
Surf Forecasts:
Le Petit Train surf forecast from 24 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 28 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 10s period, NW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 26 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 7s period, WNW swell with 362 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 28 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 10s period with NW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Le Petit Train this week:
The surf forecast for Le Petit Train over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 10s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Le Petit Train in the next 16 days are 1.8m 7s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 4s period and expected on Friday (Jul 24) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (CEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Tue 28th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Tue 28th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Sun 26th Jul) | 6ft (1.8m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Le Petit Train over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here again. Let’s be straight with you – this stretch ain’t exactly firing. We’ve got a long, quiet run ahead, so keep your hopes in check. The first real sign of life is a couple weeks out.
For the first week and a half, from Friday the 24th of July right through to the 31st, it’s pretty much a write-off. The water is sitting at a very unusual 77°, which is a hefty 7° warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s a proper anomaly. The only spot on the radar is Le Petit Train, but it’s an inconsistent beginner break that’s exposed to the west. The swell is tiny, mostly around 0.7ft to 2ft, with short-period dribble and the wind is almost always onshore or cross-on. The combined wave energy barely cracks 100 (12-96) for most of that period, so you’re looking at flat, choppy, and messy conditions. The best you’ll see is Tuesday morning the 28th, with a light 5 mph cross-off breeze from the south cleaning up some 3ft, 10-second groundswell from the WNW. The energy is moderate at 171, but it’s still a “surfable but very ordinary” scenario. Not a standout.
After a flat start to August, we finally get a glimpse of hope. Sunday morning the 2nd of August looks like the pick of the whole forecast. The wind swings to a light 5 mph cross-off from the NE, leaving the surface glassy and clean. The swell is a waist-high 3ft from the WNW, with a solid 11-second period that’ll give the waves some shape and push. The combined energy is strong at 321, and the forecast says “expect good surf conditions.” This is the one to circle. It’s not big, but it’ll be clean and fun. Get on it if you can.
Monday the 3rd of August has a bit more size, with 5ft to 6ft of WNW swell, but the wind is straight onshore (WNW to NW at 10-15 mph) and the energy is pumping (582-740). That’s a lot of juice, but with the wind ruining the face, it’s going to be a bumpy, blown-out mess. That’s expert territory due to the size, but it’s not worth it with the wind.
After that, it fades back into small, onshore slop, with the combined energy dropping back under 200 and the wave heights shrinking to 3ft or less through the 8th of August. The consistency is just not there for this spot.
So, the honest call: if you need a surf, the standout is Sunday morning, 2nd of August. It’s the only window where the stars align for a clean, fun session. The rest of the 16 days is a long, flat spell with a few brief pulses of wind-affected swell. Sometimes that’s just how it goes here.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Sun night. Warm (max 28°C on Fri afternoon, min 19°C on Fri morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the ENE on Fri morning, fresh winds from the NW by Sat night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 30°C on Tue night, min 19°C on Mon afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | |||||||||||||||
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 9 | W 9 | NNW 4 | WSW 6 | WSW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | NW 10 | WNW 10 | NW 10 | NW 9 | NW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | NW 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
6 | 6 | 13 | 135 | 99 | 362 | 185 | 93 | 91 | 90 | 246 | 220 | 171 | 139 | 90 | 84 | 71 | 70 | 71 | 68 | 86 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross | on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 1:52PM2.80m | 2:30AM2.75m | 2:56PM2.91m | 3:28AM2.87m | 3:47PM3.08m | 4:13AM3.03m | 4:29PM3.26m | 4:51AM3.18m | 5:05PM3.45m | 5:26AM3.32m | 5:39PM3.60m | 5:59AM3.42m | 6:12PM3.71m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:53PM1.26m | 8:18AM1.26m | 8:56PM1.14m | 9:15AM1.13m | 9:46PM0.97m | 10:01AM0.95m | 10:29PM0.78m | 10:41AM0.76m | 11:08PM0.60m | 11:18AM0.60m | 11:44PM0.46m | 11:52AM0.47m | 00:18AM0.36m | ||||||||
6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | |
— | — | 9:39 | — | — | 9:38 | — | — | 9:37 | — | — | 9:37 | — | — | 9:36 | — | — | 9:35 | — | — | 9:34 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 25 | 28 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 28 | 30 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 23 | 24 | 24 |
Feels °C | 22 | 24 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 21 | 25 | 27 | 21 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 4 | N 4 | NNW 4 | NW 6 | NW 7 | — | — | W 12 | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | WNW 10 | NW 10 | WNW 10 | NW 10 | NW 9 | NW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | — |
3 | 1 | 13 | 25 | 54 | — | — | 3 | 91 | 90 | 246 | 220 | 171 | 139 | 90 | 84 | 71 | 70 | 71 | 68 | — | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 5 | W 9 | — | — | W 11 | — | — | — | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 3 | — | — | — |
3 | 6 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | 23 | 86 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 4 | — | — | — |
6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NW 2 | W 4 | WSW 6 | WSW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 4 | — | — | — | NW 8 |
— | 1 | 10 | 135 | 99 | 362 | 185 | 93 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | 86 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 575 | 1065 | 170 | 575 | 355 | 165 | 227 | 701 | 170 | 102 | 184 | 29 | 0 | 175 | 0 | 16 | 245 | 145 | 87 | 538 | 155 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gironde | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in France | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Le Petit Train Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Le Petit Train provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Le Petit Train can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Le Petit Train 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 (Le Petit Train) 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 Le Petit Train 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.
Le Petit Train is 8 km (5 miles) from Arcachon. If you plan a holiday in Gironde, look for hotels and other accommodation in Arcachon. Arcachon has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










