Surf Forecasts:
Etretat surf forecast from 21 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 28 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 6s period, W swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 28 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 6s period, W swell with 176 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 28 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 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 Friday (Aug 28) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m 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 1.5m 6s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 28) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 5s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 27) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (CEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Fri 28th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Fri 28th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Fri 28th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Etretat over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let's talk about Etretat. It's a classic reef setup, and for the next little while, it's going to be a real mixed bag, mostly a frustrating wait for something decent.
Right from the get-go, Friday the 21st is a write-off. We've got weak, short-period chop from the north, about 2ft, and a cross-on wind that's just going to mess it up completely. The water is feeling much warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at 69°, which is a solid 6° above average. Pretty unusual.
That flat, poor-quality spell stretches out for days. The whole weekend of the 22nd and 23rd is basically nothing, with tiny, wind-affected waves. The start of the next week, Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th, is still flat and messy. We're looking at a gap of nearly a week before anything even slightly interesting shows up.
Things *finally* start to change around the end of August. On Monday the 31st, we get a pulse of 5ft swell from the west, but the period is a short 6 seconds, and the conditions are just ordinary. Not worth getting too excited about.
Now, if you can hold out, there's a promising window. Thursday, the 3rd of September morning, is the first real standout. The wind is dead calm, glassy, and the swell is a clean 6ft from the WSW with a moderate energy (230). It'll be a bit much for beginners, but for the rest of us, that's a proper session ahead.
Then, Friday the 4th of September morning is the pick of the entire forecast. This is the one to circle on your calendar. We're looking at a solid 7ft of groundswell from the WNW, with a 7-second period and a massive energy reading of 518. Light offshore winds from the SSW will groom it to perfection. This is expert territory at that size, but for the experienced crew, it's going to be firing. The waves will have some real grunt to them, and the offshore wind will hold the faces open. Just be aware that at this size, a reef break like Etretat can get pretty heavy.
After that, it fades fast into Saturday the 5th with tiny leftovers.
So, to sum it up: forget the next week. The real action is on Thursday the 3rd for a clean, moderate session, and Friday the 4th for a proper, expert-level swell with perfect winds. That's where your energy should go.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Warm (max 24°C on Mon afternoon, min 14°C on Sun morning). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Thu morning. Warm (max 25°C on Tue afternoon, min 17°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the ENE on Mon night, light winds from the SW by Wed afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | ||||||||||||||
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 8 | W 8 | N 4 | NE 4 | W 9 | NE 4 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NNE 6 | NE 5 | NE 6 | W 10 | W 9 | WSW 4 | W 4 | W 4 | W 8 | W 6 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 12 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 15 | 23 | 33 | 50 | 41 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 176 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on | cross-off | off | cross | cross-off | off | off | off |
High Tide | 6:51AM6.06m | 7:26PM6.14m | 8:11AM6.04m | 8:41PM6.24m | 9:21AM6.26m | 9:42PM6.53m | 10:15AM6.62m | 10:30PM6.90m | 10:58AM7.02m | 11:09PM7.29m | 11:33AM7.41m | 11:43PM7.66m | |||||||
Low Tide | 00:32AM3.54m | 1:07PM3.75m | 2:05AM3.66m | 2:46PM3.73m | 3:29AM3.40m | 3:57PM3.39m | 4:24AM2.96m | 4:45PM2.93m | 5:06AM2.47m | 5:23PM2.45m | 5:42AM1.99m | 5:59PM2.00m | |||||||
 |  |  |  | | |  |  | |  | | |  | | | |  | | | |
 | — | 6:58 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — |
 | 9:06 | — | — | 9:04 | — | — | 9:01 | — | — | 9:00 | — | 8:58 | — | — | 8:55 | — | — | 8:53 | — |
mm | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 4 | — | — | 1 | 6 | 1 | 2 |
Temp °C | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 24 | 24 | 21 | 25 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 19 |
Feels °C | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 23 | 19 | 18 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 8 | W 8 | W 6 | W 8 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 10 | W 10 | — | NE 5 | W 9 | NNE 4 | W 9 | WSW 4 | W 4 | — | W 8 | — |
| kJ | 12 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 1 | — | 30 | — |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 4 | — | W 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 6 | NE 6 | W 9 | W 8 | — | — | — |
| kJ | 2 | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 10 | — | N 6 | N 6 | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 4 | N 4 | N 4 | NE 4 | ENE 4 | NE 4 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NNE 6 | — | NE 6 | — | WSW 4 | — | — | W 4 | W 4 | W 6 |
| kJ | 4 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 15 | 23 | 33 | 50 | 41 | — | 9 | — | 6 | — | — | 15 | 9 | 176 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 339 | 208 | 183 | 423 | 306 | 340 | 363 | 382 | 385 | 339 | 215 | 377 | 370 | 358 | 377 | 301 | 118 | 176 | 0 |
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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