Map › France › Corsica - Bonifacio › Baie de Figari
Corse · Pianottoli-Caldarello / Figari, Corse-du-Sud · South Corsica · Pianottoli-Caldarello
Baie de Figari
also known as Plage de Figari, Pianottoli-Caldarello, Corsica / Figari
Nearby Pont de Ventilègne 5 km · La Tonnara 5 km · Balistra 13 km · Piantarella 16 km · Palombaggia 24 km · Golfo di Sogno 27 km · Plage de Capu Laurosu 27 km · Pinarellu 35 km · Porto Pollo - Plage du Taravo 36 km · Porto Pollo 36 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
The thermal fills in early afternoon.
The wind
locals call it Libecciu / Mistral / thermal
Direction
Character
mixed
fills in: The thermal fills in early afternoon.
Typical strength
22.8
Thermal or synoptic
thermal reinforced by Libecciu and Mistral
Direction to shore
Onshore to side-on. West is the working direction, onshore to side-on depending on strength, and ENE, E, SW and WSW all go. Gusty for the first 100-200 m off the beach, cleaner once you are out.
Dominant direction
W, SW, E, ENE
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan60
- Feb46
- Mar53
- Apr53
- May, riders' month39
- Jun, riders' month43
- Jul, riders' month44
- Aug, riders' month40
- Sep, riders' month47
- Oct48
- Nov60
- Dec45
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
- 60%Jan15°
- 46%Feb14°
- 53%Mar15°
- 53%Apr15°
- 39%May18°
- 43%Jun22°
- 44%Jul25°
- 40%Aug26°
- 47%Sep24°
- 48%Oct22°
- 60%Nov20°
- 45%Dec17°
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+) · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Windy days | Force 4+ | 12 kn or more | Knots | From | Peaks at | Air | Water | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60% | 69% | 66% | 13.9 kt | W | 14:00 | 10°C | 15.4°C | 62 |
| Feb | 46% | 63% | 58% | 12.9 kt | W | 15:00 | 10.5°C | 14.3°C | 57 |
| Mar | 53% | 77% | 65% | 14.8 kt | W | 14:00 | 12.1°C | 14.5°C | 62 |
| Apr | 53% | 63% | 58% | 13.6 kt | W | 15:00 | 14.3°C | 15.4°C | 60 |
| May | 39% | 52% | 45% | 11.5 kt | W | 14:00 | 18.9°C | 18.2°C | 62 |
| Jun | 43% | 53% | 43% | 12.3 kt | W | 14:00 | 23.8°C | 22.1°C | 60 |
| Jul | 44% | 61% | 50% | 11.9 kt | W | 15:00 | 27.5°C | 24.8°C | 62 |
| Aug | 40% | 47% | 42% | 11.3 kt | W | 16:00 | 26.7°C | 26.1°C | 62 |
| Sep | 47% | 57% | 52% | 11.8 kt | W | 15:00 | 22.5°C | 23.6°C | 60 |
| Oct | 48% | 58% | 53% | 12.5 kt | ENE | 14:00 | 20°C | 21.9°C | 62 |
| Nov | 60% | 72% | 67% | 14.7 kt | WNW | 13:00 | 14.9°C | 19.5°C | 60 |
| Dec | 45% | 60% | 52% | 13 kt | W | 14:00 | 11.3°C | 16.7°C | 62 |
modelled
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
Modelled from the operational forecast archive at 1.5–7 km (2023-2024), daylight hours only, not a ground station: it resolves thermal, lake and valley winds far better than coarse reanalysis but still tends to understate a strong local thermal. A windy day has at least three consecutive daylight hours at 12 knots or more. The typical daily max and the direction are columns of the table above, month by month. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.
High-resolution weather model (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical forecast archive — best-match operational model (ICON-D2 / AROME / ICON-EU / GFS by region), not a ground station · 2023-2024
The water
Type
bay
Standing depth
Fine sand on a gentle slope, with a long stretch off the beach where you have foot. This is disputed: you may instead find it knee-deep only at the edges and out of your depth everywhere else, so check before sending a beginner out alone.
Tides
Tide is not a factor here.
Temperature
24.6°C summer · 13.6°C winter
Wetsuit
Boardshorts, a rash vest or a shorty in summer depending on the wind chill; a full suit outside summer, and a 4/3 mm with boots in the coldest weeks.
Your level
The scene
What riders come here for
Launch and rules
three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you
With a school or a boat
2 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: moderate
Somewhere else
Pont de Ventilègne, 5 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
VHF channel 16
Launch
From the main road at Pianottoli-Caldarello, turn toward Port de Figari and follow the long track to its end and the last parking area; from there a footpath by a wooden barrier leads onto the beach. The launch runs along the edge of the parking on fine sand with a gentle slope into the water.The first 100-200 m off the sand is the gusty part; the wind cleans up beyond that.
Space
moderate
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Drive the access track slowly; it is potholed the whole way past Port de Figari to the last parking area.
- Plan an early-afternoon start; the thermal does not fill in before then.
- Get away from the beach as soon as you are up: the gusts live in the first stretch off the sand, and a NE day is worse.
- Ask Eole Figari about the summer zones before an independent session in July or August; rental for independent riders is only offered outside those two months anyway.
- Move the car before 20h; a parking restriction after that hour has been reported.
- Bring a 4/3 with boots for the cold months; summer is boardshorts or a shorty.
- Get away from the beach as soon as you are up: the gusts live in the first 100-200 m off the sand, and a NE day is worse.
- In the fire season, water bombers scoop out of this bay. Get off the water if one starts running.
- Save 196 in your phone before you go out: that is the sea emergency number, VHF 16 on the water.
Getting there
Airport
Figari-Sud Corse Airport (FSC)
Route
Fly to Figari, then drive toward Pianottoli-Caldarello/Port de Figari and follow the track to the final parking area near the bay.
Transfer
10 min
Cost level
high
Staying
Stay in Pianottoli-Caldarello, Figari, Bonifacio or Porto-Vecchio; car rental is the most practical option for southern Corsica spot changes.
No-wind days
Bonifacio old town and cliffs · Lavezzi islands · Roccapina · Sartène · Aiguilles de Bavella hiking
Photos
FAQ
When is the best time to kite Baie de Figari?
May to September is the main season, with June-August as the strongest thermal period, typically starting in early afternoon.
Is Baie de Figari suitable for beginners?
Yes, Eole Figari and the local commune describe it as suitable from beginner through advanced, with shallow water and room for learning.
Is there a kite school at Baie de Figari?
Yes, Eole Figari operates in the bay, offering lessons, rental and wingfoil alongside kitesurfing.
Are there rules or restrictions at Baie de Figari?
Kite rental is for autonomous riders outside July and August, and a summer restriction with defined riding zones is reported, though no official municipal order text was found.
Last updated: August 2026