Maguelone

Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone · French Mediterranean · France

Today’s forecast: the current surf forecast for Maguelone (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/maguelone.

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A wild sandy beach on the lido south of Montpellier, near the old Maguelone cathedral. It is the regional classic of the Hérault: on its days the sandbars give good lefts and rights. It is the first stop for Montpellier surfers.

Level
Intermediate
Break
Beach break, sand
Waves
Lefts and rights
Crowd
Crowded
Season
autumn, winter, spring
Boards
A shortboard or fish.

When it works

✓ A south to south-east swell with a north wind.

When it doesn't

✕ Onshore sea wind and the calm summer.

Watch out for

  • rips
  • localism
  • pollution
  • crowds

Best months

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

Local tips

Respect the local surfers. The water gets cold in winter, so bring a good wetsuit.

Getting there

From Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone, drive to the cathedral car park and take the little train or walk along the lido.

Travel notes

How often it works
Breaks more often than most of the Hérault coast, but still only in wind swell, mostly from autumn to spring.
Crowd and vibe
Crowded when it works, with a strong local crew.
Camping and vans
Palavas Camping, at the west edge of Palavas, is under 1 km away along the lido. Nearest campsite about 0.5 km away.
Facilities
Very few: a car park and a seasonal snack bar. Lifeguards in summer only.
Water quality
The Maguelone bathing sites are rated excellent by the French health ministry (2025). Surf guides still warn about pollution after rain.

Ideal conditions

Swell
SE–SSW best, E–SW 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 NW–NE; handles onshore up to 12 km/h
Tide
low, mid, high best
Faces
S (173°)

Live cam

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

Nearby spots

All spots in French Mediterranean · All spots

Sources