La Couarde-sur-Mer

The spot is located on the southern face of the island of Ré, exposed to the open sea. The beach is generally oriented north-south with the ocean to the south, which means that winds from the west to northwest sector arrive in a side-on to side-shore manner, comfortable orientations for most riders. With a southwest wind, the wind remains navigable but a bit more onshore, with more chop and an easier return to the shore.

The water surface varies greatly with the tide. At mid-tide and high tide, one navigates on a choppy water surface with a shorebreak that is more or less pronounced depending on the swell and wind strength. When the swell comes in, one can find small disorderly waves breaking at the top of the beach, especially on days with high coefficients. At low tide, the sea retreats significantly and reveals areas of rocks and scattered boulders, making getting in more technical and less pleasant, even risky if one is not familiar with the spot.

The kitesurfing area is located in a specific part of the beach, identified as a kitesurf zone. It is important to stay in this sector, especially since municipal orders impose strong restrictions on kitesurfing in summer: throughout the beaches of La Couarde, kiting is prohibited from June 15 to September 15, except on the beach of Boutillon, which remains authorized all year round. Therefore, the beach of Ânneries is primarily an interesting spot outside the summer season, when constraints are lower and attendance is very low.

Takeoff is done from the dry sand at the top of the beach, taking care to maintain a good distance from other users, especially in naturist areas. The beach space is quite wide, but one must consider the often strong wind and chop that requires careful preparation for entering the water. Navigation is then done across the coast, with room to go upwind or downwind, provided one watches for rocky banks that may protrude under the surface, especially at mid-tide.

Locally, several kitesurfing schools based in La Couarde prefer to use spots more suitable for teaching (like Boutillon or other more sheltered bays), which leaves the beach of Ânneries mainly for independent riders. It is a spot to approach with good mastery of takeoff and return to the shore in the shorebreak, and constant attention to the tide, rocks, and other users.