Etretat Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a long, hard look at what’s on the table for the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – this is a tough run.

We’re kicking off a dry spell that lasts a good while. From Monday the 20th of July all the way through the morning of Saturday the 26th, there’s just nothing doing. The surf is tiny, the wind is mostly onshore or cross-on, and the energy is pathetic. You’re looking at weak, short-period windswell that’s barely a ripple. The water is sitting at 66°F, which is 5°F warmer than normal for this time of year – very unusual, feels like a warm bath, but it doesn’t help the waves.

The first real pulse of energy shows up on Sunday the 26th of July. The swell builds to 6ft from the west, with a short period of 6 seconds. The combined energy climbs to 269 (moderate), but the wind is a cross-shore breeze, so it’s going to be a bit lumpy. It’s only marginal. Not worth getting excited about. By the afternoon, the swell ticks up to 6ft, period hits 7 seconds, energy jumps to 331, and the wind improves to a cross-offshore. That’s the cleanest it gets, but the wave quality is still just “marginal” – it’s a beach and reef setup, and with that short period, it’s going to be fat and sectiony. Honestly, for a spot like Etretat (France), this setup might be more interesting for the kite surfers than paddle surfers.

Then we go flat again. Monday the 27th through Thursday the 30th of July is a total blank. Zero energy, just clean, empty sea state. No surf.

Things nudge back to life on Friday the 31st of July. The morning brings a 4ft west swell, period 6 seconds, energy 91 (weak). The wind is a light cross-offshore, so it’ll be clean. The comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” That’s the best we get. The rest of that day and the weekend are tiny again, with the odd knee-high ripple.

Looking further out, the first week of August is a write-off. Monday the 3rd and Tuesday the 4th show zero surf, with some offshore wind on the Tuesday morning, but no waves to ride.

So, the one true standout, if you can call it that, is the afternoon of Sunday the 26th of July. The swell is 6ft from the west with a cross-offshore breeze, making it as clean as it’s going to get. It’s the only window with any size and decent wind. But with a 7-second period, it’s not going to be a classic. It’s a consolation prize. For the rest of the 16 days, you’re better off doing something else. This is a long, normal gap for this area – it happens.

Rusty.

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