Finistère's spots

Paul Couderc, October 1999

From Le conquet to Brest

Le petit minou: Beach break, not especially good but quite regular. Very popular (and crowded), as it is only a few minutes drive from Brest, very good local surfers. Waves rideable up to 5-6'. Breaks on low tide, offshore with a northerly wind.
Dalbosc'h: Powerful beach break, works in the same condition as Le petit minou (though usually bigger). close out quickly, lots of bodyboarders.

Crozon peninsular

Cap de La chevre

A powerful righthander which holds big swell.

La Palue/Lostmarc'h

Excellent Beach breaks, one of the most consistent and regular in Brittany. Picks up swell from any directions. Waves are usually powerful and hollow, and may produce nice tubes with offshore winds. Rideable up from 1 to 8ft. The south of beach (La Palue) is best on high tide, while the north (Lostmarc'h) works on low tide. Offshore with an E wind. Powerful rips.

Cap Sizun area

Pors ar Vag: Average beach breaks, good for beginning. Better on the high tide with easterly winds.
Le ris: Same as Pors ar Vag but cleaner in SW gale
La baie des trépassés: A nice beach break surrounded by beautiful cliffs. Picks up W to NW swells. Waves are mostly easy righthanders, rideable up to 8ft. Offshore with easterly winds, well protected from southerly winds.

Audierne bay

Saint Tugen: Very good beach break, hollow and powerful. Picks up better SW swell. Works at any tide, offshore with a NE wind.
La Torche: La torche is the rocky point at the southern edge of the Baie d'audierne. The spot of the same name is the break just to the north of the point, very famous and popular because it was one of the first place surfed in Brittany. It is one of the very few spots of Brittany which picks up correctly NW swells. Waves are usually long but a bit mellow, good for longboarding. The rocky point offers a channel with a rip which helps to reach the lineup. The wave is supposed to be ridable up to 10'. The spot is very crowded, but quieter waves can be found in the north, like in Tronoen and Gwendrez
Pors carn: On the south side of La Torche point, the swell is a bit smaller but a very good beach break produces a powerful righthander on the low tide. Best with a SE wind.

After Penmarc'h point, the coasts become very sheltered from NW swell and W to SW swell are stopped by the Glénan islands. To my knowledge, no regular surf spots exists here. Next surfing area starts near Lorient.