La Tranche-sur-Mer – L'Embarcadère

La Tranche-sur-Mer · Vendée · France

Today’s forecast: the current surf forecast for La Tranche-sur-Mer – L'Embarcadère (wave height, swell, wind, tide and a 0–10 rating for every hour of the next 16 days) are only shown on SurfCams. They change every hour, so this text doesn’t contain them. To check today’s surf, open https://surf-cams.com/spot/la-tranche-embarcadere.

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La Tranche's legendary storm refuge, beside the town jetty in the sheltered bay facing the Île de Ré. Only very large swells push into the bay, where they break on outer reefs and reform as long, clean rights that run along the sandy beach between the jetty and the moored boats. Waves are usually under 1.5 m, with the odd hollow section, and some surfers compare it to a mini Snapper Rock. It works roughly twenty days a year, and on those days the small take-off zone gets very crowded.

Level
Intermediate
Break
Jetty, sand
Waves
Rights
Crowd
Packed
Season
autumn, winter
Boards
A longboard or mid-length for the long rights; a shortboard for the hollow sections.

When it works

✓ A huge west to west-southwest swell of 4–5 m at 13–14 seconds or more on the open coast, with a northwest to north wind.

When it doesn't

✕ Any normal swell, which never reaches the bay.

Watch out for

  • boats
  • crowds
  • localism

Best months

January, February, October, November, December

Local tips

The take-off zone is small and overlaps the boat launch area, so expect to wait your turn and keep clear of tenders and dinghies crossing the lineup. A navigation channel runs by the jetty and surfing there has been banned in the past, so check the current local rules on arrival. When Bud Bud and the open beaches are huge and blown out, this is where the local crowd heads.

Getting there

In the centre of La Tranche-sur-Mer, follow the 'L'Embarcadère' signs to the jetty; parking is right by the break and it is a walk of a minute or two.

History

The Stormrider guide calls it a legendary fallback spot; in 2008 local surfers petitioned against a proposed breakwater at the jetty, requested by a boating association, that would have threatened the wave.

Travel notes

How often it works
It only works on a very big swell, so it is a storm-day spot. It even works with a west wind, when other spots are blown out.
Crowd and vibe
When it works, the whole local crowd comes here: wannasurf calls it crowded on weekdays and very crowded at weekends. The take-off zone is small, so expect to wait your turn.
Camping and vans
Flower Camping Le Clos Cottet and the municipal Camping Le Vieux Moulin are both about 1 km away. Nearest campsite about 1 km away.
Facilities
It is in the town centre, with parking by the break, cafés and shops nearby, and summer lifeguards with toilets on the beach.
Water quality
La Grande Plage was rated good every season from 2022 to 2025, all ten 2026 samples were good, and it holds the 2026 Pavillon Bleu.

Ideal conditions

Swell
WSW–WNW best, SW–WNW works
Size
4–5.5 m offshore swell; starts at 3 m, holds to 7 m
Period
12 s minimum, best from 14 s
Wind
Offshore NW–NE; handles onshore up to 15 km/h
Tide
mid best
Faces
S (180°)

Live cam

No cam at this spot yet: the forecast and the guide are on the map.

Nearby spots

All spots in Vendée · All spots

Sources