Surf Forecasts:
Les Dunes surf forecast from 22 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 22 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 7s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 28 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, WSW swell with 2,128 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 22 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 7s 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 Saturday (Aug 22) at 2PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Les Dunes in the next 16 days are 3.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 28) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 23) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (CEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2PM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 2PM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Fri 28th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Les Dunes over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a long, hard look at what we’ve got coming down the pipe for Les Dunes. I gotta be straight with you – this run is a tough one. There are no standout days where everything lines up for a proper surf, and the data backs that up. With ratings staying low across the board, we’re looking at a long stretch of disappointing, often unsurfable conditions.
We start off on Saturday the 22nd with a tiny, weak swell. Saturday morning offers the best of a bad bunch, with a small 3 ft swell from the WNW at 8 seconds. The combined energy is weak (90), and while the wind is a light cross-off from the east, giving us clean, crumbly little waves, it’s just not doing enough. The water temp is sitting at 70°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year.
From Saturday afternoon, it goes downhill fast. The swells stay tiny, often below 2 ft, with short, weak periods. On Sunday the 23rd and Monday the 24th, we’re looking at poor surf conditions with nothing rideable. The wind is up, but the waves are basically flat.
We get a tiny pulse on Wednesday the 26th morning, with a 3 ft swell from the WSW, but it’s only a 7-second period and the combined energy is still weak (106). The wind is a gentle cross-shore, but the whole setup is too weak to get excited about.
Now, here’s the thing – the forecast shows a big spike in size starting Thursday the 27th. The swell jumps to 7 ft from the WSW by Thursday morning, but the onshore wind is howling at 16 mph, ruining any chance of a clean wave. The energy is moderate (659), but the wave comment calls it poor. It’s not something you want to paddle for.
Friday the 28th is even worse. We’re looking at a messy 10 ft swell from the WSW, but the wind is a strong cross-onshore at a brutal 25 mph. The energy is very strong (1957), but for paddle surfing, this is a closeout nightmare. Honestly, with that kind of wind and size, this setup looks far more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
The rest of this period into the second week stays grim. We see moderate swells on the 29th and 31st, but they are always accompanied by strong, onshore or cross-onshore winds. The energy is moderate (400-600 range), but never paired with clean conditions. The wind just won’t let up.
There is a flicker of hope on Saturday, September 5th. The morning shows a clean 3 ft swell from the WNW with a 9-second period and a light cross-shore breeze from the SE. The energy is still only moderate (138), and combined with the afternoon session turning onshore, it is a very fleeting window. For the whole 16-day outlook, if you had to pick, that Saturday the 5th morning is the least offensive option. Still, it’s not a day to call your mates about.
So, the bottom line: this forecast is a write-off for good surf. There’s a big gap in the first few days with nothing, and then when the swell does show up, the wind is always in the wrong direction. We are looking at a blank run of nearly 16 days. It’s frustrating, but it happens around here. Forecasts can change, so keep an eye on it, but for now, maybe tune up the kite gear or just enjoy a coffee on the beach.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Mon morning. Warm (max 30°C on Sun night, min 14°C on Sat morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the ESE on Sat afternoon, fresh winds from the E by Sun afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Wed night. Warm (max 25°C on Wed afternoon, min 19°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSE on Wed morning, fresh winds from the SW by Thu night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | |||||||||||||||
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 | W 9 | WNW 8 | W 9 | WSW 13 | WSW 11 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | W 11 | SW 7 | WSW 7 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | W 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
90 | 24 | 24 | 6 | 32 | 64 | 37 | 32 | 26 | 13 | 10 | 103 | 88 | 41 | 54 | 659 | 404 | 798 | 1957 | 1513 | 1052 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 1:45PM2.94m | 2:34AM2.91m | 2:58PM3.13m | 3:30AM3.12m | 3:46PM3.39m | 4:09AM3.37m | 4:22PM3.67m | 4:41AM3.60m | 4:53PM3.92m | 5:10AM3.82m | 5:21PM4.14m | 5:38AM3.99m | 5:48PM4.31m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:17PM1.56m | 7:49AM1.56m | 8:32PM1.40m | 8:55AM1.33m | 9:29PM1.12m | 9:45AM1.04m | 10:13PM0.81m | 10:25AM0.73m | 10:51PM0.52m | 11:02AM0.46m | 11:26PM0.27m | 11:37AM0.24m | 00:00AM0.09m | ||||||||
7:13 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | |
— | — | 9:06 | — | — | 9:04 | — | — | 9:01 | — | — | 9:00 | — | 8:58 | — | — | 8:57 | — | — | 8:54 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 4 | — | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 22 | 24 | 21 | 29 | 30 | 23 | 25 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 25 | 23 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 19 |
Feels °C | 15 | 20 | 19 | 14 | 24 | 25 | 20 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 25 | 23 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 8 | W 9 | WNW 8 | W 9 | WSW 13 | WSW 11 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | S 4 | WSW 8 | SW 7 | WSW 7 | WSW 6 | — | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | — | — | — | — |
90 | 24 | 24 | 6 | 32 | 64 | 37 | 32 | 26 | 5 | 6 | 103 | 88 | 41 | — | 659 | 404 | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 10 | NW 4 | WNW 7 | NW 7 | N 4 | W 6 | WSW 9 | S 4 | WSW 8 | W 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | 8 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 32 | 3 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 18 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | W 16 | W 8 | W 7 | W 10 | N 6 | W 9 | W 12 | W 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WNW 8 | E 3 | ENE 4 | ENE 4 | E 4 | SE 4 | SSE 5 | — | — | SSW 3 | — | ESE 2 | S 3 | WSW 6 | — | — | WSW 8 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | W 9 |
— | 23 | 4 | 20 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 5 | — | — | 5 | — | 1 | 5 | 54 | — | — | 798 | 1957 | 1513 | 1052 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 9 | 151 | 264 | 144 | 82 | 502 | 477 | 151 | 274 | 237 | 226 | 19 | 88 | 237 | 128 | 68 | 274 | 353 | 455 | 362 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Vendee | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in France | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











