Marseille

The spot works well with winds from South-West to North, oriented side-shore to side-on from the South-West, providing a relatively flat water surface suitable for freestyle or foil. With North or mistral (North-West) winds, the orientation becomes side-off and the spot turns into a minefield with violent gusts that can double in strength within minutes, making navigation very technical. The navigation area is marked by yellow buoys at sea during the low season, with a launch area on the northern part of the beach adjacent to the Vieille Chapelle.

Launching is relatively easy from the sandy beach, especially at the Bonneveine-Vieille Chapelle junction where a band of sand sheltered by a large jetty allows for starts without too much shore break in moderate conditions. However, be cautious of wind shadows created by the jetty during launch, and in strong winds, a significant shore break forms, requiring perfect timing between waves for a towed swim out to sea. In summer, access is on a narrow concrete slab bordered by rocks, which is extremely technical and dangerous.

Tides have a low amplitude (about 0.3 to 0.5m), not significantly impacting the water surface which remains constant. The navigation areas extend in front of the beach, but you must stay away from the jetties and watch for swimmers or sunbathers during peak times. With South-West swell and West wind, waves form, turning the spot towards surfing. The local association assists with launches and landings.