Kitesurf spot: Le Jaï
All the information you need to kite there safely
Kitesurf spot: Le Jaï
All the information you need to kite there safely
25 minutes from Marseille is the Etang de Berre. The whole perimeter of the pond is concreted to welcome houses and an airport. However a strip of sand still resists to the invader: the spot of Jaï.
Located in the south and acting as a separation with the pond of Bolmon, this preserved space of 2,8km length will offer you beautiful sessions all year long.
However the spot is regulated so to know everything before coming to land your wing at the Jaï it's here that it happens 😉
The wind
The winning mistral, a famous french song ! This particularly powerful wind, well known to southerners, blows all year round, especially in winter and early spring.
Most of the time, it comes from the North-West, so you will sail on-shore.
In the summer, the water warms up and the thermal returns southwest. It will offer you calmer sessions.
Potential dangers
A small margin of error on the launch and an unpredictable wind, it deserves some warnings !
1/ The narrow beach
The launch is delicate at Jaï. Indeed, the departure is made from a narrow beach with many obstacles. With the gusty mistral wind coming in on-shore, it is therefore advisable to start with your feet in the water, or at best as close to the water as possible, to leave yourself as much room for error as possible in case of a problem.
2/ Le mistral
The mistral is a wind difficult to apprehend because of its gusty character. It can surprise beginners as well as experienced surfers. If you have never had to deal with it, don't hesitate to discuss with locals on the spot. The volunteers of the association Kite13 with the pink lycras are there to answer your questions.
Sharing of the spot
As you can see, you will find yellow markers in the water that delimit the zones and materialize the channel that will allow you to go sailing offshore.
Also remember that you should not rig your sail in front of the houses.
Finally, the Jai is a protected natural space in an area where urbanization has gained much ground. It is the duty of every user to participate in this prevention. 🌱
Accessibility
You will find a parking of 40 places at the entrance of the site at the level of the ruins. If it is full, it is also possible to park upstream.
Be careful, in summer you will need a small sticker on the windshield to access the Jaï district. To obtain it, it is once again with the association Kite13 that it happens. You can request it immediately on their website
In summary:
Le Jaï is a spot that will offer you great sessions all year round. Most of the time it's the mistral that will tickle your lines but in summer you can enjoy calmer sessions via the thermal.
These beautiful sessions are to be earned and you will have to respect the rules in force on the spot in order to preserve the environment and the good understanding between all the users!
If you are reading these lines, it means that you have all the information to go and enjoy this spot near Marseille 😉