Leucate - Barcarès (étang)
France
Leucate
Leucate – Barcarès is a complete and very popular spot in the south of France. Located between the Leucate lagoon and the Mediterranean Sea, it offers direct access to the water, vast launching areas, and almost permanent wind. It is the favorite training ground for local schools and freeride and freestyle riders. The lagoon is wide, shallow, and smooth, while the sea on the other side offers a choppy water surface for freeride. The Tramontane can be found here in all its power, but in an accessible, safe, and well-supervised environment.
The wind data shown here comes from ERA5 (via Open-Meteo) over 4 years, reprocessed to reflect realistic conditions.
👉 Average wind has been calibrated to avoid the usual underestimation of models.
👉 Gusts have been corrected by a median ratio to avoid unrealistic extreme values.
👉 Each day is summarized by the median wind (P50) observed during useful hours (8am–8pm), then classified into wind ranges.
👉 The weighted mode mixes average wind and gusts to best reflect felt wind.
- 🟢 10–16 kts: light but sailable wind (especially on foil).
- 🟡 16–22 kts: ideal range, comfortable conditions for most.
- 🔴 22–28 kts: strong wind, reserved for experienced riders.
- 🟣 28+ kts: extreme conditions, committed riding.
Location & Points of interest
Useful information
chop
flatThe Barcarès spot offers a perfect lagoon area for freestyle and learning, and a sea area for freeride. With Tramontane (NW), the wind blows side-shore to side-off depending on the sector, strong and regular. The water surface of the lagoon remains flat to choppy, ideal for jumps and speed. The beach is huge, the water entry is easy, and the depth is shallow for hundreds of meters. It is a versatile, consistent, and pleasant spot, perfect for all levels.
Northwest wind (Tramontane) between 20 and 35 knots. Side-shore to side-off orientation depending on the area. Clean and constant wind.
Water surface is flat to choppy on the lagoon side, choppy to slightly wavy on the sea side. Clear water, sandy bottom. Excellent compromise between comfort and performance. The depth remains shallow and gradual, allowing for calm navigation even in strong winds.
Very weak in the lagoon. At sea, there is a slight south-north drift depending on the wind, which is not dangerous. Sandy bottom, no risk areas. Overall, the spot is very safe.
Riders generally use 6 to 9 m². In summer, thermals allow for navigation with 10–12 m². In strong Tramontane, 5–6 m² are ideal.
The Tramontane (NW) dominates largely, blowing between 20 and 40 knots. Clean, laminar, and constant wind, rarely capricious. With sea wind (E/SE), the water surface becomes choppier but remains navigable. The summer thermal wind sometimes complements the season with 12 to 18 knots in the late afternoon.
Dry and bright Mediterranean climate. Temperatures range between 10°C and 30°C. The wind blows strongly for over 250 days a year, especially between March and November. Winter remains navigable, although gusts can be colder and more intense. The sun is almost permanent and rainfall is rare.
Between 0.5 and 1.8 meters. You can stand in very large areas of the lagoon.
Between 13°C and 24°C. The lagoon heats up quickly from spring. Shorty from April, 4/3 mm wetsuit in winter.