Kitesurfing, wing foiling and foiling at Berck-sur-Mer

Berck-sur-Mer lies on the Côte d'Opale just north of the mouth of the Authie, where a strong tidal current runs, and the beach is so flat that the sea pulls back a long way at low tide and leaves channels behind. From 1 June to 30 September the préfecture maritime keeps a 400 metre zone between the avenue du Docteur Quettier and the Institut Calot for kites, windsurfers and light sailing dinghies. The beach faces west-north-west, so west to north-west is onshore and south-west and north-north-west come in side-on, while north and south blow along the beach and east to south-east is offshore. The Le Touquet weather station is a good twelve kilometres to the north on the same coast, so the live data is a reasonable guide here.

From 1 June to 30 September inclusive, a 400 m watersports zone lies between avenue du Docteur Quettier and the Institut Calot, reserved for kite, windsurf and light sailing dinghies; the 5-knot limit does not apply there. Elsewhere, a 5-knot speed limit applies all year within 300 m. Source: préfecture maritime, arrêté 49/2010.

Wind directions & safety

The open water at Berck-sur-Mer faces WNW (288°). The safest wind directions to get on the water here are southwest, west and northwest (onshore or cross-onshore). With the wind from the north, northeast and south, it runs cross to cross-offshore: doable, but mind your position and don't go alone. With the wind from the east and southeast, it blows offshore and is dangerous: you'll be pushed off the beach onto open water (no-go).

On this page you'll find the live wind, the hourly forecast and a personal go/no-go for Berck-sur-Mer, plus your ideal kite or wing size and (where available) a live beach webcam. Wind data: AROME via Open-Meteo.