About

I have seen dolphins there, as well as a dead shark on the sand. It adds to the beauty of the place, doesn't it ?
Pretty cool place to surf, especially off season : may, june, september and maybe october; but it gets swell all year round.
Come here if you don't know if there is any swell.
Bonus : take the 20 minutes walk southward toward the Maumusson point : other beachbreaks COMPLETELY uncrowded (and even desert most time, in water and on beach)but with STRONGER currents in an all-nudists area. If you get there and you have a problem (drawning or else)make sure you have healthy friends to help you or a powerful mobile phone...if not, you're ALONE.
Nearest phone :run to the Novotel resort, 1.5 mile southward by the beach, at the other side of the sand point.

Atmosphere:
Looks like the Landes : long, long beach with sandbars everywhere and nudists 300 meters left of the main access.
Beautiful place, beautiful waves and enormous mosquitoes at night...
The beach is so long, crowds are never really a problem, exepted in summertime with all those §$**! parisians.
Also : currents can get VERY strong, be careful if you or your friends/family go swimming (same danger as in any beach break : the "baïnes"). From the end of june to mid-september, lifeguards are on duty and you'll see them from the parking lot : go for informations, they're surfers most of the the time.

Additional Info:
Once you are on top of the sand dune, there's a shipwreck on your right (a cargo from World War I): once the waves are 1.5 meters or above, the best place to surf is close to it (not too close!!). Rights and lefts more fast and hollow than anywhere else on the beach.

Location

Access

Take the bridge to Oléron island, direction Saint Trojan les Bains, then, direction "la grande plage" across the forest (watch the deers!).
Park where it is allowed and walk above the dune : it's there, all for you.
Note : it is important you ONLY park where it is allowed because it is a remote place and rescue vehicles won't be able to come and take severed people to hospital : this could be you.
In summer, come in the morning.

Wave Characteristics

Ideal Conditions

Crowd

Dangers

Rips / undertow, Nudist colony (France only!)

Videos

None