Vauville

La Hague · Normandie · France

Today’s forecast: the current surf forecast for Vauville (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/vauville.

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Vauville is the northern end of the long Anse de Vauville, below the village and the La Devise car park; the sandy bay runs south past the Biville dunes towards Siouville. The wide beach is open to westerly swell and gives fun lefts and rights over sand, usually short to medium rides, and very good waves on its day, especially in a north-westerly swell. It is one of the emptiest beaches in the Cotentin and is best one to two hours either side of high tide. A mobile surf school sets up here from spring to autumn.

Level
Beginners
Break
Beach break, sand
Waves
Lefts and rights
Crowd
Quiet
Season
autumn, winter, spring
Boards
Foamies and longboards on small days, a shortboard or mid-length when an autumn swell arrives.

When it works

✓ A W to NW swell of 1–2 m with a light east wind, within two hours of high tide.

When it doesn't

✕ Onshore westerlies, a summer flat spell, or low tide, when the banks get slack and sloppy.

Watch out for

  • rips
  • currents

Best months

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

Local tips

Guides disagree on the tide: one rates mid tide, another the hours around high water, and the Biville section just south is said to prefer the lower half of the rising tide, so walk the beach and pick the bank that is working. Autumn, roughly September to December, is the main season; summer is mostly flat. Being so open, it is often windier than Siouville, so go early before any sea breeze.

Getting there

From Cherbourg head for Beaumont-Hague and follow the signs to Vauville, about 2 km further. The La Devise car park and a campsite sit right behind the beach, a short walk from the sand. A mobile surf school works from a van at La Devise from April to November.

Travel notes

How often it works
It only works some of the time. Wannasurf says it 'sometimes breaks', and surf-forecast calls it fairly consistent outside summer. It is wide open to west and north-west swell, so autumn and winter swells with an east breeze bring clean waves. Summer is mostly flat.
Crowd and vibe
One of the quietest beaches on the Cotentin. Wannasurf lists it as empty on weekdays and weekends, and surf-forecast says it very rarely gets crowded. Expect a few locals and the odd lesson group.
Camping and vans
The municipal Camping La Devise sits right behind the beach, with direct access to the sand. It is unclassified, open roughly May to September, and takes cash or cheques, not cards. The year-round alternative is the 3-star Clairefontaine site at Siouville-Hague, at the south end of the bay. Nearest campsite about 0.5 km away.
Facilities
Facilities are basic: the campsite's toilets and showers, parking at La Devise, and a surf school run from a van from April to November. There is no summer lifeguard post on the Manche list.
Water quality
Both monitored bathing sites at Vauville, La Crecque and the beach by the campsite, were rated excellent for 2025 by the regional health agency (ARS Normandie).

Ideal conditions

Swell
WSW–WNW best, SW–NW works
Size
1–2.5 m offshore swell; starts at 0.6 m, holds to 3 m
Period
7 s minimum, best from 11 s
Wind
Offshore ENE–ESE; handles onshore up to 12 km/h
Tide
mid, high best, avoid low
Faces
WSW (255°)

Live cam

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

Nearby spots

All spots in Normandie · All spots

Sources