About

cool

Atmosphere:
t Gilles is a really mellow spot, and one of the only ones in the area which is in a town. There's so much space on the beach that you can always find an empty peak if you're prepared to walk a bit. There's also a surf club on the prom (with toilets and showers) that often has comps and stuff going on. After your surf, treat yourself to crepes on the prom and watch the sun go down.

Additional Info:
Great longboarder's wave, and also probably the best spot in the area for beginners, due to the wave's tendency to spill. It's also good for beginners in the respect that there doesn't tend to be pressure in the water from hot locals, cos they're normally at one of the more difficult breaks. However, when the waves get over 5-6ft it can be a nightmare paddle out. Watch for the backwash created by the promenade at high tide-it has a nasty habit of kicking the wave up to twice it's original size when it hits, and also often creates a step on the wave face- fun when you get used to it! If you walk to the south, the prom stops and the beach goes on for miles-if it's too crowded round the prom area, just walk a bit...

Location

Access

Head into St Gilles Croix de Vie and follow signs for the Grande Plage. You'll head past the harbour, then down a narrow one-way road until you reach a small roundabout, and then you're pretty much on the seafront. take a left at the roundabout, and out of season you can often park up in the split level carpark right next to the roundabout. If not, follow the road round a bit, and there's plenty of street parking available.

Wave Characteristics

Ideal Conditions

Crowd

Dangers

Nudist colony (France only!)

Videos

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