Ploemeur – Les Kaolins

Ploemeur · Morbihan · France

Today’s forecast: the current surf forecast for Ploemeur – Les Kaolins (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/ploemeur-kaolins.

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Les Kaolins is the best-known reef around Lorient: a fast, hollow and powerful right over a shallow, uneven rock ledge in front of the Ploemeur golf course. Take-offs are often air drops, and the bottom turn leads straight into the barrel; on good days rides can run well beyond 100 m. A sucky left also comes off the peak but tends to close out, though goofy-footers still like it. It needs swell direction, size, tide and wind to line up, so it breaks only on a limited number of mostly winter days, and then draws a skilled crowd with many bodyboarders.

Level
Experts only
Break
Reef break, reef
Waves
Rights
Crowd
Crowded
Season
autumn, winter, spring
Boards
A shortboard or step-up with plenty of rocker for the late drops; bodyboards dominate the line-up.

When it works

✓ A 1.5 to 2.5 m long-period south-west to west groundswell with a light north-east to east wind, around mid tide on the rising tide.

When it doesn't

✕ Small or short-period swell, any onshore wind, or the wrong tide, when it sections or does not break.

Watch out for

  • reef
  • rocks
  • localism
  • crowds
  • rips

Best months

January, February, March, October, November, December

Local tips

Check it from the cliff path: if a wave is peeling off the reef, it is on. The line-up has grown and the standard is high, so the atmosphere can be tense; wait your turn and do not paddle out unless you can handle steep, shallow drops. Wannasurf gives mid tide rising, while other guides mention low or mid to high, so watch the reef through a tide before committing.

Getting there

The reef sits off the Plage des Kaolins on the Boulevard de l'Atlantique, reached from several free car parks and paths through the protected dunes, a few minutes' walk. The beach is lifeguarded in July and August and naturism is tolerated on part of it.

Travel notes

How often it works
It is a fussy reef that needs a solid swell of about 1.5 to 2 metres, an offshore wind and the right tide. Most good sessions are in autumn and winter.
Crowd and vibe
Weekdays can be quiet, but weekends get crowded. Wannasurf users report a tense mood and localism, meaning locals who guard their waves. Come with good skills and wait your turn.
Camping and vans
Camping Paradis La Baie de Ploemeur is about 200 m from the beach. Camping Les Ajoncs is on the Fort-Bloqué road. Nearest campsite about 0.5 km away.
Facilities
There are free car parks and lifeguards in July and August, but little else. Bars, restaurants and surf hire are at Fort-Bloqué, about 1 km north.
Water quality
The Les Kaolins monitoring point was rated good every season from 2022 to 2025, and all fourteen 2026 samples were good.

Ideal conditions

Swell
SW–W best, SSW–WNW works
Size
1.5–2.5 m offshore swell; starts at 1.2 m, holds to 3.5 m
Period
10 s minimum, best from 13 s
Wind
Offshore N–E; handles onshore up to 10 km/h
Tide
mid best, avoid high, on the rising tide
Faces
SW (225°)

Live cam

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

Nearby spots

All spots in Morbihan · All spots

Sources