France
Embrun Chadenas is a spot by the Serre-Ponçon lake, in the Hautes-Alpes, with its cliffs plunging into the turquoise water. It is a popular place for its beauty and reliable afternoon wind. The launch area is wide and grassy, ideal for warming up on land.
The water surface is generally flat, perfect for freeride, foil, or freestyle. However, be cautious of water level variations depending on the seasons, which change access to the water. Schools like the Club Nautique Alpin d'Embrun offer equipment and lessons on-site.
The atmosphere is cool, with nautical bases and a bar-restaurant nearby to relax after the session.
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.
flatflatThe spot of Embrun Chadenas mainly works with wind from West or Northwest, which comes side-on or side-shore relative to the beach facing the lake. The thermal wind rises around noon, weak at first (3-6 kts), then increases to 8-15 kts in the late afternoon when it adds to the valley wind. The water entry is directly from the grassy or sandy beach, but in summer the level drops and you have to walk on slippery stones to reach the water.
The navigation area is large and clear, with a flat water surface most of the time, ideal for progressing in foil or lightwind freeride. Launching is done on the spacious technical lawn by the lake, but always check the water height: in spring it's directly from the grass, in summer walk carefully. No tides since it's a dam lake, but the level fluctuates with snowmelt and sluices. Navigation is regulated by prefectural order, respect the marked areas.
Local peculiarity: the steep relief of the cliffs limits landings elsewhere, stay within the area visible from the beach. In offshore wind (East), it can be risky with downdrafts from the mountains.
The ideal conditions are a West to Northwest wind of 10 to 20 kts in the late afternoon, with the thermal well established for a flat and consistent water surface.
The water surface is almost always flat and smooth, perfect for fluid sessions. In strong winds, it can become choppy locally near the cliffs, but overall very navigable.
No sea currents on this high-altitude lake, but possible flows near dams or water outlets. The level varies with the seasons and water releases, with no true tides but spring rises due to snowmelt.
Opt for lightwind sizes like 12 to 15m² for foil or freeride, as the wind is often moderate. In more consistent sessions, go down to 9-11m².
The wind follows a very regular thermal pattern: almost absent in the morning, it picks up in the afternoon due to the temperature difference between the lake and mountains. It mainly comes from the West or Northwest, consistent in the late afternoon up to 15-20 kts. There is no specific local name, it's pure thermal combined with valley wind.
The climate around the Serre-Ponçon lake is alpine, with over 300 sunny days per year. Summers are warm, around 25-30°C during the day, but nights cool down quickly. In winter, it is cold, often below 0°C, and the water can freeze.
The depth is gradual with a rocky and pebbly bottom. You can stand near the shore in summer when the lake is low, but it drops off quickly after.
The water remains cold year-round, around 10-15°C in summer and close to 0°C in winter. A good 5/3 wetsuit is essential even in July.
