Overview

Dunkerque (Malo-les-Bains / Dunes de Flandre) is the reference kitesurf spot of the Hauts-de-France coast, home to one of France's best kitesurf clubs: the Dunkerque Flysurfing Club (DFC), founded in 1999 and ranked among the top 3 in France. The beach stretches for kilometres, fully uncovering at low tide for wide open kiting with no crowding.

The DFC operates from the Station Nautique des Dunes de Flandre (Digue Nicolas II) and uniquely offers a kite simulator for learning — the only kitepark of its kind in France. Works NW to NE primarily. Summer restriction applies in the central zone; the "batteries" zone (east, near blockhouses) is free all year. Spectacular Dunkirk wartime history all around.

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Spot forecast for Dunkerque - Malo / Dunes de Flandre (DFC)

Sunrise 08:20 · Sunset 18:50

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< 7 kn7–12 kn13–20 kn21–30 kn31–40 kn41+ kn Gusts Your minimum: 7 kn

Forecasts provided by Open-Meteo

Swell and waves

Swell and tides over 8 days. Premium members see the swell and tides over 8 days. Without a subscription: 5 days.

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Wave height: < 0.5 m 0.5–1 m 1–2 m 2–3 m ≥ 3 m

Swell data by Open-Meteo Marine

Tides

Heights above lowest astronomical tide, in the spot's local time. Computed 3.5 km from the spot.

Monday 19 October Low tide 01:08 · 2.3 m High tide 06:48 · 4.9 m Low tide 13:39 · 2.2 m High tide 19:25 · 4.8 m
Tuesday 20 October Low tide 02:13 · 2.4 m High tide 07:57 · 4.7 m Low tide 14:51 · 2.2 m High tide 22:02 · 4.8 m
Wednesday 21 October Low tide 03:34 · 2.4 m High tide 10:27 · 4.8 m Low tide 16:14 · 2.1 m High tide 23:08 · 5.1 m
Thursday 22 October Low tide 04:59 · 2.2 m High tide 11:23 · 5.2 m Low tide 17:28 · 1.8 m High tide 23:53 · 5.5 m
Friday 23 October Low tide 06:05 · 1.8 m High tide 12:05 · 5.5 m Low tide 18:25 · 1.4 m

Dunkerque - Malo / Dunes de Flandre (DFC): when to go?

Rideable days and hours computed for a minimum wind of 7 knots · log in to set your own (foil, twin-tip…)

Season · peak

347h

in June · 29 rideable days

The season runs from April to August, peaking in June: 27 rideable days a month and 347 hours of usable wind, at 19 °C. The low point is October, at 14 days.

Rideable days per month

Wind strength when it is rideable

7-12 knots · 65%13-20 knots · 32%21-30 knots · 3%31+ knots · under 1%

When the spot works, wind sits mostly between 7 and 12 knots — 65% of rideable hours. Big-kite territory. The coldest month is January, at 6 °C. The wettest month is September, with 135 mm.

Monthly averages: Dunkerque - Malo / Dunes de Flandre (DFC)

Monthly averages — Dunkerque - Malo / Dunes de Flandre (DFC) — averaged over 2 years of records — Weather data by Open-Meteo.com — How it is calculated
Month	Rideable days	Usable wind	Temperature	Rain
January	20.5	152 h	6 °C	100 mm
February	18.0	151 h	9 °C	103 mm
March	17.5	166 h	12 °C	51 mm
April	25.0	281 h	14 °C	66 mm
May	27.0	339 h	17 °C	66 mm
June	29.0	347 h	20 °C	35 mm
July	28.5	330 h	21 °C	52 mm
August	27.5	304 h	22 °C	46 mm
September	21.0	209 h	18 °C	135 mm
October	14.0	121 h	15 °C	116 mm
November	14.0	104 h	11 °C	90 mm
December	16.5	136 h	8 °C	70 mm

Photo gallery of Dunkerque - Malo / Dunes de Flandre (DFC)

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Technical details of Dunkerque - Malo / Dunes de Flandre (DFC) spot

The spot works with winds from N, NNE, NE, WSW, W, WNW, NW, NNW.

Depending on conditions: ENE, E, SW.

RideableDepending on conditions Not rideable

Local association recommendations

Dunkerque Flysurfing Club (DFC) — one of the top 3 kitesurf clubs in France, founded 1999. Based at the Station Nautique des Dunes de Flandre, Digue Nicolas II, Dunkerque. All year. FFVL certified school. Kite, wingfoil, simulateur, MTB, buggy, catakite. Summer camp 9-13 years. Individual courses, groups of 4. 06 85 69 41 87. dfc-kiteboarding.fr

Travel Kite — kitesurf school Dunkerque, year-round. 07 57 67 01 11. travelkite.fr

Spot labelled FFVL.

Spot functioning

Access: A25 or A16, follow Dunkerque then Leffrinckoucke "Base de Voile de la Licorne", Digue Nicolas II. 10m walk to beach. Summer: central kite zone limited (see prefectural order). Eastern "batteries" zone: free all year. DFC school offers group courses (4 people), individual, simulateur, and SUP. Prefer low to mid tide for maximum beach space.

Spot opening date · Required level

Spot opening date: Open all year round
Required level: Beginner

Wind specificities

NW to NE: best directions, side-onshore on this north-facing beach. SW to WSW: offshore risk — experienced only, don't go out alone. Avoid high tide: 1 hour after high tide is minimum for sufficient beach space. E "batteries" zone (blockhouses) and W "Terminus" kite zone both active. Flat to small waves typical — this is the North Sea coast.

Hazards

Summer restriction (1 July–31 August): kite zone limited to 500m west of the "Terminus" police post, facing the Parc des Vents, level of the sailing base — check the prefectural order. East of the Leffrinckoucke seawall ("batteries" dune zone near the blockhouses): practice free all year. 3 stone breakwaters offshore + 1 marked wreck east of the sailing base. Busy beach with cyclists, joggers, landboarders, char à voile year-round. OSW winds: offshore risk with powerful drift if there is a problem — don't go out alone.

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Dunes des Flandres4.4 kmsource flandres

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Additional stations

DUNKERQUE5.9 km

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source meteofrance
station météo jardin0.4 km

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source weathercloud