MapRéunionSaint-Gilles / West CoastLa Saline-les-Bains (Trou d'Eau)Saint-Gilles / West Coast

La Saline-les-Bains (Trou d'Eau)

Réunion · Saint-Gilles / West Coast · La Saline-les-Bains, Saint-Paul

also known as Trou d'Eau, Petit Trou d'Eau, La Saline - Trou d'Eau

Part of Saint-Gilles / West Coast →

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

lagoonnot for beginnershigh crowds

On this page

The spot
Wind
Forecast
Month by month
Water
Level
The scene
Launch
Schools
Tips
Getting there
FAQ

Riding essentials

Season

May–Nov

Months riders and schools name

How windy

20-25 kt

Character: trade

Room to launch

tight

access rules on record, below

Water

lagoon

28 °C in summerCoral reef lagoon behind the fringing barrier reef, normally flat to choppy, with more chop at high tide in strong wind

Hazards

Reported by riders

Level

Intermediate to advanced

With a caveat: see Your level

BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced

Crowds

high crowds

Schools

named at this spot

From the airport

Garros Reunion Airport (RUN)

Transfer times under Getting there

When it fills in

Leeward coast, so the wind fills in during the course of the morning: the sea breeze sets up, adds to the background flow and pulls it onto the shore strip. It fades in the evening, when the sea breeze dies and a land breeze takes over shortly after nightfall.

Nearbystraight-line distance

Backup spotsWhere riders go when the wind doesn't work here.

L'Étang-Saléno page yet

The spot

Trou d'Eau is the kiteable south end of the La Saline-les-Bains lagoon, in the commune of Saint-Paul on Réunion's dry west coast. You ride inside a coral-fringed lagoon, so flat to choppy rather than a wave spot, in water no deeper than about 2 m.

Wind window

The wind window is narrow and southerly: SSE, SE, S, SW work; SE can turn unstable, and north wind is not ridden here.

Not a beginner beach

Flat water does not make it a beginner beach. Every Réunion spot wants an autonomous rider, and this one adds tight launch strips, coral, urchins, gusts, current in the passes and a beach shared with the swimmers, the kayaks and the paddles.

Marine reserve

The whole spot sits inside the marine reserve: navigation is allowed only in the defined zones, and the integral reserve area at Trou d'Eau stays off limits even when the buoys marking it have gone missing.

When conditions are right

When the wind fits, this is one of the island's busiest kite beaches, with restaurants and kayak and paddle rental right behind the sand.

The wind

locals call it alizés

Direction

cross-onS to SSE

Direction to shore

Cross-on. The lagoon beach runs north-west to south-east with the open sea to the south-west, soSW arrives straight onshore,S blows cross-on,SE and SSE run side-shore along the beach,and anything with north in it is offshore and not ridden here.The usable arc is narrow, which is why the wind switches on and off at its edges.

Dominant direction

S to SSE, SE, SW when it is rideable. The spot runs on predominantly southerly wind, and north wind is not ridden here.

Kite sizes

45678910111213141516

metres · typical quiver highlighted

The quiver, in words

An average Réunion quiver sits between 7 and 10 m, with 5 to 14 m covering the extremes; a 7 m carries roughly 80% of sessions during the May-November trade season and the big kites belong to the December-April summer.Size for the venturi, not for the forecast: the accepted local correction is 1.5 to 2 times the modelled wind. Trou d'Eau is the exception to the island pattern because it runs on frontal southerly wind of variable strength rather than the steady trade, so a 75-85 kg rider should bring a spread rather than one size; beach-specific sizing here is unconfirmed.

Character

trade

When it fills in: see above ↑

Typical strength

There is no settled on-spot average. The southerly flow that makes this beach work is frontal and irregular in strength, unlike the steadier south-east trade that feeds the south-coast spots. Relief accelerates whatever arrives, and the local correction is to multiply forecast wind by 1.5 to 2: a modelled 20-25 kt has come in at 30-35 kt on island spots.

Often gusty, with a narrow usable angle. Wait until the wind is properly established before you go out, and count on stronger gusts and a local venturi effect.

The austral winter, May to November, is the wind season, but the south-east trade that suits the south-coast spots is not what makes this beach work. The rideable wind here is the southerly flow (SSW to SSE) that cold fronts push up from the far south: less regular in strength, often arriving with a big swell.

Seasonal wind change

In summer the trade weakens and a north-west flow takes over, which is offshore at Trou d'Eau and moves the action to the north-west-facing beaches. Being the leeward side, the west coast is also the dry one.

Forecast

Live forecast

Windguru Windfinder Windy

Month by month

riding season from the spot record · no wind series here is trusted enough to name a season

Jan21
Feb7
Mar8
Apr20
May, riders' month8
Jun, riders' month23
Jul, riders' month10
Aug, riders' month11
Sep, riders' month3
Oct, riders' month26
Nov, riders' month17
Dec10

windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)

Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov.

