Kitesurf Spot Le Crotoy
All the information you need to kite there safely
Kitesurf Spot Le Crotoy
All the information you need to kite there safely
Le Crotoy is one of the most popular kitesurfing destinations in France. No, it's not the name of a goat cheese, but of a beautiful bay, surrounded by a large sandy beach.
Situated at the mouth of the Baie de Somme, it takes only 2 hours and 20 minutes from Paris to reach this large, shallow, flat or slightly choppy body of water, depending on the conditions. This makes it an ideal kitesurfing spot for beginners and those who want to try new tricks. While the spot is moderately crowded during the week, expect to see a lot of people on weekends and during the summer months. However, the spot is quite large, so you shouldn't have any issues finding space.
Ready to pump your kite ? Here is all the information you need to enjoy your session safely!
Winds and tides
The Wind
The best orientations on this spot are Southwest, West, or Northwest.
Going out with North or South winds is not recommended, they are more irregular, and the current will be stronger.
It is strongly advised not to head out with offshore winds, with orientations of East, South-East and North-East for the Crotoy.
You will find below a detailed explanatory diagram 😉
The Tides
Pay attention to the tides, if you don't want your kitesurfing day to turn into razor shell fishing session! Indeed, the sea withdraws over several hundreds of meters at low tide, which makes the spot difficult to access.
We therefore strongly advise you to go at high tide, you will have a time slot of about 2 hours for small coefficients and 4 hours for large ones during which the conditions will be good for kiting.
Speaking of coefficients, we advise you to go only when they are between 60 and 90. Below 60 the sea does not rise enough. Above 90, the sea level is too high; the beach is reduced to a narrow ribbon, which will require some acrobatics when launching 😉
Potential Dangers
This spot is ideal and safe as long as you follow these 4 commandments:
1/ avoid the dyke
The area opposite the dyke should be avoided. Made up of breakwater rocks, it is a dangerous area. Besides the risk of ending up on the rocks, there are many walkers on the beach. You’re always better off steering clear of dykes.
2/ keep an eye on the pumping nozzles
Be careful not to get too close to the pumping nozzles of the shellfish farming centre (translation: mussel farm). How to recognize them? They are marked by yellow buoys. Even at low tide, it can be difficult to spot them.
3/ stay away from the natural reserve
On the edge of the Bay of the Somme are the splendid natural marine reserves of the Marquenterre Park. To protect the marine fauna, access is forbidden. So be careful not to pass the yellow buoys north of the beach.
4/ beware of currents
The spot being flat and shallow, the tide recedes quickly, and a strong current can take you out to sea at ebb tide.
Access
The access to the beach is well indicated, you won’t have any trouble finding it. Once you get to Le Crotoy, follow the direction of the beach and you will arrive directly on the car park.
There are generally plenty of free parking spots in and around the car park, so that’s not an issue. 😉
Here is an example of where you can park:
In Summary:
The spot of Le Crotoy is an ideal place for beginners and for freestyle. Very popular on the weekends, it is a spot to be favoured at high tide for SW, W and NW orientations, preferably when the coefficient is between 60 and 90.
Now you know everything! You have no more excuses not to rent the right equipment at The Ridery, go to the bay, and let the wind do the rest!
We would like to thank the l’EKBS, l'École de Kitesurf de la Baie de Somme for taking the time to give us the right information about this spot. This school is only 20 minutes away from Le Crotoy and offers kitesurfing lessons in groups or in private sessions. Don't hesitate to give them a visit!