France
26 wing and kite foil spots, with conditions, best season and the schools and rental stations at each.
Arcachon Bay
Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Water
- Flat water
- Best season
- Jun–Oct
A large tidal basin sheltered from the Atlantic swell, with shallow flats that give flat to choppy water, especially around low tide. From June to August an…
3 centers · Lessons, Rental
Baie de Somme – Le Crotoy
Hauts-de-France
- Water
- Flat water
- Best season
- Sep–Apr
A vast tidal estuary of sandbanks and shallow flats, with Le Crotoy on its northern shore. The large shallow area suits beginners, but it becomes too shallow at…
Bay of Brest Brittany- Water
- Chop
A large sheltered roadstead at the western tip of Brittany and one of the country's wing foil centres. Specialist wing schools teach inside the bay, at spots…
4 centers · Lessons
Biscarrosse lakes
Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Water
- Flat water
- Best season
- May–Aug
A resort in the Landes with freshwater lakes just inland of long Atlantic beaches, so riders can choose between the flat lake and the ocean. In summer an…
1 center · Lessons, Rental
Camargue – Beauduc
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
- Water
- Chop
- Best season
- Apr–Oct
A huge, remote U-shaped beach of hard sand in the Camargue nature reserve, reached by driving across the salt flats; there is no phone signal and only a summer…
1 center · Lessons
Corsica – Piantarella
Corsica
- Water
- Flat water
- Best season
- May–Sep
A bay near Bonifacio at the southern tip of Corsica with clear, knee- to waist-deep water over soft sand in front of a small island. It works best in easterly…
2 centers · Lessons, Rental
Côte d'Opale – Wissant
Hauts-de-France
- Water
- Waves
- Best season
- Sep–May
A very large sandy bay between the capes of Gris-Nez and Blanc-Nez on the Channel, the best-known wave spot in northern France, with waves easily over 2.5 m…
Étang de Thau
Occitanie
- Water
- Chop
- Best season
- Apr–Oct
A large lagoon behind Sète, launched from the south end at Marseillan by a small lighthouse. The Tramontana crosses the water from the north-west almost as…
3 centers · Lessons
Fréjus – Saint-Aygulf
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
- Water
- Chop
- Best season
- Apr–Sep
A soft-sand beach between two rock piers, and the first beach west of the Italian border wide enough to launch safely. In summer the afternoon thermal, locally…
1 center · Lessons
Gruissan – Plage des Chalets
Occitanie
- Water
- Flat water
- Best season
- Apr–Oct
The home of the Défi Wind, launched from the Plage des Chalets on the spit between the Mediterranean and the Étang du Grazel. In a strong Tramontana the wind is…
1 center · Lessons, Rental
Hyères – L'Almanarre
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
- Water
- Chop
- Best season
- May–Oct
A 5 km sandy beach on the tombolo west of the Giens peninsula near Hyères, usually counted among the best wind spots in France. It works on winds from east…
6 centers · Lessons
Île de Noirmoutier
Pays de la Loire
- Water
- Chop
- Best season
- Apr–May · Sep–Nov
A flat Atlantic island joined to the Vendée coast, with sandy beaches on both sides so there is flat or choppy water for most wind directions. La Guérinière has…
4 centers · Lessons, Rental Île de Ré – Rivedoux Charente-Maritime- Water
- Flat and waves
- Best season
- Apr–Oct
The island off La Rochelle has a mild, sunny Atlantic climate, regular wind and big tides, and a spot for every taste: Rivedoux Nord at the entrance to the…
4 centers · Lessons
La Baule & Pornichet
Pays de la Loire
- Water
- Chop
- Best season
- Sep–May
A long, sandy beach sweeping around a big bay, where a sandbank keeps the water fairly calm, which suits beginners; strong westerlies and south-westerlies can…
3 centers · Lessons, Rental La Torche Brittany- Water
- Waves
A legendary Atlantic wave spot in Brittany's Pays Bigouden, with demanding conditions for experienced riders. The area's first school teaching only wing foiling…
1 center · Lessons
Lac de Monteynard
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
- Water
- Flat water
- Best season
- Apr–Oct
A long, clear alpine reservoir south of Grenoble, famous for a summer thermal of around 18 knots that funnels through the valley in the afternoon. The wind can…
4 centers · Lessons
Lac de Serre-Ponçon
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
- Water
- Flat water
- Best season
- Apr–Sep
A large reservoir in the Southern Alps near Embrun, surrounded by mountains. Mornings are light; on summer afternoons a steady thermal blows from about one…
Lac du Bourget
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
- Water
- Flat water
- Best season
- Apr–Oct
France's largest natural lake, at Aix-les-Bains in Savoie, with lighter winds that suit wing foiling. The northerly Bise is gusty; at the southern end the…
Lacanau & Hourtin lakes Nouvelle-Aquitaine- Water
- Flat water
- Best season
- May–Oct
