Carolles-Plage

Carolles · Normandie · France

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Carolles-Plage lies south of Granville at the northern foot of the Carolles cliffs, 50–70 m high: a sandy beach break with some rock reef and short lefts and rights, smaller than on the north-west Cotentin but more varied. Deep inside the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel and screened by Chausey and Jersey, it needs a solid W to NW swell or a strong blow from that side, and it works best from mid to high tide. Rocks, current and the high-tide shorebreak make it better for surfers with some experience. The local school also teaches at Kairon, the gentler beach to the north.

Level
Intermediate
Break
Beach break, sand and rock
Waves
Lefts and rights
Crowd
Some company
Season
autumn, winter, spring
Boards
Longboards and mid-lengths on most days, a shortboard when a good swell gets in.

When it works

✓ A W to NW swell of at least a metre with ESE wind, from mid to high tide.

When it doesn't

✕ A small or south-westerly swell, onshore wind, low tide with the sea far out, or the top of a big tide, when the shorebreak hits the sea wall.

Watch out for

  • rocks
  • rips
  • currents
  • shorebreak

Best months

January, February, March, October, November, December

Local tips

Surf from mid tide up, but leave before the very top of a big tide, when the waves break straight onto the sea wall. A current can carry you towards the rocks, so keep an eye on your position. Locals say some of the best days come with strong west to north-west wind pushing swell into the bay, so it is worth checking when everything else is stormy. For first lessons the gentler Kairon beach just north is the better choice.

Getting there

In Carolles village follow the signs to Carolles-Plage; the beach is a short walk from the parking des falaises, where the K'Roll Surf School is based. Granville, about 10 km north, has the most places to stay.

Travel notes

How often it works
Wannasurf calls it regular, but it sits deep in the Gulf of Saint-Malo behind Chausey and Jersey. It needs a solid west-north-west swell or a strong wind from that side. Surf-forecast names winter, especially February, as the best season, and says it is blown out about half the time.
Crowd and vibe
Few surfers on weekdays but crowded at weekends, says wannasurf, and surf-forecast says it is sometimes crowded. The take-off area is small, with a surf school and rocks nearby, so be patient and keep your distance.
Camping and vans
The 2-star municipal Camping La Guérinière is in the village, about 1 km from the sea, with around 90 pitches. A Camping-Car Park motorhome area of about 14 bays on the Chemin des Pêcheurs is about 100 m from the beach and often full in summer. One directory lists it as closed, so check first. Nearest campsite about 1.5 km away.
Facilities
The K'Roll Surf School is based at the cliff-top car park, and there are bars and a restaurant by the beach. An SNSM lifeguard post watches the beach in summer.
Water quality
The Carolles site by the lifeguard post was rated excellent by ARS Normandie for 2025. Saint-Jean-le-Thomas, a few kilometres south in the bay, was rated insufficient (poor).

Ideal conditions

Swell
W–NW best, WSW–NNW works
Size
1.5–3 m offshore swell; starts at 1 m, holds to 3.5 m
Period
7 s minimum, best from 11 s
Wind
Offshore ENE–SE; handles onshore up to 12 km/h
Tide
mid, high best, avoid low
Faces
W (274°)

Live cam

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

Nearby spots

All spots in Normandie · All spots

Sources