Etretat Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let me level with you. I've been looking at the charts for our local zone, and if you're hoping for a classic French beach break session at Etretat over the next couple of weeks, I've got some bad news. This is a pretty bleak stretch ahead. We're looking at a long, frustrating gap with nothing rideable on the table for days on end. The whole 16-day window is a write-off for decent waves, so don't hold your breath.

Right now, starting Sunday the 9th of August, it's flat. We're talking about a tiny 0.3 ft slop out of the west with a 9-second period. The combined swell energy is a measly 2, which is barely a ripple. Wind is a moderate breeze from the south, 15.5 mph, blowing cross-offshore which would usually be good, but there's nothing for it to groom. It's just a sad, clean lake out there. Monday and Tuesday are the same story – tiny, weak, and poor. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprise there.

This poor run doesn't let up. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday – still flat with 0.3 ft to 1.3 ft dribble. The energy figures are stuck in the low teens. We get some clean conditions on Thursday morning with a light SSE breeze, but on 1 ft waves, you're just floating. There's a slight bump on the 16th of August, Sunday afternoon, with 3.3 ft but it's from the NNE with a short, weak 5-second period and a 15.5 mph onshore wind making it choppy. Forget it.

The only flicker of something comes on Wednesday the 19th of August. We see a 3.3 ft swell from the west with a 6-second period, and the energy jumps to 71, which is still weak. The morning has a gentle offshore breeze, so it would be clean, but that short period means the waves will be soft and crumbly. It's not worth the paddle for the size. The next day, Thursday the 20th, shows 2.3 ft from the west with a 6-second period and a light 3.1 mph wind, but again, it's weak and sloppy.

Look, there is literally no standout session in this forecast. Not one. The surf quality is marked as "poor" for every single entry, and the scores are all zero. The best we can say is that on the 19th, if you were absolutely desperate and just wanted to get wet with clean conditions and a tiny waist-high wave, you might find a close-out close to shore. But for any real surfer? Save your energy. This is one of those stretches where the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing if any wind gets up, because the swell just isn't there for us.

Keep an eye on it, but for now, don't bother waxing up. The board stays in the car.

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