Cap Fréhel – Plage de la Fosse

Plévenon · Bretagne Nord · France

Today’s forecast: the current surf forecast for Cap Fréhel – Plage de la Fosse (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/plevenon-la-fosse.

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Plage de la Fosse is a cove of sand and rock just west of Cap Fréhel, and it is the spot most guides and surfers simply call Cap Fréhel. It needs a strong swell to switch on, and then gives punchy, fast and sometimes hollow peaks over a wide sand-and-rock bank, framed by the headland. Sources disagree on the best tide, so check it on the day; most favour low to mid tide. It gets very crowded when the rest of the coast is small, with up to fifty people on the peak and the nickname 'cap carnival', and it is no place for beginners once the swell is big.

Level
Intermediate
Break
Beach break, sand and rock
Waves
Lefts and rights
Crowd
Crowded
Season
autumn, winter, spring
Boards
A shortboard; it is a more powerful wave than the nearby beaches.

When it works

✓ A strong W to NW swell with a S to SE wind, around low to mid tide.

When it doesn't

✕ Small swells, which never wrap in, any northerly or westerly wind, and the top of the tide.

Watch out for

  • rips
  • rocks
  • localism
  • crowds

Best months

January, February, March, October, November, December

Local tips

Beginners should stay away from the main peak and sit on the edges, where the mood in the water is easier. Don't drop in or try to catch every set; the locals notice. Watch for undertow and the rocks around the cove. On small days it is rarely worth a long drive.

Getting there

Reached from the D34 coast road towards Cap Fréhel, with a short walk down to the cove.

Travel notes

How often it works
Fairly consistent for the north Brittany coast. It is open to west and north-west swells and can work all year, but it needs a big swell to be at its best. In February, its best month, it is clean about a fifth of the time.
Crowd and vibe
Possibly the busiest wave in the area: the main peak is often packed, even on weekdays. Some locals are cool towards visitors. Beginners should stay on the edges, and catching a wave someone is already riding will be noticed.
Camping and vans
Camping du Cap Fréhel is right across the road from the cove, on the D34 in Plévenon. It has water and waste disposal for motorhomes and is mainly open in season. The larger Pont de l'Étang and Armor campsites are in Pléhérel-Plage, to the west. Nearest campsite about 0.5 km away.
Facilities
Basic: no lifeguards, just a small car park with bike racks and a steep sandy path down through the dunes. In July and August, bus 202 stops at the campsite.
Water quality
Ministry data, as republished online, rate La Fosse du Cap 'good' every year from 2022 to 2025. Only one sample was average, in July 2025.

Ideal conditions

Swell
W–NW best, W–NNW works
Size
2–3 m offshore swell; starts at 1.5 m, holds to 4 m
Period
10 s minimum, best from 13 s
Wind
Offshore SE–SSW; handles onshore up to 10 km/h
Tide
mid best, avoid high
Faces
NW (320°)

Live cam

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

Nearby spots

All spots in Bretagne Nord · All spots

Sources