
Surf Forecasts:
Etretat surf forecast from 8 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 11 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 6s period, NNE swell with 62 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Etretat this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Etretat in the next 16 days are 1.0m 6s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (CEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Tue 11th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Etretat over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
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.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Sun afternoon, min 15°C on Tue morning). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 34°C on Thu afternoon, min 19°C on Fri morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NE on Tue night, light winds from the SSE by Thu morning). | ||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | ||||||||||||||
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 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | WNW 5 | NE 4 | NE 5 | NNE 5 | E 3 | W 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 16 | 25 | 42 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 9 | 16 | 15 | 33 | 31 | 16 | 15 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-off | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 8:11AM6.77m | 8:43PM6.99m | 9:25AM7.03m | 9:51PM7.32m | 10:29AM7.41m | 10:49PM7.72m | 11:23AM7.80m | 11:40PM8.08m | 12:11PM8.11m | 00:25AM8.33m | 12:53PM8.28m | 1:07AM8.42m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:21AM2.78m | 3:00PM2.80m | 3:40AM2.40m | 4:12PM2.39m | 4:44AM1.84m | 5:10PM1.88m | 5:36AM1.30m | 5:59PM1.42m | 6:23AM0.89m | 6:44PM1.10m | 7:06AM0.67m | 7:26PM0.96m | |||||||
— | 6:39 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | |
9:30 | — | — | 9:28 | — | — | 9:25 | — | — | 9:24 | — | — | 9:22 | — | — | 9:21 | — | — | 9:19 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 24 | 22 | 25 | 21 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 32 | 34 | 28 | 19 | 22 | 21 |
Feels °C | 20 | 17 | 22 | 18 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 29 | 28 | 24 | 18 | 21 | 20 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 4 | NNE 4 | — | W 8 | W 8 | WNW 5 | — | W 8 | W 8 | NNE 6 | NNE 5 | WNW 10 | NNE 5 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | NW 5 |
4 | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | 7 | — | 1 | 1 | 52 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 33 | 31 | 16 | 8 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | — | — | W 8 | W 8 | — | — | W 8 | W 11 | W 8 | WNW 9 | NNE 5 | — | NNE 4 | NE 4 | — | WNW 9 |
2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 15 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSW 2 | W 3 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | N 3 | NE 4 | NE 5 | NNE 5 | E 3 | — | NNE 3 | — | — | NE 3 | — | WNW 3 | W 5 | W 4 |
— | 1 | 2 | 25 | 17 | 1 | 16 | 25 | 42 | 3 | — | 8 | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | 13 | 10 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 378 | 378 | 768 | 339 | 123 | 292 | 382 | 382 | 713 | 373 | 292 | 147 | 147 | 183 | 207 | 301 | 290 | 313 | 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.











