Overview

Bassin d'Arcachon - Les Arbousiers is a kitesurf spot on the shore of the Bassin d'Arcachon (Gironde), near the town of Arcachon. This sheltered tidal bay captures South-West, West-South-West, West, West-North-West and North-West winds entering from the open Atlantic coast. Flat water inside the bay, popular for learning.

Key point: launching kitesurf, wing, windsurf and SUP over 3.5 m is banned from all of Arcachon's beaches. Only Plage des Arbousiers has a marked channel allowing transit out to open water beyond 300 m.

Summer restriction (1 July – 31 August): kitesurf and aero-towed foils limited to mornings until noon and from 7pm to sunset (banned between noon and 7pm). Wing/foil supervised by professionals or beach clubs is not affected.

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Spot forecast for Bassin d Arcachon | Arbousiers

Sunrise 08:26 · Sunset 19:12

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

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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 4.6 km from the spot.

Tuesday 20 October High tide 00:39 · 2.8 m Low tide 06:37 · 1.8 m High tide 13:06 · 3.1 m Low tide 19:29 · 1.6 m
Wednesday 21 October High tide 01:54 · 3 m Low tide 07:46 · 1.6 m High tide 14:07 · 3.3 m Low tide 20:21 · 1.4 m
Thursday 22 October High tide 02:42 · 3.3 m Low tide 08:35 · 1.4 m High tide 14:51 · 3.5 m Low tide 21:02 · 1.1 m
Friday 23 October High tide 03:19 · 3.5 m Low tide 09:14 · 1.1 m High tide 15:27 · 3.8 m Low tide 21:38 · 0.8 m
Saturday 24 October High tide 03:52 · 3.8 m Low tide 09:50 · 0.9 m High tide 16:02 · 4 m Low tide 22:12 · 0.6 m

Bassin d Arcachon | Arbousiers: 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

341h

in May · 30 rideable days

The season runs from April to September, peaking in May: 27 rideable days a month and 341 hours of usable wind, at 22 °C. The low point is December, at 12.5 days.

Kiting is forbidden here from 12h to 19h, between 01/07 and 31/08. Été (1er juil – 31 août) : kitesurf et foils aérotractés interdits entre 12h et 19h. Autorisés le matin jusqu'à 12h et de 19h au coucher du soleil.

Rideable days per month

Month with time restrictions

Wind strength when it is rideable

7-12 knots · 63%13-20 knots · 30%21-30 knots · 6%31+ knots · 1%

When the spot works, wind sits mostly between 7 and 12 knots — 63% of rideable hours. Big-kite territory. The coldest month is January, at 11 °C. The wettest month is September, with 104 mm.

Monthly averages: Bassin d Arcachon | Arbousiers

Monthly averages — Bassin d Arcachon | Arbousiers — averaged over 2 years of records — Weather data by Open-Meteo.com — How it is calculated
Month	Rideable days	Usable wind	Temperature	Rain
January	17.0	149 h	11 °C	89 mm
February	16.5	144 h	13 °C	89 mm
March	21.5	190 h	14 °C	83 mm
April	23.5	248 h	18 °C	51 mm
May	30.0	341 h	19 °C	44 mm
June	27.0	287 h	23 °C	51 mm
July hours	30.0	334 h	24 °C	10 mm
August hours	28.5	260 h	26 °C	45 mm
September	23.5	232 h	22 °C	104 mm
October	18.0	156 h	20 °C	73 mm
November	15.0	125 h	16 °C	73 mm
December	12.5	102 h	12 °C	70 mm

Photo gallery of Bassin d Arcachon | Arbousiers

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Technical details of Bassin d Arcachon | Arbousiers spot

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

Depending on conditions: NNE, SSW, SW.

RideableDepending on conditions Not rideable

Local association recommendations

FFVL-labelled spot.

Spot functioning

Parking at the foot of the site. Watch out for the stone edge, especially at high tide (little room to launch).

Aero-towed sail users must prepare their launch (raising the sail) on the reserved grassed area provided for this purpose.

Spot opening date · Required level

Spot opening date

Closed : from 01/07 to 31/08 (12:00 – 19:00)
Été (1er juil – 31 août) : kitesurf et foils aérotractés interdits entre 12h et 19h. Autorisés le matin jusqu'à 12h et de 19h au coucher du soleil.

Open all year.

From 1 July to 31 August, kitesurf and aero-towed foils are only allowed in the morning until noon and from 7pm to sunset (banned between noon and 7pm). Launching is only via the marked channel at Plage des Arbousiers.

Required level

Intermediate

Parking

Arcachon car parks, accessible from the town centre. Full services in Arcachon. Spot often saturated in summer — arrive early.

Wind specificities

Spring thermal: north-west wind with sunshine and a beautiful setting. The bay captures SW to NW winds entering from the open Atlantic coast.

Hazards

Large tidal range with vast exposed flats at low tide. Strong tidal currents. Boat traffic, oyster-farm stakes, many activities on the bay. Regulated area — respect the marked channel. The transit channel is off-limits to motorised craft (except emergency services).

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Additional stations

Arcachon0 km

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Pyla Pilat8 km

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Bassin d Arcachon | Arbousiers kitesurf, wingfoil and windsurf spot