Map › France › Medoc Atlantique › Hourtin Port
Nouvelle-Aquitaine · Medoc Atlantique, Gironde · Gironde · Hourtin
Hourtin Port
also known as Le Port Hourtin, Lac d'Hourtin, Plage du Port
Nearby Lachanau 2 km · Lacanau Ocean 21 km · Lac de Lacanau - Lacanau-Ville 22 km · Le Porge Ocean 33 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
Thermal setup: east in the morning, turning northwest around midday and strengthening in the afternoon when conditions align.
The wind
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
mixed
fills in: Thermal setup: east in the morning, turning northwest around midday and strengthening in the afternoon when conditions align.
Typical strength
Summer thermal is commonly 8-15 knots, which is the figure to plan around; 10-20 knots is also quoted, and 35-40 knots is possible in September-October depression systems.
Thermal or synoptic
thermal and frontal
The quiver, in words
For twin-tip riding on the Lacanau/Hourtin lakes, a light-wind kite around 11-14 m2 covers summer and 6-9 m2 covers winter depression winds, adjusted for rider weight.
Direction to shore
The kite beach sits at the north-east corner of the lake and faces roughly west-southwest. Open water runs several kilometres from due south round through west to north-west, so NW, W, SW and S all arrive onshore or cross-onshore, and those are the four directions the spot works on.N, NE and E come off the pines behind the beach; north wind in particular leaves the sand in a dead patch, which is why riders walk out and launch and land from the water on those days. The orientation is read off the lake outline, not from a published local bulletin.
Dominant direction
N, SW, NW; summer thermals often turn W to NW in the afternoon, with westerly to southwesterly depression winds in autumn.
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan35
- Feb19
- Mar26
- Apr22
- May35
- Jun, riders' month13
- Jul, riders' month26
- Aug, riders' month24
- Sep, riders' month10
- Oct, riders' month29
- Nov33
- Dec23
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct.
- 35%Jan12°
- 19%Feb12°
- 26%Mar12°
- 22%Apr14°
- 35%May16°
- 13%Jun19°
- 26%Jul20°
- 24%Aug22°
- 10%Sep21°
- 29%Oct20°
- 33%Nov16°
- 23%Dec13°
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 | 35% | 52% | 42% | 13 kt | NNE | 14:00 | 7.5°C | 12.4°C | 62 |
| Feb | 19% | 39% | 33% | 10.3 kt | NE | 15:00 | 8.9°C | 11.5°C | 57 |
| Mar | 26% | 35% | 31% | 12.2 kt | WNW | 15:00 | 11°C | 12°C | 62 |
| Apr | 22% | 47% | 33% | 11.9 kt | WNW | 16:00 | 12.7°C | 13.9°C | 60 |
| May | 35% | 53% | 48% | 11.8 kt | NW | 15:00 | 16.5°C | 16°C | 62 |
| Jun | 13% | 48% | 32% | 10.9 kt | NW | 16:00 | 19.9°C | 19.4°C | 60 |
| Jul | 26% | 44% | 35% | 10.8 kt | WNW | 16:00 | 21.3°C | 20.4°C | 62 |
| Aug | 24% | 45% | 39% | 11.4 kt | NW | 16:00 | 22°C | 22.1°C | 62 |
| Sep | 10% | 27% | 17% | 10.1 kt | W | 16:00 | 19°C | 21.1°C | 60 |
| Oct | 29% | 35% | 32% | 11.7 kt | WSW | 15:00 | 17.2°C | 19.7°C | 62 |
| Nov | 33% | 42% | 38% | 12.9 kt | WSW | 15:00 | 12.5°C | 16°C | 60 |
| Dec | 23% | 35% | 31% | 11.1 kt | WNW | 14:00 | 8.9°C | 13.1°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
lake
Standing depth
Very shallow near the shore; you can reportedly still stand more than 100 m out, over a standing area of about 2 km by 800 m.
Tides
No tide effect on this freshwater lake spot.
Temperature
Summer 20-25°C
Winter around 11
Wetsuit
Shorty or light full suit in summer depending on wind chill; full winter suit out of season.
Currents
No tidal current. Some stronger flow near the channels is reported, but current is not a real issue at Hourtin Port.
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
9 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: Medium/good lake launch with parking, shops and amenities close by; the water area is shared courteously with windsurfers.
Somewhere else
Lachanau, 2 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
Dedicated kite beach south of the tourist beach at Hourtin Port, marked by a wooden barrier/signage for the kite zone.
Space
Medium/good lake launch with parking, shops and amenities close by; the water area is shared courteously with windsurfers.
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Rig on the kite beach south of the tourist beach, past the wooden barrier, not on the swimming beach.
- In north wind, walk out and launch and land from the water; the beach itself is in a wind shadow.
- Stay south of the yellow buoys and give way to the windsurfers under the navigation priorities; the zone is shared.
- Check the Hourtin Lac live wind station before driving; 8-15 knots is a normal summer afternoon, so pack the 11-14 m2 or the foil.
Getting there
Airport
Bordeaux-Merignac (BOD)
Route
From Bordeaux, drive northwest on the D6 toward Carcans and Hourtin, then follow signs to Hourtin Port and the beach south of the harbor. Without a car: train from Bordeaux Saint-Jean to Lesparre, then bus line 4212 to Le Port.
Staying
Hourtin Port and Hourtin have campsites, UCPA sports accommodation and family holiday lodging around the lake.
No-wind days
Wakeboard, wingfoil, SUP, sailing and catamaran on Lac d'Hourtin · Surfing at Hourtin Ocean · Cycling through the Medoc forest and La Velodyssee · Family beach time at Hourtin Port
Photos
FAQ
When is the best time to kite at Hourtin Port?
June to October is the main window. Summer thermal wind typically runs 8-20 knots, while September and October depression systems can bring 35-40 knots.
Is Hourtin Port suitable for beginners?
Yes. The shallow, clean-bottom water and dedicated kite beach make it the main beginner-oriented access on the lake.
What is the wind like?
Summer brings light northwest thermals in the afternoon, while autumn depressions bring stronger, gustier southwest to west wind. A north wind creates a wind shadow near the launch.
Are there rules or restricted zones?
Kiting on Lac de Carcans-Hourtin is only allowed in the marked Hourtin Port and Lacanau zones, and riders at Hourtin Port must stay south of a yellow-buoy line.
Are there kite schools nearby?
Yes, including Hourtin Kiteschool on Plage du Port, UCPA Hourtin and Kitesurf Club Lacanau.
Last updated: August 2026