterre is an intermediate beach break near Olonne-sur-Mer in Vendée, France. The sandy and rocky bottom receives swell from both directions and works best with northeast winds. Watch for rips, rocks, and crowds—the spot works across all tide levels.

Sciotot

Normandy, France

Sciotot is a beginner-friendly beach break near Les Pieux in Normandy, France. The sandy bottom produces waves in both directions that work at any tide, with best conditions from westerly swells and easterly winds.

Siouville

Normandy, France

beginner · intermediate · shortboard

Six fours

Mediterranean, France

Six Fours is a sand beach break near Six-Fours-les-Plages in the Mediterranean. Waves work from both directions with WSW swell and perform best in combination tides with ENE wind.

Soulac

Gironde, France

St jean de monts

Vendee, France

St Jean de Monts is a beach break located in Vendée, France near the town of Saint-Jean-de-Monts. The spot breaks on sand with waves from both directions, performing best with WSW swell and NE wind. It works across all tide ranges from low through high tide.

St Pabu

North France, France

St-Denis

Northwest France, France

Surtainville

North France, France

Tamaris

Mediterranean, France

Tamaris is a reef break off Sausset-les-Pins in the Mediterranean. It breaks in both directions with the best swell from the south and north winds preferred. Watch for shallow, sharp rocks and crowds on weekends.

Tarnos-Plage

Southwest France, France

beginner · intermediate · shortboard

Teahupo'o

Tahiti, French Polynesia

Teahupoʻo is a powerful left-breaking reef wave off Tahiti's southern coast, beside the village of the same name. Its shape is closely tied to the seabed: swell crosses deep offshore water before meeting a rapidly rising reef. NASA Earth Observatory describes how that abrupt change concentrates the incoming wave into the heavy barrels for which the break is known. South and southwest swells align with this coast, and NASA identifies April through October as the period when waves tend to be strongest. That is a seasonal pattern, with individual swells and local conditions shaping each session. Teahupoʻo is also the name of the nearby village. AP reporting describes local efforts to preserve village life and the surrounding environment amid attention from international competition.

advanced · intermediate · shortboard

Toulhars

Northwest France, France

Trestel

Brittany North, France

Trestel is a sandy beach break at Trévou-Tréguignec on Brittany's north coast. The commune describes fine sand along the bay, with views toward the Sept-Îles, and names surfing among the activities on the beach. It also identifies the local Trestel Surf Club and its school. Surf-Report's guide places a cliff at the western side of the beach and notes rocks at the ends of the strand. The guide favours waves arriving from the north and wind from the west-southwest. Those directional preferences add detail to the beach setting without implying that conditions are the same across every part of the bay.