Bandol - Les Nervis Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it for the Bandol - Les Nervis stretch. I’ve gotta be honest with you, the next couple of weeks are looking pretty flat and grim for paddle surfing. The water is sitting at a very unusual 77° to start, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s where the good news ends.

We’re looking at a long, dry spell. From Saturday the 4th right through to Friday the 17th of July, the surf is basically non-existent. You’ll see tiny dribbles of swell, mostly under 2 ft, with short periods below 6 seconds – that’s just wind chop, not real waves. The combined energy of all swells directed here is weak, barely cracking 40 (40 to 48) on the best days, and most days it’s in the single digits. The wind is often light and cross-on or glassy, but there’s nothing for it to work with. A few mornings have that glassy, clean look, but it’s flat out there. Trust me, leave the board at home.

Now, the very end of the outlook does have a tiny flicker of something. On Friday the 17th of July, we finally see a little bump – 2 ft swell from the SSW, with a period of 5 to 6 seconds. The combined energy climbs to 19 (19 to 15). It’s still not great, but the wind is cross-off and light, keeping it clean. This spot is a beach and reef mix, and it’s inconsistent and rarely breaks, so this is a bit notable. The swell direction from the SSW lines up with the optimum direction for the break. But honestly, for a 2 ft wave, it’s going to be tiny and weak. You’d be paddling around on a log.

The weekend of the 18th and 19th of July is a wild card. The swell stays at 2 ft from the S, but the wind goes absolutely nuclear offshore from the NW – we’re talking 28 to 31 mph on Saturday. That’s near gale force. The combined energy is still weak (21 to 25). While the wind will keep the surface clean, it’s going to be a survival mission just to paddle out, and the waves will be blown-out and messy despite the offshore direction. It’s more of a kite-surfing kind of day than a paddle-surfing one. Sunday the 19th has a fresh 19 mph cross-off breeze, still clean but very choppy.

So, the bottom line: there are no real “standouts” here. The only time you might get a splash is on the 17th, 18th, or 19th of July, and even then, it’s for the dedicated or the desperate. The 16-day window is a blank run for Bandol, and for this area, that’s sadly normal for this time of year. Keep an eye on the charts, because it tends not to stay this poor forever.

Rusty.

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