Étretat

Normandie · France

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Étretat is Normandy's most famous wave, a left breaking over flat chalk shelves in front of the shingle beach, between the Aval and Amont cliffs. The take-off zone is small and the ride is usually short, but on a good swell it runs 50–150 m, fast and with hollow sections, and it holds waves well overhead. It needs a decent swell from the west to north and works best from mid tide down to low on the falling tide; at high tide the waves hit the shingle. It is often called the most consistent spot within reach of Paris, so it is crowded and localised when it is on, with traffic and parking trouble before you even reach the beach; fine for confident intermediates when small, for experienced surfers at size.

Level
Intermediate
Break
Point break, rock
Waves
Lefts
Crowd
Crowded
Season
autumn, winter, spring
Boards
A shortboard on good days, a step-up when it is big; a longboard or mid-length only on small days.

When it works

✓ A W to NW swell of 1.5–2.5 m with a light S to SE wind, from mid tide down to low on the falling tide.

When it doesn't

✕ A swell under a metre, onshore northerlies, or high tide, when the waves slow down and break on the shingle.

Watch out for

  • rocks
  • crowds
  • localism
  • currents
  • shorebreak

Best months

January, February, March, October, November, December

Local tips

The left works best from mid tide down on the falling tide; a south-west swell can also bring a small right peak. The ride ends in a pebble shorebreak, so time your exit and protect your board. Currents are strong and can push you towards the cliffs, and some locals are known to be aggressive, so wait your turn and don't drop in. Expect a full line-up whenever it breaks, especially at weekends.

Getting there

The beach is a few minutes' walk from the town centre, but traffic jams are common and parking is hard: the free car park is small and some way from the centre.

Travel notes

How often it works
Surf-forecast rates it consistent for the Channel, with clean waves about half the time in midwinter. Wannasurf says it only works some of the time. It needs a west to north swell of a metre or more, and summer is mostly flat.
Crowd and vibe
The most crowded wave in Normandy: wannasurf calls weekdays crowded and weekends very crowded, with day-trippers from Paris. Some locals can be aggressive. Take turns, never take a wave someone is already riding, and ignore any insults.
Camping and vans
The town campsite at 69 rue Guy de Maupassant, at the entrance to town, takes tents, caravans and motorhomes; its gate closes at night. Next door, a motorhome aire with 35 places is open around the clock for about €10–13. Nearest campsite about 1 km away.
Facilities
Toilets, showers and summer lifeguards, with restaurants and terraces along the seafront. No surf school was found in town.
Water quality
ARS Normandie rated Étretat beach excellent for 2025. Surf-forecast and wannasurf still list pollution as a hazard.

Ideal conditions

Swell
W–NNW best, WSW–N works
Size
1.5–2.5 m offshore swell; starts at 1 m, holds to 3.5 m
Period
8 s minimum, best from 11 s
Wind
Offshore ESE–SSW; handles onshore up to 12 km/h
Tide
low, mid best, avoid high, on the falling tide
Faces
NW (326°)

Live cams

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

Nearby spots

All spots in Normandie · All spots

Sources