Surf Forecasts:
Etretat surf forecast from 28 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 29 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 6s period, W swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, W swell with 1,541 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 29 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 6s period with W swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Etretat this week:
The surf forecast for Etretat over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 6s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Etretat in the next 16 days are 3.0m 9s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 6s period and expected on Monday (Aug 31) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (CEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Sat 29th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Sat 29th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Sat 29th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Etretat over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let's get this out there. It's Rusty.
Honestly, for the next couple of weeks, Etretat is looking pretty flat and messy. We've got a long stretch of nothing on the cards, which is a bit of a bummer. The water is a wild 69°F, which is over three degrees warmer than usual for this time of year – that's a proper marine heatwave, so at least the paddle out won't be a shock to the system.
The first bit of hope shows up on the morning of Sunday the 30th. It's nothing special, just a small 4ft W swell with a 6-second period. The energy is weak, at 219, and it's pretty short-period stuff. But the wind is light offshore from the SW, so the surface will be clean. It's a marginal call, and pretty ordinary, but it's the first wave we've had. The tide will be the key, but for a beginner-friendly reef like this, you might get a few soft ones.
That doesn't last. The swell tries to fill in a bit on Monday the 31st, with the morning showing 7ft from the W at 8 seconds and moderate energy of 551, but the wind swings around to a fresh WSW cross-off. That's going to put some texture on it and it’ll be hard work. The afternoon drops to 5ft but the wind stays up. It's just not worth it. After that, we drop right back down into the doldrums. The rest of that week and into the next is a write-off, with tiny waves under 3ft for days on end. There’s a lot of nothing from the 1st through to the 6th of September.
We get a little bump in size again on the 7th of September, with 5ft from the W, but again, the period is short at 6 seconds and the wind is a problem. It's a blown-out mess, and I'd leave the board in the car.
To be straight with you, there is no standout session in this whole 16-day window. The swell direction never lines up with the SW optimum for this reef at Etretat, the periods are consistently short, and the winds just can't hold an offshore for long enough to make anything good. Conditions like this are more interested in blowing you around than pushing you into a wave. If this is all we're getting, it might be more interesting for the kite surfers than us paddle surfers. I’d keep your expectations low and your windows open, because it won't stay this poor for long. Forecasts can change. But as it stands, there's not a single day I'd be racing to the water for.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Sat afternoon. Warm (max 22°C on Sat afternoon, min 16°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (near gales from the WSW on Sat night, moderate winds from the SW by Sun afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 19°C on Mon afternoon, min 17°C on Mon night). Mainly fresh winds. | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | ||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 5 | W 6 | W 6 | WSW 5 | W 9 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 8 | W 6 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 5 | W 7 | W 6 | W 7 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 0 | 115 | 46 | 0 | 1204 | 141 | 41 | 0 | 551 | 213 | 41 | 40 | 40 | 15 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 229 | 153 | 171 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 00:14AM7.96m | 12:34PM8.02m | 00:45AM8.18m | 1:04PM8.20m | 1:16AM8.30m | 1:36PM8.26m | 1:50AM8.28m | 2:11PM8.18m | 2:27AM8.10m | 2:49PM7.96m | 3:09AM7.77m | 3:34PM7.59m | 4:00AM7.31m | |||||||
Low Tide | 6:33PM1.62m | 6:51AM1.25m | 7:07PM1.36m | 7:25AM1.05m | 7:42PM1.22m | 8:01AM1.02m | 8:19PM1.23m | 8:38AM1.15m | 8:57PM1.41m | 9:17AM1.46m | 9:38PM1.72m | 10:00AM1.90m | 10:26PM2.15m | |||||||
 |  |  |  |  | |  |  | | |  | |  | | | | |  | | | |
 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — |
 | 8:52 | — | — | 8:50 | — | — | 8:47 | — | — | 8:45 | — | — | 8:44 | — | — | 8:42 | — | — | 8:38 | — |
mm | 2 | — | — | 4 | 2 | — | 1 | 6 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 20 | 18 | 22 | 20 | 18 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 19 |
Feels °C | 15 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 11 | 14 | 18 | 16 | 11 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 18 | 17 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 5 | W 6 | W 6 | — | — | W 6 | W 6 | — | — | — | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 9 | W 8 | W 8 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 1 | 115 | 46 | — | — | 141 | 41 | — | — | — | 41 | 40 | 40 | 15 | 5 | 11 | — | — | — | — |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | W 9 | W 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 78 | 39 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 5 | — | SSW 3 | WSW 5 | W 9 | — | — | W 6 | W 8 | W 6 | W 6 | WNW 5 | W 4 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 4 | W 5 | W 7 | W 6 | W 7 |
| kJ | 34 | — | 7 | 80 | 1204 | — | — | 144 | 551 | 213 | 88 | 21 | 10 | 32 | 13 | 6 | 59 | 229 | 153 | 171 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 394 | 0 | 509 | 508 | 301 | 127 | 0 | 677 | 385 | 258 | 182 | 141 | 128 | 157 | 123 | 358 | 301 | 385 | 383 | 301 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Normandy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in France | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Etretat Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Etretat provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Etretat can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Etretat surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Etretat) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Etretat may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Etretat is 14 km (9 miles) from Fecamp. If you plan a holiday in Normandy, look for hotels and other accommodation in Fecamp. Fecamp has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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