Etretat Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's break down what's happening for the Etretat area.

Right off the bat, we're looking at a long, dry spell. For the next week and a half, the swell is tiny and the wind is all over the place. The energy coming through the water is weak, with combined swell readings struggling to get past the low hundreds. It's a stubborn pattern, and the wait’s gonna test your patience. The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Starting Sunday, the 23rd of August, we see a 0.7ft swell from the west with a 9-second period, but the wind is a cross-on from the ENE at 16 mph, making for choppy, messy conditions. That afternoon, the wind kicks up to 22 mph from the NE, and we’re looking at a measly 2ft, 4-second windswell. Not worth paddling out for.

Monday the 24th is more of the same—a bit of a bump in swell to 3ft, but it's short-period, onshore junk. The wind is honking from the east at 22 mph, making it lumpy. The combined energy is only 40, which is weak. You’d be fighting a losing battle.

Tuesday the 25th sees a drop to almost nothing again, with a little rain and a risk of thunderstorms. The afternoon shows a 2ft, 3-second spike from the NE, but that’s just wind chop. Not surfable.

Wednesday the 26th morning, the wind finally swings offshore from the WSW at 9 mph, and the water looks clean. But the swell is a pathetic 0.3ft, with a 10-second period. The energy is just 2—barely a ripple. It’s clean, but there’s nothing to ride.

Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th keep the offshore winds, but the swell stays tiny, maxing out at 2ft on Friday afternoon with a 9-second period. The combined energy hits 73 on Friday, but it’s still not enough to get excited about. Clean, yes, but flat.

Now, Saturday the 29th of August is the one day that raises an eyebrow. We get a jump to 7ft from the west, with a 7-second period. The wind is cross-off from the WSW at 28 mph, which is strong, but it’s clean. The combined energy climbs to 374 (moderate wave energy). This is a chunky, raw swell, but that 7-second period means it’s windswell, not a smooth groundswell. It’s going to be lumpy, powerful, and a bit of a handful. At 7ft, it’s pushing into the territory where it’s only for experienced surfers. The wind is strong, so it’s going to be a battle. This is a maybe, if you’re desperate for a wave, but don’t expect perfection.

After that, Sunday the 30th goes flat again, with no swell recorded. Monday the 31st kicks back up to 6ft from the WNW with a 6-second period, and the wind is cross-off at 28 mph. The combined energy is 237. It’s another messy, windy swell. Not great.

From the 1st of September onwards, it’s back to small, weak swells. Tuesday the 1st drops to 3ft, and by the 7th of September, we’re looking at a 0.3ft, 11-second period groundswell, but with a 12 mph offshore wind. The combined energy is only 4. That’s clean but completely flat. Absolutely no standouts in the second week. The whole 16-day window is a write-off for any decent surf.

In summary, there’s not a single day I’d call a standout. The best you can hope for is the 29th of August, but even that’s a rough, windy mess. For a reef break like Etretat, which needs a specific swell direction, the look is poor. Honestly, this stretch of coast is locked in a poor pattern. Kite surfers might get a kick out of the strong winds on the 29th and 31st, but for paddle surfing, it’s a long wait.

Rusty.

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