Hourtin Plage Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Hourtin Plage has in store for us over the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a classic setup on our hands: a long, exposed beach break in France, picking up a consistent diet of WNW groundswell. It’s not going to be pumping every single day, and the wind is going to be the real story here, but there are a couple of windows where everything lines up beautifully. The water is about average for this time of year, so no need to dig out the 5/4 just yet.

Right off the bat, we’re not jumping into anything special. The first real opportunity to get wet comes Sunday, September 13th. The morning is the clear standout for this early part of the run. We’ve got a clean 4 ft of WNW groundswell with a 13-second period, giving the waves some decent shape and energy (367). But the real beauty is the wind – offshore and glassy from the east at only 3 mph. This is going to be clean, lined-up beach break surf. It’s an exposed spot, so it won't be tiny, and with that period, expect some nice walls. There is moderate wave energy. The afternoon goes to hell though, as a strong NNW cross-shore kicks up to 12 mph and trashes the surface. So make sure you’re in the water early.

Monday the 14th drops off a touch in size to 3 ft, but the morning is still cross-offshore and rideable for the more experienced crew. The wind is light, so it’ll be cleaner than the forecast suggests, but the energy is moderate at best (187). Tuesday the 15th is tiny, with only 2 ft on offer, but the morning has a glassy surface with that SW airflow. It’s a blip of calm, but not worth paddling out for. Wednesday and Thursday see a bump in swell – 4 ft and 5 ft – but each day is wrecked by strong onshore or cross-shore winds from the north and northwest. The energy is ramping up (427 on Thursday morning), but the surface is going to be a complete chop fest. This is kite-surfing conditions, not surfing conditions.

Now, hold onto your board shorts, because Saturday, September 19th, is our first true standout. The morning is special. We’re looking at a solid 5 ft of WNW groundswell with a lovely 14-second period, producing very strong wave energy (756). That’s a lot of power. But the kicker? The wind goes glassy, dead calm from the SSE at 3 mph. This is a rare treat for Hourtin Plage. You can expect long-period groundswell lines, good shape, and zero wind-texture. This will be a proper session for intermediate to advanced surfers. The size is manageable, but the power is real. Crowds are sometimes an issue here, and on a morning like this, expect company.

Sunday, September 20th, gives us another chance. The morning has 3 ft of groundswell, but the period is a very impressive 15 seconds. That’s proper energy moving through (508). The wind is a clean cross-off from the NE at 6 mph. The waves will be lined up and clean, though the smaller size means it’s for the log or a fish. The swell direction is NW, which is not quite the optimum westerly, but the quality is still high.

After that, the story changes. For the last week of September and into the first days of October, the swell fades significantly. From Monday the 21st, we see a slow decline in size – 5 ft down to 0.7 ft by the 28th. The energy drops from moderate (862) to very weak (8). There are some clean mornings with cross-offshore winds, but the waves are just too small to get excited about. A few days in late September, like the 23rd and 24th, offer clean, 1 ft to 2 ft waves, but they are weak and lack push. It’s a long, flat spell coming in the second week.

So, the call is clear: Sunday the 13th morning for a great, clean kick-off, and Saturday the 19th morning for the standout session of the forecast. That’s the one to circle on your calendar. The rest is a waiting game for the next proper swell.

Rusty.

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