
Surf Forecasts:
Le Petit Train surf forecast from 6 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 7 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 6s period, NW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 12 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 10s period, WNW swell with 111 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 7 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 6s 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 Friday (Aug 07) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Le Petit Train in the next 16 days are 0.8m 10s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (CEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Fri 7th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Fri 7th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Wed 12th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Le Petit Train over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, let’s be honest right off the bat. I’ve taken a good, hard look at what’s coming our way, and the news ain’t great. The whole 16-day window is a bit of a write-off. There’s no quality surf on offer here at all. The swell is tiny, the wind is rarely right, and the few moments that are surfable are just not worth getting excited about. It’s one of those flat spells that’s more normal for this area than we’d like.
The first few days are a real struggle. Thursday the 6th of August, we’ve got some small swell at 3ft from the WNW, but the wind is a cross-on mess from the NNW, making it choppy and poor. The combined wave energy is weak (107). By Friday morning the 7th, it goes glassy, and the swell drops to 2ft, but the period is a short 6 seconds, so it’s just weak, ordinary waves. That’s the best we’ll see for a while, and it’s nothing to write home about.
We then hit a long, dry spell. From Saturday the 8th right through to Wednesday the 19th of August, the swell is mostly below 2ft, the wind is often cross-on or onshore, and the few moments of glassy conditions just don’t have enough push behind them. The energy readings are all in the double digits or low triple digits, which is weak. It’s a real stretch of nothingness.
There’s a flicker of life on the 13th of August, with a clean, cross-off wind and a 2ft swell from the west, but it’s still just a 1/10 kind of day. The only time the energy gets anywhere near interesting is around the 18th of August, with a 4ft swell from the WNW, but the wind is a solid cross-on 12-16 mph, making it choppy and horrible. The combined energy is moderate (177), but with that wind, you’d be fighting a losing battle. This setup would be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
The absolute best of a bad bunch is Friday morning, the 7th of August. At Le Petit Train, the water is a warm 75°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year. The wind is calm and glassy, so the surface will be perfect. But the swell is only 2ft with a short period of 6 seconds, so the waves will be small and weak. The combined swell energy is weak (49). It’s surfable, but only just. It’s a beginner-friendly wave, but it’s inconsistent and likely to be crowded. Still, if you’re desperate for a paddle, that’s your window.
For the rest of the run, there’s nothing. A few more glassy mornings pop up, like the 10th and 12th of August, but the swell is too small to do anything with. The forecast is reliable for the near term, and it’s just a long, flat, disappointing period. Forecasts can change, but right now, I’d be dusting off the longboard or finding something else to do.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Warm (max 24°C on Fri night, min 18°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Mon morning. Warm (max 23°C on Sun afternoon, min 20°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WNW 8 | NW 8 | NW 5 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NW 5 | NW 5 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 | W 11 | W 10 | W 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
98 | 82 | 45 | 32 | 29 | 8 | 13 | 7 | 12 | 39 | 38 | 34 | 32 | 32 | 52 | 26 | 53 | 17 | 21 | 52 | 61 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | on | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 10:25AM3.09m | 10:58PM3.07m | 11:38AM2.99m | 00:23AM2.97m | 1:06PM3.02m | 1:54AM3.03m | 2:28PM3.22m | 3:10AM3.24m | 3:34PM3.53m | 4:09AM3.49m | 4:28PM3.84m | 4:59AM3.71m | 5:16PM4.09m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:36PM0.92m | 5:13AM0.99m | 5:52PM1.02m | 6:33AM1.07m | 7:18PM0.96m | 7:54AM0.98m | 8:37PM0.74m | 9:03AM0.75m | 9:40PM0.44m | 10:00AM0.48m | 10:33PM0.16m | 10:49AM0.23m | 11:20PM-0.05m | ||||||||
6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | |
— | — | 9:24 | — | — | 9:22 | — | — | 9:22 | — | — | 9:20 | — | — | 9:19 | — | — | 9:16 | — | — | 9:15 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 25 | 26 |
Feels °C | 18 | 16 | 17 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 24 | 21 | 20 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 22 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 8 | WNW 10 | NW 5 | NW 6 | W 10 | NNW 4 | NW 5 | NW 5 | NW 5 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | W 6 | NW 8 | NW 8 | W 10 | W 9 |
98 | 19 | 45 | 32 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 7 | 5 | 39 | 38 | 34 | 32 | 32 | 52 | 26 | 1 | 17 | 21 | 52 | 61 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 11 | — | NW 7 | W 10 | — | NW 6 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 11 | NNW 6 | W 6 | WNW 4 | NW 4 | W 7 | W 7 | NW 5 | — | WNW 10 | W 11 | — | NNW 4 |
9 | — | 9 | 17 | — | 8 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | — | 10 | 21 | — | 5 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | W 10 | — | — | W 9 | — | — | W 9 | W 7 | NW 6 | W 7 | W 7 | — | — | W 7 | — | W 6 | W 6 | — | — |
— | — | 17 | — | — | 7 | — | — | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | — | — | 3 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NW 8 | — | — | NW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 3 | — | — | NW 4 | — | — | NW 8 | NNW 5 | — | NW 7 | — |
— | 82 | — | — | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 3 | — | — | 53 | 10 | — | 19 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 22 | 184 | 111 | 0 | 696 | 165 | 872 | 446 | 165 | 0 | 184 | 0 | 8 | 184 | 116 | 56 | 184 | 115 | 0 | 265 | 2 |
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.











