Map › France › Bretagne — Isthme de Penthievre to Petite Mer de Gavres › Petite Mer de Gavres
Bretagne · Rade de Lorient - Gavres · Gâvres
Petite Mer de Gavres
also known as Gavres, Petite mer de Gâvres, Petite Mer de Gâvres
Nearby Plage de Kerhillio 14 km · Plage de Sainte-Barbe 15 km · Plage des Sables Blancs 18 km · Plage de la Falaise 19 km · Isthme de Penthievre 21 km · Grande Plage de Carnac 22 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
Outside summer there is no hour to aim at. October to March the wind comes with the Atlantic depressions and can blow at any time of day, for days on end; April to June and September to November give the best wind statistics of the year. In summer the useful breeze is usually a thermal that fills in during the afternoon. In every season the tide sets the session, not the clock: you need high water, plus or minus about 2h30.
The wind
locals call it Bretagne south-coast westerlies and summer thermal breeze
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
mixed
fills in: Outside summer there is no hour to aim at. October to March the wind comes with the Atlantic depressions and can blow at any time of day, for days on end; April to June and September to November give the best wind statistics of the year. In summer the useful breeze is usually a thermal that fills in during the afternoon. In every season the tide sets the session, not the clock: you need high water, plus or minus about 2h30.
Typical strength
No Petite Mer-specific figures published. The south Brittany depression systems that drive the area blow from S through NW at 15 to more than 30 kt.
Also on record
About 10 kt annual mean from WSW at Lorient South Brittany Airport (observations through 2026). That is an airport proxy, not a spot average.
The quiver, in words
Indicative and derived, not measured here: no local kite-size table is published for the Petite Mer. For a 75-85 kg rider the Breton westerly range works out at roughly 12 m when a flow is only just filling in around 15 kt, 9 m on a solid 20 kt day, and 7 m once a depression pushes past 25 kt.Flat water lets you hold a size longer than the ocean side would. Summer thermal afternoons sit at the light end of that, so 12 m or bigger.
Direction to shore
Workable from west round through south to east. North is the direction to leave alone: the departmental road runs right behind the launch, and beginners are told to avoid northerlies for that reason.South wind arrives over the dune below the launch and is often shadowed there, so the rigging area can be soft while the middle of the lagoon is fine. Northeast is offshore on the ocean side of the tombolo, which is exactly when riders fall back into the Petite Mer.
Dominant direction
NW, W, SW, S, SE, E
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan48
- Feb42
- Mar58
- Apr45
- May45
- Jun37
- Jul45
- Aug27
- Sep28
- Oct32
- Nov45
- Dec52
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)
- 48%Jan10°
- 42%Feb10°
- 58%Mar11°
- 45%Apr13°
- 45%May15°
- 37%Jun17°
- 45%Jul17°
- 27%Aug18°
- 28%Sep18°
- 32%Oct17°
- 45%Nov14°
- 52%Dec12°
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 | 48% | 63% | 55% | 15.5 kt | SW | 14:00 | 7.3°C | 10.4°C | 62 |
| Feb | 42% | 61% | 51% | 13.5 kt | WSW | 14:00 | 8.8°C | 10.2°C | 57 |
| Mar | 58% | 79% | 69% | 16.6 kt | SW | 15:00 | 9.9°C | 11°C | 62 |
| Apr | 45% | 65% | 57% | 14.1 kt | W | 15:00 | 11.2°C | 12.5°C | 60 |
| May | 45% | 79% | 65% | 13.3 kt | NNE | 16:00 | 14.6°C | 15.1°C | 62 |
| Jun | 37% | 70% | 57% | 12.3 kt | W | 17:00 | 17.7°C | 17.3°C | 60 |
| Jul | 45% | 68% | 58% | 13.4 kt | WSW | 16:00 | 18.5°C | 16.8°C | 62 |
| Aug | 27% | 56% | 45% | 12.2 kt | WSW | 16:00 | 19.2°C | 18°C | 62 |
| Sep | 28% | 60% | 45% | 12.7 kt | W | 16:00 | 17.2°C | 18.2°C | 60 |
| Oct | 32% | 53% | 45% | 13.5 kt | WSW | 15:00 | 15.1°C | 16.9°C | 62 |
| Nov | 45% | 57% | 52% | 15.4 kt | W | 14:00 | 11.9°C | 14.4°C | 60 |
| Dec | 52% | 71% | 66% | 15.4 kt | WSW | 14:00 | 8.7°C | 11.6°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
lagoon
Standing depth
You can stand almost everywhere at mid to high tide; the lagoon is shallow throughout, which is why it is used for first waterstarts. At low tide it drains and there is nothing to ride. The bottom is mostly mud and it is slippery underfoot.
