France
The beach of Savines-le-Lac, on Lake Serre-Ponçon in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, is a popular spot between the villages of Savines-le-Lac and Crots. It offers a wide strip of grass about 300 meters for launching, with a friendly atmosphere thanks to barbecues, toilets, and a small beach bar nearby.
Surrounded by mountains with turquoise waters, this place attracts riders for its reliable thermal wind and often flat water. It is an ideal spot for freeride, foil, or freestyle, especially in season.
Launching varies depending on the lake level, easier in spring but rocky in summer.
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 main spot is on the beach of Eaux Douces, with a large grassy technical area for launching and preparation. The wind mainly comes from West or North-West, side-on to side-off relative to the east-west oriented beach, providing optimal conditions by adding to the lake's thermal. It picks up around noon, rising to 10-25 knots in the afternoon until sunset, reinforced by a venturi effect towards Embrun.
The navigation area is wide and clear in the center of the lake, with a flat water surface in the morning then slightly choppy at force 4-5. Launching from the lawn in spring (high level), but descending on pebbles in summer (low level), be cautious of feet. No tide since it's an artificial lake, but seasonal water level variations impact access. Areas to avoid: edges with small cliffs that are impassable by swimming, and a tree in the middle of the launch area.
Perfect for kitefoil thanks to easy waterstart and flat surface; local schools like Altitude Kite in Crots offer introductions. Navigation is regulated: helmet, wetsuit, and vest are mandatory, with frequent checks.
The ideal conditions are with wind from the West or North-West at 15-25 knots, side-on, for a flat surface to light chop and constant power until evening.
The water surface is generally flat, perfect for freeride and foil, with a slight chop in strong winds. Clear turquoise water, but cold even in summer.
No tides or strong sea currents on this dam lake. The currents are weak, but be cautious of water level variations and potentially choppy spillway areas.
Opt for sizes from 9 to 11m² in standard thermal 15-20 knots, 7-9m² for strong winds over 25 knots or Mistral.
The thermal wind from the West/South-West blows almost every day from noon, reaching force 4-5 (15-25 knots) in the afternoon. It sometimes adds to the Mistral for more power, especially in the late afternoon. Calm mornings are ideal for paddle before the session.
The climate is mountainous, with hot summers around 25-30°C during the day and cool nights. Cold winters with possible frosts, but practice is possible year-round. The best season is from April to July for wind and favorable water levels.
The depth is gradual with rocky and pebbly bottom. Foot possible near the shore in spring, but quickly deepens; waterstart kitefoil on flat far from the shore to avoid the bottom.
The water remains cold year-round due to the mountainous altitude: 10-15°C in spring, 16-20°C in summer max, quickly dropping in autumn. A 4/3 wetsuit is recommended even in July.
