Plage d'Houlgate
France · Normandie
The beach of Houlgate, located on the Normandy coast in Normandy, offers a large stretch of fine sand facing the Atlantic Ocean. It is a popular spot for riders due to its wide beach and wind exposure, with a friendly atmosphere animated by the Houlgate Plein Vent festival every year.
Close to the mouth of a river, the spot alternates between calm waters and small waves depending on the conditions. Belle Époque villas line the beach, adding a unique charm to this destination accessible from Deauville or Cabourg.
Ideal for regular sessions, Houlgate attracts intermediates and experts thanks to its reliable side-on wind in season.
Historical averages by month — not a live forecast.
The Houlgate spot works well with a South-West to West (WSW) wind, which comes in side-on perfect for navigation. For a North-West wind, it is also side-on port along the entire coast, regular with a small swell. A rare but strong North-East wind offers a side-on starboard, but be cautious of disturbances from the Black Cows cliff; move towards Franceville for a better flow.
The launch is done on a large sandy launch area, wide and easy to access. The navigation area extends in front of the beach, with a flat and shallow water surface at low tide, ideal for tricks. At high tide, the current intensifies near the mouth of the river, making the water less pleasant; prefer two hours before/after high tide if strong SW/West wind for powerful waves formed by the river-sea opposition.
Avoid the area disturbed by the cliffs. The summer thermal can rise to 16-17 knots late in the evening, perfect when the NW is lacking. Boats and currents to watch out for during tidal changes.
Open Windguru forecast