Our wind model misses this spot's wind

The model puts wind on only 26% of days, even in its best month, which does not match the season and the wind strength riders and schools report here. That is why the bars are hatched instead of coloured: go by the ringed months, the ones riders name.

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.

Every figure, month by monthWindy days · Force 4+ · 12 kn or more · Knots · Wind from · Peaks at · Air · Water · Readings

Month	Windy days	Force 4+	12 kn or more	Knots	Wind from	Peaks at	Air	Water	Readings
Jan	21%	42%	32%	10.9 kt	SSE	14:00	27.2 °C	27.8 °C	62
Feb	7%	14%	9%	8.2 kt	SSE	16:00	27.2 °C	27.8 °C	57
Mar	8%	13%	11%	8.2 kt	NNW	16:00	26.7 °C	27.8 °C	62
Apr	20%	25%	22%	8.8 kt	SSE	13:00	25.6 °C	27.2 °C	60
May	8%	26%	19%	8.4 kt	SSE	13:00	23.9 °C	26.1 °C	62
Jun	23%	30%	25%	8.9 kt	SSE	13:00	22.2 °C	25 °C	60
Jul	10%	21%	18%	8.6 kt	S	15:00	21.7 °C	23.9 °C	62
Aug	11%	18%	15%	8.1 kt	SSE	14:00	21.7 °C	23.3 °C	62
Sep	3%	8%	5%	7.3 kt	WNW	12:00	22.2 °C	23.3 °C	60
Oct	26%	40%	37%	10.4 kt	NNW	14:00	23.3 °C	23.9 °C	62
Nov	17%	22%	20%	9.1 kt	NW	13:00	25 °C	25.6 °C	60
Dec	10%	24%	18%	8.8 kt	NNW	15:00	26.1 °C	26.7 °C	62

About these figuresriders' months · 2023-2024

Riders and schools name these months. The model reads lower here, and both are shown rather than averaged.

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

lagoon

Standing depth

Shallow lagoon. Depths do not exceed 2 m, with coral patches throughout.

Tides

Tide-dependent lagoon. Favour high tide, and be careful at low tide to avoid coral damage and injury.

Temperature

28 °C summer · 23.5 °C winter

Modelled monthly average: 23–28 °C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts/lycra are common in warm water; a shorty or thin wetsuit can be useful in austral winter or long windy sessions.

Currents

Strong currents in the passes, and sometimes inside the lagoon during large swell.

Conditions

Coral reef lagoon behind the fringing barrier reef, normally flat to choppy, with more chop at high tide in strong wind. Waves are rare and the riding is freeride and freestyle inside the lagoon. Trou d'Eau is not supervised for swimming, unlike the reef-protected beaches either side of it.

Your level

BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced

not for beginners here

Protected and flat, and still not a beginner beach: narrow launch zones, coral, gusty wind, currents, reserve zoning, swimmers, other lagoon users: all of it wants an autonomous rider. Lessons for first-timers are unconfirmed here.

The scene

What riders come here for

flat waterfreestylefreeridelagoon cruising

Who it suitsbeginner

A shared lagoon beach: families bathing, snorkelers, the kayak and paddle rental, beach restaurants, tourists, local kiters. On the right direction it is one of the island's two busiest kite spots.

Launch and rules

three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you

With a school or a boat

1 school names this spot

See who they are

On your own

Room to launch: tight

Read the access rules

Somewhere else

6 spots nearby

All 6 spots within 40 km are under Nearby

Rescue

No lifeguard cover.

Unlike the neighbouring La Saline and l'Hermitage beaches, Trou d'Eau is not watched by lifeguards; an orange emergency post stands on the sand and marks the edge of one of the three launch/landing zones.

Local practice is not to ride alone, to ask another kiter for help rather than fight a problem inside the swimming band, and in a bad lull or gust to pull the safety, wind the lines in the water and swim the kite back in.

Launch

Three launch/landing areas are used: south of the Planche Alizée restaurant, in front of L'Uni-Vert, and between La Bodega and the orange emergency post on the beach. The strip is narrow, so lines are laid the same way as everyone else's, bar on the sea side and lines at 90° to the wind axis for a fast launch, and nothing is left rigged on the launch zone while you ride.Solo launchingSolo launching is strongly discouraged at Petit Trou d'Eau because of the crowd on the sand and the abrasive beach coral.

