Le Racou

Argelès-sur-Mer · French Mediterranean · France

Today’s forecast: the current surf forecast for Le Racou (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/le-racou.

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A small beach at the south end of Argelès, where the long sandy coast of Roussillon meets the first rocks of the Côte Vermeille. Peaks break over sand with rocks nearby when an east swell comes into the Gulf of Lion. It is one of the better-known waves of the Pyrénées-Orientales.

Level
Intermediate
Break
Beach break, sand and rock
Waves
Lefts and rights
Crowd
Busy
Season
autumn, winter, spring
Boards
A fish or mid-length; a longboard on small days.

When it works

✓ An east swell from a marin (sea wind) storm, then a west or north-west wind as the storm passes.

When it doesn't

✕ Tramontane days with no swell, and the calm summer.

Watch out for

  • rocks
  • rips
  • crowds

Best months

January, February, March, April, October, November, December

Local tips

Watch the rocks at the south end and the rips when the swell is up. It gets busy when it works, as there are few waves around.

Getting there

South end of Argelès-Plage, by the Racou quarter. Parking behind the beach.

Travel notes

How often it works
Inconsistent: it needs an east swell, which comes only a few times a month from autumn to spring.
Crowd and vibe
Often crowded when it breaks, with surfers from Perpignan.
Camping and vans
Le Bois de Valmarie and La Coste Rouge campsites are within about 1 km. Nearest campsite about 0.5 km away.
Facilities
Beach restaurants and showers in season; lifeguards in summer.
Water quality
Plage du Racou is rated excellent by the French health ministry (2025).

Ideal conditions

Swell
ENE–SE best, NNE–SSE works
Size
0.9–2 m offshore swell; starts at 0.4 m, holds to 2.8 m
Period
5 s minimum, best from 9 s
Wind
Offshore SW–NW; handles onshore up to 12 km/h
Tide
low, mid, high best
Faces
ENE (70°)

Live cam

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

In the guides

Nearby spots

All spots in French Mediterranean · All spots

Sources