Etretat Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – the next 16 days are a real struggle for Etretat. There’s a big dry patch to start, and we’re looking at a long wait before anything even sniffs rideable.

We kick off on Monday 3rd August, but honestly, don’t bother. Swell is a tiny 0.7 ft from the west, and that wind is howling onshore from the NNE at 12 mph. The combined energy is a pitiful 11 – flat as a pancake. That water temperature is sitting at 68°, which is a massive 6° warmer than normal for this time of year, making it feel unusual. But it doesn’t matter because there’s no surf.

The whole first week is a write-off. Tuesday 4th and Wednesday 5th are dead with zero swell energy. Thursday 6th, nothing. Even when we get a tiny pulse on Friday 7th morning of 2 ft, the period is only 5 seconds – that’s junk, short-period windslop. Combined energy is just 23. It’s not worth getting wet.

We finally get a sniff of something on Thursday 13th August. The afternoon shows a 4 ft swell from the NNE, with a period of 5 seconds. The combined energy climbs to 87, which is still weak, but it’s the first time we see surfable waves. The wind is cross-offshore from the WNW at 9 mph, so it’s clean. Still, those waves are short-period, and it’s only just surfable. This is the best it gets, but it’s nothing to write home about. The reef at Etretat is consistent, and it’s exposed to the SW swell, but this NNE direction is not ideal for the spot. It’s a beginner-friendly spot, but this swell is underwhelming.

Friday 14th August is similar. The afternoon sees 4 ft from the NNE, period 5 seconds, and the energy is 89. Wind is light from the WNW, keeping it clean. Again, just barely surfable. It’s not a standout, it’s just the only real option after a long, flat gap.

The rest of the period into the second week fades back to tiny, weak swell. We get a few days of 2 ft or less, and the energy drops back into the teens and twenties. Not worth a paddle.

So, the honest truth? There’s no real standout here. The only period that even offers a wave is Thursday 13th through Friday 14th August, and even then it’s marginal. The water is freakishly warm, but the swell is flat and short-period. For a spot that’s usually consistent, this is a barren run. If you’re a kiter, the wind on days like Wednesday 5th with 22 mph cross-off might interest you, but for a surfer? Save your energy.

Rusty.

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