Hazards riders report 12 reported

Wind

Often gusty wind, stronger gusts, and on/off wind angle

Crowds and zones

Narrow launch and landing zones

Bottom

Sea urchins

Waves and currents

Coral reef and shallow patches, especially at low tide
Shallow/awash coral heads and abrasive beach coral, especially at low tide

Protected areas and rules

Swimmers and other lagoon users to share space with
Reef pass current where the lagoon drains
Crowded beach and lagoon users including swimmers, beachgoers, windsurfers, kayaks and paddles
Strong currents in passes and occasionally inside the lagoon during large swell
Reserve marine integral zone at Trou d'Eau where navigation is prohibited
Shark risk if outside protected lagoon or after an equipment failure drifting into open water

Other

Trees and nearby buildings close to the rigging/launch area

Rules & access

2 min read

Marine reserve and navigation

2026: Trou d'Eau sits entirely inside the Réserve Naturelle Marine de La Réunion, and kite navigation is allowed only in the zones covered by a specific prefectoral authorisation. Navigation stays strictly prohibited in the integral reserve area, marked by four yellow buoys, two inside the lagoon and two outside, and the ban holds even when the outer buoys are missing.

Local kite rules

The 2026 local kite rules for La Saline: autonomous level required; treat the first 25 m from the shore, one line length, as a safety band closed to riding except for going in and out; land jumps well before that band; keep at least 10 m from bathers; the two jump zones are in front of and to the right of the Petit Trou d'Eau launch and opposite the Trou d'Eau car park, with 50 m clearance downwind and 30 m upwind expected around a jumper; do not stand on the beach with the kite at the zenith; the rider going out has priority over the rider coming in; do not ride over coral at low tide, and if you fall in coral reach a sandy area before you stand up.

Right of way

Right of way follows the least manoeuvrable craft: bodysurf, then surf and bodyboard, then windsurf, then kite. The kiter riding a wave has priority, and of two kiters on the same wave the upwind one has it.

Water closure and regulations

Swimming is prohibited inside the marked navigation zones under the prefectoral order governing lagoon activity. The governing texts are prefectoral order n°1744 of 15 July 2008 with amendment n°2205 of 12 June 2019, décret 2007-236 of 21 February 2007 creating the marine reserve, article 240-2.11 of the order of 6 May 2019, and Saint-Paul municipal order 2009-2622 applying inside the 300 m shore band. Only the official texts and the posted signage are legally authoritative.

Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.

Schools that ride here

Rider tips

Check the posted reserve zoning before you rig. The integral reserve zone at Trou d'Eau applies even when the buoys are gone.
Ride the high tide. At low water you are over coral, and if you fall in a shallow section reach sand before you stand up.
Multiply the forecast by 1.5 to 2 before you pick a kite. The island's relief accelerates whatever the models show.
Do not self-launch at Petit Trou d'Eau when the beach is busy. The sand is crowded and the beach coral is abrasive.
Stay out of the first 25 m off the shore except to go in and out. That band is where the swimmers are.
Land your jumps well before the 25 m band and keep to the two jump zones rather than sending it over the cruising area.
Wear reef shoes for the shallows and keep off live coral.
Ask local riders before your first launch. The usable angle is narrow and the beach strip is tight.
Expect the wind to build through the morning and die in the evening on this leeward coast. A front, not a clock, decides whether the southerly turns up at all.
If you use a board leash, take a retractable one, clip it low or in the water, and unclip before you walk out.

Getting there

Airport

Roland Garros Reunion Airport (RUN), the island's main airport; Saint-Pierre Pierrefonds exists but mainly serves Mauritius connections.

Route

Drive to Plage de Trou d'Eau on Route du Trou d'Eau in La Saline-les-Bains, or take Car Jaune line T to La Saline-les-Bains. Park at Plage de Trou d'Eau or by Restaurant L'Uni-Vert.

Transfer

About 44-50 minutes by car from Roland Garros Airport to La Saline-les-Bains; direct bus is listed at about 1h15 and runs every three hours.

Staying

La Saline-les-Bains has tourist accommodation close to the lagoon, from apartments to beachfront villas and hotels; Saint-Gilles-les-Bains is another nearby base.

No-wind days

Snorkeling, transparent kayak, paddle, beach restaurants/sunset at Trou d'Eau, La Saline lagoon, Hermitage lagoon, whale/dolphin trips from the west coast, hiking in the island interior, Cilaos and Piton de la Fournaise excursions.

FAQ

When is the best time to kite Trou d'Eau?

The austral-winter trade season runs May to November, and the spot works with southerly wind (SSE, SE, S or SW) but is not recommended in north wind.

Is Trou d'Eau suitable for beginners?

No, despite the protected lagoon, narrow launch zones, coral, gusty wind and currents mean local kite sources describe it as requiring autonomous riders.

Are there rules or restricted zones?

Trou d'Eau lies inside the Réunion Marine Nature Reserve, where navigation is authorized only in defined zones and an integral reserve area marked by four yellow buoys is strictly off-limits.

What are the main hazards?

Coral reef and shallow patches especially at low tide, strong currents in the passes, and a crowded lagoon shared with swimmers and other beach users.

Where do kiters launch?

Three local launch/landing areas are used, and solo launching is discouraged at Petit Trou d'Eau because of beach users and abrasive coral.

The bigger pictureEverything about Saint-Gilles / West Coast

Last updated: August 2026