Etretat Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, this is Rusty. Looking at the next 16 days for the Etretat area, I have to be honest with you – it's a pretty bleak picture. The first real chance of a surfable wave doesn't pop up until Thursday, July 23rd. That's a solid week and a half of flat, blown-out nothingness. For a spot that's consistent, it's a frustrating run, but it happens.

The water temperature is a talking point, though. When we get to that first event, the water is 67°F, which is a massive 7°F warmer than average for this time of year. That's very unusual, so you'll be in a warm bathtub.

Let's get into the detail. From Sunday, July 12th, right through to Tuesday, July 21st, it's dead. The swell is tiny, sometimes non-existent, and when there is a little bump, it's from the wrong direction (NNE) with a short, weak period of 5-6 seconds. The wind is mostly howling straight onshore, tearing up any hope of a clean wave. The wave energy is pathetic – the combined energy (50) on Sunday the 12th just shows how weak it is. Save your energy.

There's a tiny moment on the 16th, Thursday, but it's 0.3ft. Not worth a look.

Now, the one and only chance. Thursday, July 23rd. The afternoon shows some life. The swell builds to 5ft from the west, with a period of 6 seconds (short-period windswell), and the total energy hits 156 (moderate). The wind will be a light, cross-offshore breeze, which is a big tick for clean conditions. The break at Etretat is a consistent reef, and while the west swell isn't the perfect angle (it prefers SW), it should still wrap in and produce some fun, albeit slightly crumbly, waves. The light wind is the key factor here – it will make the surface glassy. The crowds are "sometimes," so expect a few locals to be out, but it won't be a zoo.

After that, the 24th kicks up a bit more windswell, but the wind cranks to 25-30 mph, making it a messy, choppy affair. The rest of the second week just fades back into tiny, weak bumps with cross-offshore winds. The models are showing small, short-period leftovers for the second week, and the wind is just enough to keep it clean but small.

So, bottom line: the whole 16-day window is a write-off except for the afternoon of Thursday, July 23rd. That's your only shot at a clean, waist-high wave at Etretat. It's not a classic, but it's the best we've got.

Rusty.

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