France
The Digue in Saint-Chamas, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, is a small beach of 60m x 20m nestled between the fishing port and the marina. It offers stunning views of the bay and the hills of Baou, in a lively village setting.
The ground is a mix of fine sand, gravel, and shell debris, with free parking right next to it. It's a discreet spot for riders looking for tranquility near the Étang de Berre.
A nautical base is on site for sailing or paddleboarding, but kitesurfing remains an activity for locals.
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.
chopchopThe Digue faces southwest on the Étang de Berre, a closed body of water that favors a regular side-shore wind from the northwest (mistral) or southeast. The launch is directly from the narrow beach, with a limited take-off area due to the proximity of the port and marina – stay vigilant not to interfere with local navigation.
The navigation area extends offshore from the étang, with enough space for freeride and small waves, but avoid the vicinity of boats and fishing zones. Without strong oceanic tides, the water remains consistent, but the wind can create moderate chop in the middle of the day. The best times are early in the morning or late afternoon when the thermal picks up.
Local peculiarity: the Étang de Berre is influenced by the powerful northwest mistral, ideal for long sessions, but the wind can turn side-off from the south in summer, making the spot more technical.
The ideal conditions are a side-shore mistral of 18 to 25 knots, stable and thermal, for smooth sessions without excessive gusts.
The water state is generally choppy with a wind-agitated bottom, forming small short waves in mistral. In light wind, it becomes flatter, perfect for freestyle.
Currents are weak in the Étang de Berre due to its lagoon-like nature, but they can strengthen near the maritime entrance channel. Tides are of low amplitude, having little influence on navigation.
Opt for sizes of 9 to 11m² in medium mistral, and go down to 7-9m² when it blows over 25 knots. In light thermal, go up to 12m².
The dominant wind regime is the mistral, a strong northwesterly wind that regularly blows from 15 to 30 knots, especially in winter and spring. In summer, a thermal from the southeast picks up in the afternoon, lighter around 10-20 knots.
The score of 80/100 indicates high reliability throughout the year, with nearly constant winds every month.
The Mediterranean climate of Saint-Chamas offers hot summers around 28-32°C and mild winters at 10-15°C. Rainfall is rare, concentrated in autumn, with over 300 days of sunshine per year.
The ideal seasons for kitesurfing are spring and autumn, when air temperatures are pleasant between 18 and 25°C.
The depth is gradual with a sandy bottom mixed with gravel. You can stand up to about 30-50 meters from the shore, ideal for relaunching.
The water in the Étang remains around 12-15°C in winter, rising to 22-26°C in summer. Plan for a 5/3mm wetsuit in winter and a shorty in summer.
