Kitezone 62

Kitezone 62 is a kitesurfing school that has operated since 2012 on the Opal Coast in the Pas-de-Calais. It is run by David Buffe, a qualified instructor who has been teaching kitesurfing since 2006. The school is based in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage and moves to Hardelot-Plage and Wissant depending on wind and tide.

Courses run from May to October, from age 12 or 45 kg, on weekdays and weekends. The school offers group lessons (maximum 4 people, 4 hours) and semi-private lessons (maximum 2 people, 2 hours 30) for beginners and all levels, plus a supervised sailing option for students who have become independent. Each student gets a wetsuit, buoyancy vest, harness, helmet and a helmet-mounted radio, with one kite per student depending on conditions. The weather decides whether a session can go ahead, so sessions may be run back to back or spread over the season.

Students meet at the school's van at the Saint-Jean 2 car park north of the Le Touquet seafront, at the Georges Pernoud watersports base car park in Hardelot, or at the Wissant beach car park, between Cap Blanc-Nez and Cap Gris-Nez, in north-easterly winds. The equipment meets AFNOR standards and is renewed every season: the school is a Duotone partner (Neo and Mono kites, Quad Control bar, Gonzales and Select boards), with an Ozone Trainer kite for introductions, a Flysurfer Peak 4 m for first flying lessons and Mystic and Ion wetsuits, vests and harnesses.

Kitezone is an FFVL school (number 29921) with the EFK label. It also offers stand up paddle.

Courses from May to October, weekdays and weekends. Google listing: every day 9 am to 8 pm.