Montalivet

Vendays-Montalivet · Gironde · France

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Montalivet-les-Bains is the main resort of the northern Médoc coast, with a seafront promenade that looks straight down on the beach. The central beach is a sand-bottom beach break with shifting banks giving lefts and rights, and a groyne at the end of the town road helps hold a peak. Swell is a little smaller here than at Lacanau and the beaches further south, so it stays surfable on bigger days and gives easy, mellow waves on small ones. That makes it a good place to learn in summer and a useful back-up for everyone when Lacanau is closing out.

Level
Beginners
Break
Beach break, sand
Waves
Lefts and rights
Crowd
Some company
Season
spring, summer, autumn, winter
Boards
A longboard or foam board for learning, a shortboard or fish on solid autumn swells.

When it works

✓ A west to north-west swell of 1–2 m with an east to north-east wind, from low to mid tide.

When it doesn't

✕ Onshore west or north-west wind, and high tide on small days when the waves fade on the shore break.

Watch out for

  • rips
  • crowds

Best months

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

Local tips

Check the banks from the seafront before paddling out: you can see most of the peaks from above. Locals and surf shops will tell you whether the north, central or south end is working best that day. The line-up is generally relaxed, but the town fills up in July and August. Keep an eye on your belongings in the car park.

Getting there

From Bordeaux drive towards Lesparre-Médoc and Vendays-Montalivet, then take the D102 about 10 km to Montalivet-les-Bains; there is parking along the seafront, right above the beach. Surf schools and board hire are in town.

Travel notes

How often it works
Wannasurf calls it regular, but it needs a decent swell. The waves are smaller here than further south, so it is a good choice when Lacanau closes out.
Crowd and vibe
It is a relaxed line-up, and wannasurf lists it as empty even at weekends. The town gets busy in July and August.
Camping and vans
Camping Campéole Médoc Plage is about 1.5 km away. The naturist CHM Montalivet is about 2 km. Nearest campsite about 1.5 km away.
Facilities
There is parking right above the beach, a summer lifeguard post, and surf schools and board hire in town.
Water quality
The Montalivet monitoring point was rated good every season from 2022 to 2025, and all ten 2026 samples were good.

Ideal conditions

Swell
W–NW best, SW–NNW works
Size
1.4–2.8 m offshore swell; starts at 0.9 m, holds to 3.5 m
Period
9 s minimum, best from 12 s
Wind
Offshore NE–SE; handles onshore up to 12 km/h
Tide
low, mid best, avoid high
Faces
W (267°)

Live cams

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

Nearby spots

All spots in Gironde · All spots

Sources