Le Bois-Plage-en-Ré

The Gouillauds spot faces the open sea with a coastline orientation of east–west, which gives a side-shore to side-on wind when it blows from W to NW. With a wind from West to West-Northwest, the area is very interesting for kitesurfing in the waves, with a good wind window for going upwind and working the surfs.

The water surface is clearly oriented towards waves. A nice wave of rock breaks on a reef offshore, creating regular and more powerful lines than on classic sandbanks. At low tide, the sea retreats far and one has to walk quite a distance to reach the water, with about 300 meters to cover at certain coefficients, but the area then becomes more technical due to the reef and exposed rocks. At high tide or mid-tide, there is enough depth over the reef to exploit the waves, but one must keep a safety margin.

The beach is vast, with a large sandy area for rigging and launching, especially at low tide. Launching generally takes place facing the parking lot, but kitesurfing is regulated on the eastern part of the beach, towards Grenettes beach, which requires setting up in this dedicated area for launching and landing. Riders must therefore respect the signs and local indications, especially in high season.

In the water, one mainly navigates between the shorebreak area and the reef area where the waves break more cleanly. The left side of the beach presents at times a deeper channel that can serve as a passage or return to the shore, but one must remain vigilant to the presence of rocks and oyster parks depending on the tide. Overall, the spot is rather reserved for intermediate to advanced riders who are comfortable in the waves, managing the shorebreak and sometimes technical launches.