Bandol - Les Nervis Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve scanned the charts for Bandol and the next couple of weeks are a proper write-off for any kind of decent surf. We’re talking about a long, flat spell with hardly a ripple to get excited about. It’s pretty grim. For a spot that’s already inconsistent and only really offers up a weak, short-period swell, this kind of blank run is pretty normal. Don’t hold your breath; forecasts can change, but right now there’s nothing to plan a paddle around.

Sunday 5th July kicks things off with tiny 2ft wind swell from the west, period a mere 5 seconds, and combined energy is a measly 11. The water’s sitting at 74°, which is a whopping 5° warmer than normal – really unusual for this time of year. Morning is glassy, but it’s hopelessly small.

Through the first week, it’s the same story: nothing but scraps. Tiny swells between 1ft and 2ft, mostly from the SW, with energy barely scratching 20. Winds flip around, but even the clean, glassy mornings can’t polish a turd. There’s just no push at all.

Into the second week, from Monday 13th July onwards, we get a few days of clean, cross-offshore winds, but the swell remains pathetic – 1ft at best. The energy readings are in the single digits. It’s a frustrating tease: clean conditions with absolutely no waves to surf.

Then we finally see a pulse. On Friday 17th July in the afternoon, a 7ft swell from the west hits, period 7 seconds, and combined energy jumps to 454 – that’s strong energy. Thing is, the wind is cross-onshore and it’s choppy, and despite the size, the comment is still “poor surf conditions.” The swell is just messy.

Saturday 18th July morning sees 7ft from the WNW, energy at 309. Onshore wind isn’t helping. The afternoon cleans up with a cross-offshore breeze from the west at 15 mph, a 7ft west swell with a 6-second period. It’s rated as “marginal” – a 1 out of 10. For beginners, that 7ft is too big and the short period makes it a washing machine. For experts, the 7ft to 7ft range is solid, but the short period and beach-and-reef setup here means it’s likely to be a closeout mess. It might be more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer.

After that, it drops off again. Sunday 19th July has strong offshore winds (25 to 28 mph) but almost no swell – 0.7ft in the morning and flat in the afternoon. Too much wind, no waves. The period of clear, clean conditions through Monday 20th July offers nothing more than 2ft of weak, short-period slop.

So, the standout, if you can call it that, is the afternoon of Saturday 18th July. It’s the only window with a proper-sized swell (7ft from the west) and clean, cross-offshore wind. It’s late in the forecast, so less certain, and at Bandol – Les Nervis, an inconsistent beach and reef break, it’s a long shot. Crowds are possible here sometimes, but on this performance, the car park might be empty.

Stay patient, mates. Rusty.

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