Île de Ré – Les Grenettes

Sainte-Marie-de-Ré · Charente-Maritime · France

Today’s forecast: the current surf forecast for Île de Ré – Les Grenettes (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/les-grenettes.

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Les Grenettes, below low cliffs at the hamlet of La Noue in Sainte-Marie-de-Ré, is the most surfed spot on the island. A reef partly covered in sand, scattered with old wooden posts and the remains of stone fish traps, gives regular, gentle waves that break left and right. It picks up swell more often than most of Ré and is usually small, but it still has enough push for longboards and bodyboards. Its easy access and soft waves make it the island's main beginner and longboard spot, and it is crowded much of the time.

Level
Beginners
Break
Reef break, sand and rock
Waves
Lefts and rights
Crowd
Crowded
Season
spring, summer, autumn
Boards
A longboard or a foam board is ideal; a bodyboard also works well.

When it works

✓ A west swell of half a metre to one and a half metres with a north-east wind, on the rising tide from mid to high.

When it doesn't

✕ Low tide, when the reef and the old timbers break the surface, or a south-west onshore wind.

Watch out for

  • rocks
  • reef
  • crowds

Best months

March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November

Local tips

Come on the rising tide and get out as the water drops, because the reef, the wooden structures and the fish-trap remains get dangerously close to the surface. The atmosphere is relaxed and the locals friendly, but weekends and holidays are packed, so a weekday session is far more pleasant.

Getting there

From the bridge, take the coast road towards Le Bois-Plage for a couple of kilometres, turn left at the Les Grenettes sign and follow it to the free car park; the beach is a short walk down from the low cliff. There are toilets but no lifeguards.

Travel notes

How often it works
Surf-forecast calls it unreliable. It needs a west swell and a rising tide to cover the reef.
Crowd and vibe
Wannasurf lists it as crowded on weekdays and very crowded at weekends. The mood is relaxed and the locals are friendly, but weekdays are much nicer.
Camping and vans
Camping APV Antioche is about 1 km away, and Les Varennes in Le Bois-Plage is about 2.5 km. Nearest campsite about 1 km away.
Facilities
There is a free car park and toilets, but no lifeguards.
Water quality
The Les Grenettes monitoring point was rated good every season from 2022 to 2025, and all ten 2026 samples were good.

Ideal conditions

Swell
WSW–WNW best, SW–NW works
Size
1–2 m offshore swell; starts at 0.6 m, holds to 2.5 m
Period
9 s minimum, best from 12 s
Wind
Offshore N–E; handles onshore up to 12 km/h
Tide
mid, high best, avoid low, on the rising tide
Faces
SW (222°)

Live cam

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

Nearby spots

All spots in Charente-Maritime · All spots

Sources