La Manche, a surfing destination

Where to surf in La Manche ?

All our tips for surfing in La Manche

Beautiful and wild, soothing and powerful, the sea is a source of constant inspiration for watersports and surfing enthusiasts. In the evening after work, at the weekend or during the holidays, take to the sea and surf the waves of La Manche. The best spots, surf schools, portraits of surfers and surfboard shapers: grab your wetsuit, we’re taking you to hit the waves in La Manche!

Where to surf in La Manche?

The best surf spots in La Manche

Surfers tend to head to the area between Carteret and Vauville, and sometimes to the north coast of La Manche. The best-known surf spots on the Cotentin Peninsula are Siouville, Sciotot and Le Rozel. Siouville is a favourite when the wind is blowing from the south, whereas Sciotot is better with north winds. These spots have the advantage of being perfect for both beginners and more seasoned surfers. Grab your board! If you’re near Granville, you can surf at the gorgeous beach in Carolles, or a bit further up towards Bréville-sur-Mer. The waves here aren’t as big as on the Cotentin Peninsula, but you can still have fun, especially with your family.

La Manche: a little-known surfing destination

La Manche is an ideal coastal destination that’s popular with surfers. The first to hit the waves in Normandy began in 1964 in Sciotot and the practice became widespread from the 1970s. In 2000, the Cotentin Surf Club opened its doors in Siouville. All year round, it helps teach a new generation to surf, whether at a recreational or competitive level. From year to year, surfing is growing in popularity, and more and more enthusiasts are heading to the coasts of La Manche. While many prefer to hit the waves in summer, some brave the elements in winter. With temperatures of around 7°C, if you fancy giving it a try you’ll need a good wetsuit and a bit of a crazy streak!

Photo: Hatainville© Loris Delande
Photo, © Jérome Houyvet
Photo, © Captain Yvon
Photo, © Xavier Lachenaud

Learn to surf or improve your skills: our tips

Do you want to find some lessons, take a course or get some tips from professionals? Here are three places where you can learn to surf.

Cotentin Surf Club in Siouville, a surfing town

Siouville-Hague

The biggest surf club in Normandy welcomes you on the huge beach in Siouville, on the north-western tip of the Cotentin Peninsula. The club is recognised by the French Surfing Federation and proposes: equipment hire, surfing lessons, courses, organisation of competitions and events. You can surf here all year round in a friendly atmosphere.

Cotentin Surf Club

Vana Surf: the itinerant surf school

Les Moitiers-d'Allonne

Vana Surf is an itinerant surf school based on the beach in Hatainville, five minutes from Barneville-Carteret. From their truck, Henri and Konrad offer group and individual surfing lessons as well as equipment hire. They choose to have no permanent structure in order to protect this natural area and to be able to move around according to the conditions. The school is open from March to November.

VanaSurf

North Shore Surf School

Le Rozel

This school is situated on the superb unspoilt beach of Le Rozel. It’s a great place to surf safely, whether you’re a beginner or more advanced. The school provides lessons and equipment hire for all levels, from children of six years who can swim. Stive Lener, a certified instructor, welcomes you directly on the beach..

North Shore Surf School

Sciotot Surf School

Les Pieux

Between the headland in Flamanville and Le Rozel, welcome to one of the most beautiful beaches on the Cotentin Peninsula: Sciotot. This is an unmissable spot that has great conditions for surfing! The school was created in 2021 by Gabriel Brot, a young local surfer. You’ll find him on the main car park in Sciotot, in a tiny house.

Sciotot Surf School

Living life to the rhythm of the sea: portraits of surfers

Léa Brassy: a childhood immersed in the waves of the Cotentin

There are certain places that inspire, invigorate and create memories and sensations: places that do you good. For Léa Brassy, a surfer and ocean adventurer who has travelled the world, La Manche is that place. This is where she surfed her first waves and where the sea became her obsession. She shares her attachment to La Manche, her participation in the film IMMERSION and her passion for surfing.

Léa Brassy in the film IMMERSION

Bazile Pinel: a surfboard shaper in the Manche

A surfer and passionate craftsman, Bazile rides the waves and takes inspiration from them. In his native Cotentin, he makes bespoke surfboards, each with its own story. Open the door to his workshop in Les Pieux and imagine your future surfboard made in La Manche! Find out all about Bazile, his passion, his favourite spots and his quest to make the perfect board for the perfect wave.

Bazile Pinel in the film IMMERSION

Clémence Fossard: family life by the sea

Clémence Fossard is the director of a communication agency in La Manche. She lives her day-to-day family life in close connection with the sea. A young, dynamic mum and watersports enthusiast, Clémence has made la Manche her playground and her home. For her, family life by the sea was an obvious choice.

Clémence Fossard in the film IMMERSION