Pourville-sur-Mer

Hautot-sur-Mer · Normandie · France

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Pourville is a small resort in the Scie valley just west of Dieppe, with about 700 m of pebble beach between white chalk cliffs that turns to sand and rock lower down the tide. The cliffs, including the Cap d'Ailly to the west, shelter it from swell and wind, so the left and right peaks stay soft and manageable, at their best on a falling tide. With Étretat it is one of the two Seine-Maritime spots visiting surfers name most, and with a surf school on the beach it is the main beginners' spot on the Caux coast. It can be busy on the few good days.

Level
Beginners
Break
Beach break, sand and rock
Waves
Lefts and rights
Crowd
Some company
Season
autumn, winter, spring
Boards
Foamies, longboards and mid-lengths; a bodyboard suits the shorebreak.

When it works

✓ A W to NW swell of about a metre with a light southerly breeze, from mid tide down to low on the ebb.

When it doesn't

✕ Onshore northerlies, a flat Channel, or high tide, when the waves break on the shingle.

Watch out for

  • rips
  • rocks
  • shorebreak
  • crowds

Best months

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

Local tips

The falling tide is the best window; the surf school plans its sessions around the tide and does not run at high water. A right forms at the eastern end of the beach near the river mouth, where most bodyboarders sit. Weekends on a good swell bring a crowd from Dieppe and even Paris, so respect priority and give the school groups room.

Getting there

Drive to the seafront and park right in front of the break. The beach has showers and a lifeguarded swimming zone from mid-June to mid-September. Surf'in Pourville, on Rue du Casino, gives surf and SUP lessons and rents boards.

Travel notes

How often it works
Wannasurf says it only works some of the time. It needs a west to north-west swell to reach this far up the Channel, and summers are mostly flat. The Cap d'Ailly cliffs to the west soften the swell and wind, so waves here are gentle.
Crowd and vibe
Quiet on weekdays but busy at weekends when there are waves. Expect surfers from Dieppe and Paris, school groups, and many bodyboarders on the right at the eastern end. Wannasurf mentions some localism, so follow the right-of-way rules and keep a low profile.
Camping and vans
Camping Le Marqueval in Hautot-sur-Mer is just over a kilometre inland from the beach. Camping La Source in Petit-Appeville takes tents, caravans and motorhomes and is about 3 km from the sea by cycle path. Nearest campsite about 1.5 km away.
Facilities
Beach showers and lifeguards from 15 June to 15 September (11am–7pm), plus the Les Cabines de Pourville beach bar. The Surf'in Pourville school rents boards and teaches surf and SUP, but not at high tide.
Water quality
ARS Normandie rated Pourville good for 2025, one step below Dieppe's excellent. The Scie river reaches the sea at the eastern end of the beach.

Ideal conditions

Swell
W–NNW best, WSW–N works
Size
1.2–2.2 m offshore swell; starts at 0.8 m, holds to 3 m
Period
6 s minimum, best from 10 s
Wind
Offshore SE–S; handles onshore up to 12 km/h
Tide
low, mid best, avoid high, on the falling tide
Faces
NNW (341°)

Live cam

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

Nearby spots

All spots in Normandie · All spots

Sources