Surf Forecasts:
Les Dunes surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 21 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 9s period, WNW swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 9s period, WNW swell with 293 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 9s period with WNW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Les Dunes this week:
The surf forecast for Les Dunes over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 9s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-shore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Les Dunes in the next 16 days are 1.3m 9s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 23) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (CEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Les Dunes over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s cut to the chase. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for waves around here. We’re in for a long stretch of tiny, chopped-up surf before anything with any real push shows up. For the first few days, we’re talking dribbly 1ft to 3ft slop with a lot of cross-shore and onshore wind, just making a mess of everything. The energy is weak too, with combined readings in the single digits and teens for the first couple of days. Not even worth paddling out for.
There’s a slight tease of cleaner conditions on Saturday the 22nd morning. We get a bit of offshore wind, but the swell is still tiny at 2ft, so you’ll be hunting for a bump. The energy is right at the bare minimum to get a push. It’s surfable, but you’ll be on a foamie, fighting for any little ripple. That’s about as good as it gets for the first week, I’m afraid.
The following few days just fade out again, with waves dropping to nothing on the 24th and 25th. Energy readings are down to 8-16, so the ocean is basically a lake. You’re better off going for a paddle or a swim.
Now, the long-range charts are starting to show something for the last day of the forecast, Wednesday the 2nd of September. We’re looking at a proper pulse of swell, with the size jumping up to 4ft and the period stretching out to a nice 12 seconds. The combined energy is reading a solid 432, which is a real step up from the weak stuff we’ve been dealing with. It’s mostly light winds for that morning, which gets the hopes up for some clean conditions.
However, and it’s a big however, at 4ft with that long period, this is likely to be blowing out the sandbars at Les Dunes (Camargue). The guidance says it might even be too big for the break. It’s a beach break, and a long-period groundswell like that can tend to close out and be a bit of a mess. It’s a promising sign that there’s finally some energy in the water, but it’s not a guarantee of epic waves. It could be a bit of a close-out fest. Still, it’s the only real standout on the whole board, a distant promise after a long, flat spell.
It’s been a poor run, folks. Let’s hope those longer period swells start making a habit of showing up.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Wed afternoon, min 18°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Sat night. Warm (max 20°C on Sat afternoon, min 14°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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 5 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 4 | W 8 | W 8 | WNW 6 | WNW 5 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | W 9 | WNW 8 | W 9 | W 8 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 29 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 41 | 50 | 43 | 110 | 220 | 193 | 123 | 57 | 49 | 27 | 35 | 24 | 14 | 6 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | off | cross | cross-off | off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 8:32PM3.95m | 8:47AM3.69m | 9:03PM3.61m | 9:19AM3.43m | 9:39PM3.27m | 10:00AM3.17m | 10:32PM2.96m | 11:17AM2.94m | 00:57AM2.80m | 1:45PM2.94m | 2:34AM2.91m | 2:58PM3.13m | 3:30AM3.12m | ||||||
Low Tide | 2:53AM0.46m | 3:11PM0.62m | 3:34AM0.82m | 3:57PM0.97m | 4:20AM1.17m | 4:50PM1.29m | 5:17AM1.46m | 5:57PM1.52m | 6:29AM1.61m | 7:17PM1.56m | 7:49AM1.56m | 8:32PM1.40m | |||||||
 | | |  |  | |  | | | | | | |  | |  | | | | |
 | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — |
 | 9:14 | — | — | 9:13 | — | — | 9:10 | — | — | 9:08 | — | — | 9:07 | — | — | 9:06 | — | — | 9:04 |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 19 | 20 |
Feels °C | 19 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 9 | WNW 5 | WNW 7 | W 8 | W 8 | WNW 6 | W 10 | WNW 10 | W 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 |
| kJ | 8 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 3 | 47 | 36 | 47 | 220 | 193 | 123 | 57 | 25 | 25 | 35 | 24 | 14 | 6 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 8 | WNW 8 | W 9 | — | WNW 5 | W 10 | W 8 | — | W 9 | — | — | — | — | W 9 | — | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | N 4 | NW 7 |
| kJ | 1 | 11 | 2 | — | 3 | 8 | 1 | — | 15 | — | — | — | — | 26 | — | 21 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | W 8 | — | — | W 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 7 | — |
| kJ | — | — | 1 | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 5 | — | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | W 8 | WNW 6 | WNW 5 | WNW 9 | — | — | — | NW 3 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | NW 4 | NNE 3 | — | — |
| kJ | 29 | — | 7 | 9 | 3 | 41 | 50 | 43 | 110 | — | — | — | 3 | 49 | 27 | 9 | 4 | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 21 | 226 | 388 | 237 | 226 | 182 | 22 | 218 | 68 | 9 | 9 | 68 | 9 | 0 | 22 | 9 | 33 | 277 | 264 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Vendee | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in France | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)- Wind Speed (km/h)
FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website
The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Les Dunes surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
Information about the Les Dunes Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Les Dunes provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Les Dunes can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Les Dunes 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 (Les Dunes) 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 Les Dunes 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.
Les Dunes is 8 km (5 miles) from Les Sables-d'Olonne. If you plan a holiday in Vendee, look for hotels and other accommodation in Les Sables-d'Olonne. Les Sables-d'Olonne has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
Nearest