Surf Forecasts:
Etretat surf forecast from 27 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 30 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 9s period, W swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 30 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 8s period, W swell with 649 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 30 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 9s 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 Sunday (Aug 30) at 2PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 9s 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 2.3m 8s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 30) 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 1.5m 6s period and expected on Monday (Aug 31) at 11AM.
| Wave Type | Time (CEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2PM (Sun 30th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 2PM (Sun 30th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Sun 30th Aug) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Etretat over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Etretat. This is a reef break that’s exposed to the west and picks up a solid SW swell window. Water temps are sitting at 69°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – you could almost skip the wetsuit for a spring suit, which is a rare treat around here.
The next 16 days are a real mixed bag. It kicks off on Thursday, 27 August, with flat, tiny 0.6 ft waves from the west, a short 8-second period, and weak energy (5). Not worth paddling out for. That theme carries through Thursday and Friday – hardly any swell, and the wind’s all over the place. Saturday morning, 29 August, sees a bump to 3 ft from the west at 7 seconds, but it’s still weak (92) and the wind is a fresh 35 km/h cross-off. Not great.
Saturday afternoon, 29 August, things get a bit more interesting. Swell pushes to 4 ft from the WSW with a 7-second period, and the energy climbs to moderate (167). The wind is a strong 40 km/h offshore, which keeps the surface clean, but that’s a strong breeze – it’ll be a battle to paddle into anything. You’d want to be fit for that session.
Sunday, 30 August, is the first real standout. Morning brings 5 ft from the west at 7 seconds, with moderate energy (219) and a moderate offshore breeze from the SW. That’s clean, rideable, and consistent. The afternoon drops to 3 ft but the period stretches to 9 seconds, giving a bit more shape, and the wind goes glassy from the SW. This is your best window of the first week – clean, manageable, and the reef should start to line up.
Then it goes quiet again. Monday, 31 August, through to Wednesday, 2 September, the swell bottoms out, often showing zero energy or tiny dribbles (1.0 ft – 2 ft). A few clean windows but not enough wave to work with.
Thursday, 3 September, sees a spike to 4 ft from the west at just 6 seconds – short period, so it’ll be a bit mushy and disorganised, but the offshore wind from the SW, 30 km/h, keeps it clean. The energy is moderate (124). Still, not a classic.
Friday, 4 September, is the next real highlight. Morning swell hits 5 ft from the west, 7 seconds, with moderate energy (236). The wind is a light 10 km/h cross-shore, which leaves just small ripples on the surface – pretty clean. That’s a proper surfable size for the reef, and the light wind means it’s not a fight. The afternoon drops to 4 ft, still clean, but the morning is the pick.
After that, there’s a run of small, poor conditions through the first week of September. Saturday, 5 September, has 5 ft but the period is short at 7 seconds, and the wind is moderate offshore – again, clean but not special. Sunday, 6 September, is marginal at best.
Moving into the second week, the outlook is grim. Monday, 7 September, morning has no swell, and the afternoon pushes 6 ft from the WNW at 6 seconds (short period) with a cross-off wind – that’s going to be a choppy, messy 6 ft and not much fun. Tuesday and Wednesday, 8-9 September, are flat or tiny. Thursday, 10 September, has a north wind onshore, so that’s a write-off. Friday, 11 September, brings a 6 ft swell from the west, 7 seconds, with strong energy (321 and 332), but the wind is onshore from the NNE, so it’ll be chopped up and lumpy. That’s more of a windsurf or kite-session than a clean surf day.
Overall, the best is Sunday, 30 August, morning and afternoon, and Friday, 4 September, morning. Sunday has the best combo of clean offshore wind and consistent swell, while Friday has the biggest size with light wind. If you’ve got to pick one, Sunday 30 August is the standout – glassy, manageable, and the reef should be working nicely.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 23mm), heaviest during Thu morning. Warm (max 21°C on Thu afternoon, min 16°C on Sat morning). Winds increasing (calm on Thu afternoon, strong winds from the WSW by Sat night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Sun night. Warm (max 21°C on Sun afternoon, min 17°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SW on Sun afternoon, fresh winds from the WSW by Mon morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | 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 | W 8 | W 8 | W 5 | W 7 | W 7 | WSW 7 | W 8 | W 7 | W 9 | W 9 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 461 | 92 | 167 | 649 | 176 | 162 | 39 | 0 | 0 | 89 | 41 | 54 | 24 | 12 | 12 | 5 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | glassy | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 11:33AM7.41m | 11:43PM7.66m | 12:04PM7.75m | 00:14AM7.96m | 12:34PM8.02m | 00:45AM8.18m | 1:04PM8.20m | 1:16AM8.30m | 1:36PM8.26m | 1:50AM8.28m | 2:11PM8.18m | 2:27AM8.10m | 2:49PM7.96m | 3:09AM7.77m | |||||||
Low Tide | 5:59PM2.00m | 6:17AM1.57m | 6:33PM1.62m | 6:51AM1.25m | 7:07PM1.36m | 7:25AM1.05m | 7:42PM1.22m | 8:01AM1.02m | 8:19PM1.23m | 8:38AM1.15m | 8:57PM1.41m | 9:17AM1.46m | 9:38PM1.72m | ||||||||
7:05 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | |
— | 8:53 | — | — | 8:52 | — | — | 8:50 | — | — | 8:47 | — | — | 8:45 | — | — | 8:44 | — | — | 8:42 | — | |
mm | 10 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | — | 5 | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 17 |
Feels °C | 19 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 19 | 18 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 4 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | N 5 | — | W 7 | — | — | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | — | — | WNW 9 | W 9 | — | WNW 8 | WNW 4 | W 8 | W 8 |
1 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 1 | — | 92 | — | — | 43 | 162 | 39 | — | — | 29 | 41 | — | 24 | 7 | 12 | 5 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 8 | NE 5 | N 5 | N 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 8 | — | — |
5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SW 3 | W 4 | W 5 | W 7 | SSW 4 | WSW 7 | W 8 | W 7 | — | WSW 4 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | WNW 5 | W 9 | WNW 4 | — | WNW 4 | W 5 |
— | — | 3 | 7 | 27 | 461 | 26 | 167 | 649 | 176 | — | 27 | 160 | 149 | 89 | 20 | 54 | 5 | — | 4 | 17 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 373 | 373 | 301 | 301 | 447 | 58 | 540 | 561 | 301 | 282 | 0 | 476 | 334 | 339 | 301 | 141 | 141 | 301 | 301 | 344 | 281 |
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.











