Audierne – La Gamelle

Audierne · Finistère Sud · France

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La Gamelle is a flat-rock reef about 300 m off Audierne's Grande Plage, marked by a beacon, with a long record of shipwrecks off the harbour entrance. It has two waves: a short, hollow right and a longer, faster left. It is a sheltered big-swell refuge right in town, often the last spot working when a big swell closes out the rest of the bay, so it fills up on those days. At low tide the left sucks dry on the reef, and it suits only experienced surfers, as a first taste of reef surfing.

Level
Advanced
Break
Reef break, rock
Waves
Lefts and rights
Crowd
Busy
Season
autumn, winter, spring
Boards
A shortboard or step-up.

When it works

✓ A big SW to W swell of 2.5 m or more with a N to NNW wind, around mid tide.

When it doesn't

✕ Small swell, when it does not break, low tide, when the reef sucks dry, or a southerly wind.

Watch out for

  • reef
  • rocks
  • crowds

Best months

January, February, March, October, November, December

Local tips

Stay away at low tide: the left sucks over the reef, the water gets very shallow and people have been hurt on the rock. With a big swell and a north wind the right can barrel properly. Locals are friendly if you keep a low profile. At high tide the shorebreak on the beach is an option for bodyboarders.

Getting there

Walk from Audierne to the Grande Plage below Sainte-Évette and paddle out about 300 m to the reef by the beacon.

Travel notes

How often it works
A big-swell spot. The sheltered reef needs a strong west to south-west swell to break properly. That is when the open beaches are too big, so it is often the last wave working in the bay.
Crowd and vibe
Empty on most weekdays, but crowded at weekends and on big days, when it is the only wave working. Locals are described as friendly to visitors who stay low-key and wait their turn.
Camping and vans
Camping de Kerivoas on the Pointe du Raz road and Camping Naéco Baie d'Audierne (Bois de Loquéran, open April to early October) are each about 2–2.5 km from the Grande Plage. Vans can use the paid town aire (motorhome area) on Rue Lamartine. Users say overnight parking is banned in Audierne's other car parks. Nearest campsite about 2 km away.
Facilities
The Grande Plage (Trescadec) has toilets, showers, taps, disabled access and a summer lifeguard post. Audierne's cafés, restaurants and shops are a short walk away.
Water quality
Trescadec beach, inside the reef, was rated Excellent for 2025, all 2026 samples were good, and it held the Pavillon Bleu (Blue Flag) in 2025. The harbour and the Goyen river mouth are just to the east.

Ideal conditions

Swell
SW–W best, SSW–WNW works
Size
2.5–4 m offshore swell; starts at 1.5 m, holds to 6 m
Period
10 s minimum, best from 14 s
Wind
Offshore NW–NNE; handles onshore up to 10 km/h
Tide
mid best, avoid low
Faces
S (185°)

Live cam

Cams © their operators, shown from the operator's own feed.

Nearby spots

All spots in Finistère Sud · All spots

Sources