Map › Guadeloupe › Grande-Terre — La Saline (Le Gosier) to Le Moule Beach Park › Saint-François (Marina)
Grande-Terre · Saint-François marina/harbour, east tip of Grande-Terre · Saint-Francois
Saint-François (Marina)
also known as St François, St Francois, Saint-Francois lagoon, Lagon de Saint-Francois
Nearby Anse a la Gourde 6 km · Le Moule Beach Park 11 km · Sainte-Anne 13 km · La Saline (Le Gosier) 20 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
No onset time is published for this spot.
The wind
locals call it alizes
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
trade
Typical strength
12-25 kt through the dry trade-wind season, with about 15 kt as the working average. Indicative: no station record has been published for this lagoon.
Thermal or synoptic
synoptic
Also on record
15
The quiver, in words
For a 75-85 kg rider, 11-12 m is the usual call across Guadeloupe and a 12 m is the one kite to pack, because the alizes here run light to moderate rather than tropical-strong. Indicative for the island, with no size guidance published for this lagoon on its own.
Direction to shore
Left side-shore to side-onshore on port tack.
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan, riders' month73
- Feb, riders' month64
- Mar, riders' month69
- Apr, riders' month59
- May57
- Jun81
- Jul91
- Aug68
- Sep44
- Oct48
- Nov69
- Dec, riders' month61
per cent of the month at force 4 or more
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Dec.
- 13Jan27°
- 12Feb27°
- 12Mar27°
- 12Apr28°
- 12May29°
- 13Jun29°
- 14Jul29°
- 12Aug30°
- 11Sep31°
- 11Oct30°
- 12Nov29°
- 12Dec28°
avg knots per month · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Force 4+ | Knots | From | Air | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 73% | 12.6 kt | ENE | 25.3°C | 27.1°C |
| Feb | 64% | 12.3 kt | ENE | 25.1°C | 26.8°C |
| Mar | 69% | 12.3 kt | ENE | 25.5°C | 27.2°C |
| Apr | 59% | 11.5 kt | E | 26°C | 27.7°C |
| May | 57% | 11.6 kt | ESE | 27.3°C | 28.8°C |
| Jun | 81% | 12.9 kt | E | 27.8°C | 29.2°C |
| Jul | 91% | 14 kt | E | 27.5°C | 29.4°C |
| Aug | 68% | 12.2 kt | E | 27.7°C | 29.8°C |
| Sep | 44% | 10.6 kt | E | 27.8°C | 30.5°C |
| Oct | 48% | 11.2 kt | E | 27.7°C | 30.3°C |
| Nov | 69% | 11.9 kt | E | 26.8°C | 29.2°C |
| Dec | 61% | 11.6 kt | E | 25.9°C | 28.1°C |
modelled
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
Modelled from weather reanalysis on a 10–25 km grid (2022-2024), not a ground station: reliable for trade and synoptic winds, understates thermal sea breezes and valley winds. 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.
ERA5 reanalysis grid point (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical weather API — ECMWF ERA5/ERA5-Land reanalysis, not a ground station · 2022-2024
The water
Type
mixed
Standing depth
Reportedly you can stand out to about 30 m from the beach. Depth over the reef lagoon is uneven, with very shallow patches, so it is not a place to count on putting a foot down.
Tides
No tide to speak of inside the bay.
Temperature
29°C summer · 27°C winter
Wetsuit
No wetsuit. Shorts or a rashguard all year.
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
3 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: tight
Somewhere else
Anse a la Gourde, 6 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
A short strip of white sand by the harbour, on the far side of the golf course from town. It is narrow, with palm trees close behind and not much room, so move into the water before launching.
Space
tight
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Walk the kite out into the water before you launch: the sand strip is narrow and the palms are right behind it.
- Ride upwind as soon as you are up, to clear the boats anchored about 50 m off the beach.
- Watch the sky as much as the water; squalls come through quickly even on steady trade-wind days.
- Come December to April, and expect more boats in the anchorage from January through March.
- Rent a car. The launch sits on the far side of the golf course from Saint-Francois town.
- Pack a 12 m; the alizes here are light to moderate.
- Nobody is watching this beach. A sea emergency goes to 196 or VHF 16, and the nearest coordinating centre is in Martinique.
Getting there
Airport
Pointe-a-Pitre Le Raizet Airport (PTP)
Route
A car is the practical option. A cab or bus gets you to Saint-Francois, and from town the spot is on the other side of the golf course by the harbour, but a kite trip around Guadeloupe wants its own wheels.
Transfer
40 min
Cost level
medium
Staying
Hotels, residences, gites, surf camps, guest rooms and private bungalows around Saint-Francois, Sainte-Anne or Le Moule. Stay on Grande-Terre if you want the kite spots close.
No-wind days
Surf or SUP, snorkeling and diving, Pointe des Chateaux, Petite-Terre boat trips from Saint-Francois, golf near the marina, rhumeries, markets, Basse-Terre hikes and Les Saintes.
Photos
FAQ
Is Saint-Francois Marina good for beginners?
No, sources list intermediate and expert riders only, citing the small launch and anchored boats.
When is the best time to kite?
December through April, within a wider season running into July.
What hazards are there?
Sailboats anchored about 50m offshore, reef, palm trees at the launch, and squalls that can arrive quickly.
Are there kite schools nearby?
Blue Soley and Action Kite Caraibes operate in the area.
Last updated: August 2026