Two big freshwater lakes behind the Médoc dunes, an hour from Bordeaux. Summer afternoons bring a thermal of up to 20 knots over flat, shallow water, ideal for…
1 center · Lessons
Lake Annecy
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
- Water
- Flat water
- Best season
- Apr–Sep
France's famously clear alpine lake below the Haute-Savoie peaks is a wing foil spot rather than a kite spot. Winds of about 10–20 knots blow along the lake…
3 centers · Lessons, Rental
Lancieux & Saint-Briac
Brittany
- Water
- Flat and waves
- Best season
- Mar–May · Sep–Nov
A bay on Brittany's Emerald Coast west of Saint-Malo with a big shallow area that is best at high tide. Flat to choppy water in most conditions, while strong…
1 center · Lessons
Le Grau-du-Roi
Occitanie
- Water
- Flat and waves
- Best season
- Apr–Oct
The bay that closes the long beach of La Grande-Motte, unusual in Occitanie because the Tramontana arrives side-shore or even side-onshore here instead of…
3 centers · Lessons, Rental
Le Touquet & Berck
Hauts-de-France
- Water
- Flat and waves
- Best season
- Sep–May
The Opal Coast's long sandy beaches backed by dunes. In the Canche bay at the north end of Le Touquet there is excellent flat water behind the sand spit and…
1 center · Lessons
Leucate – La Franqui
Occitanie
- Water
- Flat and waves
- Best season
- Apr–Oct
The Tramontane blows hard and often across this stretch of Mediterranean coast, host to the Mondial du Vent event. The Leucate lagoon offers shallow flat water…
4 centers · Lessons, Rental
Normandy – Merville-Franceville
Normandy
- Water
- Flat water
- Best season
- Mar–May · Sep–Nov
A big sandy beach at the mouth of the Orne near Caen, next to Ouistreham. The large tidal range creates shallow areas with perfectly flat to choppy water and a…
2 centers · Lessons, Rental Quiberon Bay Brittany- Water
- Flat and waves
- Best season
- Mar–Nov
The Quiberon peninsula and the neighbouring beaches of Carnac, Plouharnel and Étel are among the places where wing foiling first caught on in France: one school…
3 centers · Lessons, RentalUpcoming events
Schools and rental
56 stations at this spot: what they offer, whose gear they run and when they are open.
Kite and wing foil school and shop at Salin-de-Giraud serving the Beauduc beach, open daily from March to November.
Akila Gruissan Gruissan – Plage des ChaletsAkila Gruissan teaches wing foil, windsurfing and catamaran from bases on the Plage des Chalets and the Étang de Mateille.
Alex Kite School Arcachon BayKite lessons and courses for all levels on the Bassin d'Arcachon since 2007, plus supervised equipment rental.
Aventure Kite Normandy – Merville-FrancevilleA one-instructor kite and wing foil school at Merville-Franceville offering courses for all levels.
Bonifacio Windsurf Corsica – PiantarellaWindsurf school at Piantarella for more than 20 years, now also teaching and renting wing foil, windfoil and SUP, with a base at Balistra.
Cap Ferret Kiteschool Arcachon BayA kite school on the northern Bassin d'Arcachon with two meeting points, Andernos and Le Cap-Ferret, run by a state-qualified instructor...
Coriolis Foil School Leucate – La FranquiA foil school in Leucate teaching wing foil from discovery to advanced, from age 10.
Corsica Kiteboarding Corsica – PiantarellaThe oldest kite school in Corsica, based at Ventilegne near Bonifacio and moving with its van to the spot the wind favours.
Evoride Lancieux & Saint-BriacKite and wing foil school at Lancieux and Saint-Malo run by a former French kite champion, with a focus on low-impact practice.
F400 Surfschool Leucate – La FranquiA windsurf and wing foil school at La Franqui, opposite Coussoules beach.
Flyway Lacanau & Hourtin lakesA mobile kite and wing foil school around Hourtin and Lacanau, run by a former regional freestyle champion teaching since 2003.
FourWinds Arcachon BayKitesurf school on the sandy beaches of the Bassin d'Arcachon, also coaching kitefoil and wing foil racers.
Freekite School Lac de MonteynardKite school on the Lac de Monteynard with courses from first steps to kitefoil, wing foil and parawing, using gear renewed every year.
Fromentine Kite Île de NoirmoutierKite and wing foil school between Fromentine and Noirmoutier since 2004, teaching in groups of four and in the water from the first hour.
Glisse Academy La Baule & PornichetYear-round kite, wing and e-foil school teaching mainly at Saint-Brévin, where a kite zone is reserved, with a boat for sessions.
H2O Kite Biscarrosse lakesSailing, kite and wing school on the Lac de Biscarrosse at Camping Mayotte, with windsurf and catamaran lessons and boat-towed foil.
Happy Kite School Quiberon BayA Quiberon school for wing foil, kite and e-foil with rental.
Hibiskite Le Grau-du-RoiA kite and wing foil school at Le Grau-du-Roi with three-day courses for at most two students, radio helmets and a boat.
Hurakan Wing School Lac de MonteynardWing foil school on the Lac de Monteynard, 30 minutes from Grenoble, with beginner and improver courses and coaching by a state-qualified...