Tides
High tide only, roughly 2h30 either side of high water, and the coefficient counts as much as the hour: the local rule of thumb is a coefficient of at least 80, because on neap tides there may not be enough water even at the top of the tide.Beginners are steered towards the smaller coefficients instead, where the water stays shallow enough to stand. At low tide the Petite Mer empties out.
Temperature
18°C summer · 10°C winter
Wetsuit
Use nearby Lorient/Belle-Ile values as a proxy: around 18 C in August and roughly 10-11 C in late winter, so a 3/2 or 4/3 in summer and a 5/4 or 5/3 with accessories in winter.
Currents
Sheltered from ocean currents. How much tidal flow there is inside the lagoon as it fills and drains is unconfirmed.
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
4 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: Tiny and saturates quickly at high tide. Space, not water, is the limiting factor on a good day.
Somewhere else
Plage de Kerhillio, 14 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
The launch and landing patch is tiny at high tide and fills up fast, and the departmental road runs close behind it, which is the main danger here. Wind from the south is often shadowed by the dune below, so kites can be difficult to get up from the sand while the lagoon itself has clean wind.There is no parking along the departmental road: use the isthmus car park at the entrance to the peninsula, or Porh Puns, depending on which launch area the tide allows. The Gavres Kite association is still working on defining a new departure zone, so the place to rig may move.
Space
Tiny and saturates quickly at high tide. Space, not water, is the limiting factor on a good day.
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Rig only in the window from about 2 hours before to 2 hours after high tide; at low tide the Petite Mer drains out and there is nothing to ride.
- Park at the Petite Mer car park (47.692254, -3.309765) and read the Gâvres Kite signage before rigging: the authorized launch area is still being moved and the road runs close to the launch.
- Pick your direction: south wind comes over the dune turbulent at the launch, north wind is land-influenced and irregular.
- From 1 October to 31 March the Fond de la Petite Mer is closed to kites under the biotope order; check where the protected boundary sits before you even carry gear toward the water.
- Do not treat the flat water as a beginner pool: the road, the wind shadow and the protected zone all need someone who knows the place, so book Kite Spirit, You Kite or NKS 56 for a first session.
- Suit up for 18 C in August (3/2 or 4/3) and 10-11 C in late winter (5/4 or 5/3 with the winter accessories).
- Check the coefficient as well as the tide time: high water plus or minus 2h30 and a coefficient of at least 80 is the local rule for having enough water.
- Park at the isthmus car park or Porh Puns, never along the departmental road, and read the signage before rigging because the authorized departure zone is still being redefined.
- Ride west through south to east; avoid north, which puts the departmental road downwind of you.
- Expect the take-off area to be shadowed by the dune on a south wind even when the lagoon has clean wind.
- From 1 October to 31 March the fond de la Petite Mer is closed to kites under the biotope order; check where the boundary sits before you carry gear to the water.
- Mark your kites and board with surname, first name and phone number, which French regulation requires.
- Do not treat the flat water as a beginner pool on your own: the road, the wind shadow and the protected zone all need someone who knows the place, so book a lesson for a first session.
Getting there
Airport
Lorient South Brittany Airport
Route
Gâvres is about 15-20 minutes by road from Lorient: head for Quiberon, then follow the signs for Pointe de Gâvres. From Vannes, take the Quiberon exit, then Etel and Plouhinec.
Transfer
20 min
Staying
Maison Glaz has cabins and lodging in Gâvres itself. Otherwise look in Port-Louis or Plouhinec, or stay in Lorient.
No-wind days
Surf on the ocean side/Le Linès when swell works, SUP or kayak when conditions and rules allow, coastal walks on the tombolo, Port-Louis citadel and Lorient area visits.
Photos
FAQ
Is Petite Mer de Gâvres suitable for beginners?
The flat lagoon can be attractive for learning with a school, but independent beginner suitability is not confirmed because of launch constraints, road proximity and tide timing.
Is the spot tide-dependent?
Yes; the useful window is roughly two hours before to two hours after high tide, since the lagoon empties at low tide.
What is the wind like?
The lagoon works in NW, W, SW, S, SE and E wind, though some directions such as south and north can be turbulent or irregular near the launch.
Are there rules or restricted zones?
A biotope protection order prohibits access to all nautical craft, including kitesurf, in the upper part of the lagoon from 1 October to 31 March.
What are the main hazards?
A road close to the launch and landing area, a narrow useful tide window, and the bird-protection zone with seasonal access limits.
Last updated: August 2026