Pornichet – La Baule bay

Pornichet · Loire-Atlantique · France

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The east end of the long La Baule bay, beside Pornichet's marina jetty, where a sandy beach break throws short lefts and rights. The bay is sheltered by the Guérande peninsula and its offshore islets, so it only wakes up when a big west to south-west swell is running, mostly in winter. Waves are usually soft and short, though good days give rides of 50 m or more; locals sum it up as fun but rare. It is a winter fallback for surfers and bodyboarders from the area and suits improvers on the days it works.

Level
Intermediate
Break
Beach break, sand
Waves
Lefts and rights
Crowd
Busy
Season
autumn, winter
Boards
A regular shortboard on the bigger days, a fish or mid-length when it is soft.

When it works

✓ A big west to south-west swell (about 2 m or more offshore) with a north to north-east wind, from mid to high tide.

When it doesn't

✕ Anything short of a solid swell leaves it flat, and south to south-west winds blow straight in.

Watch out for

  • shorebreak
  • crowds
  • boats

Best months

January, February, March, November, December

Local tips

Check the peak beside the harbour jetty first, since that corner of the bay picks up the most swell. Good sessions take luck and a large winter storm swell; one local reckons it needs 3–4 m offshore to get properly good. When the wind is up the bay is shared with kitesurfers and windsurfers, and weekends on good days can get crowded.

Getting there

Drive to Pornichet's seafront and head for the marina; the peak is next to the harbour jetty, a short walk from the promenade, with town facilities all around.

Travel notes

How often it works
It only works once in a while. It needs a large winter storm swell to wrap into La Baule bay, and one local reckons that means 3–4 m offshore.
Crowd and vibe
Weekdays are empty, but weekends get crowded on the rare good days. When the wind is up, kitesurfers and windsurfers share the bay.
Camping and vans
Camping Bel Air and Camping du Bugeau in Pornichet are about 3 km away. Nearest campsite about 3 km away.
Facilities
The peak is in town by the marina, so cafés, restaurants, shops and toilets are all close. Lifeguards watch the bay beaches in summer.
Water quality
The nearest monitoring point, opposite the Avenue de la Grande Dune in La Baule, was rated good every season from 2022 to 2025. Les Libraires beach in Pornichet holds the 2026 Pavillon Bleu.

Ideal conditions

Swell
SW–W best, SSW–WNW works
Size
3–5 m offshore swell; starts at 2 m, holds to 6.5 m
Period
11 s minimum, best from 14 s
Wind
Offshore N–ENE; handles onshore up to 15 km/h
Tide
mid, high best, avoid low, on the rising tide
Faces
SW (230°)

Live cams

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

Nearby spots

All spots in Loire-Atlantique · All spots

Sources