ID Kite Étang de ThauID Kite teaches kite and wing foil on the Étang de Thau at Sète with radio coaching, a boat and a wing simulator.
JujuCams School Île de Ré – RivedouxA wing foil and windsurf school at La Couarde-sur-Mer run by World Cup athletes.
Kite Center 44 La Baule & PornichetMobile kite and wing school working La Baule bay or the beach at Pont-Mahé depending on conditions.
Kite Center 83 Hyères – L'AlmanarreA kite, wing foil and parawing school on the Almanarre spot.
Kite Spirit Quiberon BayOne of France's first wing foil schools, teaching since 2019 at Carnac, Quiberon, Étel and Plouharnel.
Kite Surf Leucate Leucate – La FranquiKSL has taught kitesurfing, and now wing, on Coussoules beach at La Franqui since 2004.
Kite-R Évolution Normandy – Merville-FrancevilleKite, wing and SUP centre on the Merville-Franceville beach since 2002, with a clubhouse, showers, lockers and rental.
Kiteschool Leucate Leucate – La FranquiA kite, wing foil and e-foil school on the Étang de Leucate.
Kitesurf Evasion Fréjus – Saint-AygulfSaint-Aygulf kite and wing school founded in 2000 and run by a multiple kite racing world and French champion.
Kitesurf Hyères Hyères – L'AlmanarreKitesurf Hyères teaches wing foil on the Almanarre beach.
La Cabane Verte Île de Ré – RivedouxLa Cabane Verte runs wing foil courses on the Île de Ré.
La Torche Wing Foil La TorcheThe Pays Bigouden's first school teaching only wing foil.
Le Bureau du Vent Île de NoirmoutierA Noirmoutier school teaching kitesurf, wing foil and e-foil at all levels with a state-qualified instructor.
Le Spot Kitecenter Hyères – L'AlmanarreLe Spot, run by French champion Ariane Imbert, teaches kite and wing foil at Hyères.
Les Voiles Royales La Baule & PornichetLa Baule sailing club running two-hour kite and wing lessons, three- or five-session courses and supervised rental in the bay.
MF Kite Hyères – L'AlmanarreMF Kite teaches wing foil for all levels at L'Almanarre, including improvement courses.
Maximum Glisse Île de NoirmoutierSailing, kite and wing foil school at L'Épine on Noirmoutier, with coaching for children and guided sessions for adults.
Mouv'n Kite Île de NoirmoutierA Barbâtre school on Noirmoutier teaching kite, wing foil and e-foil from March to November, using a boat to reach the best-sheltered...
NKS 56 Quiberon BayA kite and wing foil school on the Quiberon peninsula, teaching wing since 2020 in groups of three or four, with a shop in Plouharnel.
Natural Advent Bay of BrestOne of France's first specialised wing foil schools, teaching from Brest to Plouguerneau.
NomadFoil Lake AnnecyA travelling wing foil school on Lake Annecy teaching private lessons for at most two people, plus boat-towed foil sessions for a first...
Notiwing Bay of BrestA wing foil school on the Bay of Brest.
OKLM School Le Grau-du-RoiA kite and wing foil school at Le Grau-du-Roi.
Ré Wing Foil (Île de Ré Voile) Île de Ré – RivedouxThe Île de Ré Voile sailing school's wing foil courses in Saint-Martin-de-Ré, at most three per course.
Rêve O Kite Bay of BrestA wing foil and kite school in North Finistère near Brest.
Sea, Wind & Foil Bay of BrestA wing foil school teaching at Carantec, Brest and Port-la-Forêt, and in Guadeloupe.
Teknikite Lac de MonteynardKite-only school on the Lac de Monteynard run by a state-qualified instructor who has sailed the lake for thirty years and taught kite...
The Ridery Hyères – L'AlmanarreThe Ridery runs a wing foil and kite school at L'Almanarre in Hyères.
Triderland Étang de ThauA kite school at Sète and Frontignan that also teaches wing foil.
Ventileau Étang de ThauVentileau teaches wing foil on the Étang de Thau at Marseillan in three-hour sessions for at most two students.
Wing Kite Hyères Hyères – L'AlmanarreA kite and wing foil school specialised in learning and progression at L'Almanarre.
Wingfoil Easy Lac de MonteynardA small wing foil school on the Lac de Monteynard, 25 km from Grenoble.
Wingfoil-Annecy Lake AnnecyWing foil lessons and year-round rental at Sevrier on Lake Annecy, bookable by phone or text.
Wingfoiluc Lake AnnecyWing foil lessons on Lake Annecy for at most two people, starting on a windsurf-style board to learn the wing before moving to the foil.
Wingrider Le Grau-du-RoiWingrider teaches wing foil around Montpellier, from Palavas and Carnon to Le Grau-du-Roi.
École de Kitesurf des 3 Baies Le Touquet & BerckKite school at Le Touquet's southern nautical base, teaching beginners in groups of at most three.
Île de Ré Kitesurf Île de Ré – RivedouxA kite, wing foil and e-foil school at Rivedoux on the Île de Ré.