We use cookies to keep things fast and improve your experience π€
Surf spot guide Β· Normandy, France
Fickle but potentially excellent left peeling along a concrete jetty on the Cotentin Peninsula's northeast tip.
Collignon is a left-hander that wraps along the edge of a concrete jetty on the exposed northeastern tip of the Cotentin Peninsula. When it switches on, the wave is legitimately impressive - hollow, steep, and fast, with a swell-driven welling quality that loads power into short, punchy sections in the 0.6-1.8m range. The bottom is sand, so it reshapes constantly, but the jetty provides a structural reference point that can produce surprisingly consistent form on the right day. Mondo data confirms a second peak sitting roughly 100 meters down the beach from the main jetty wall, giving an alternative if the primary left is maxing or crowded. The catch: Collignon rarely delivers. It demands a solid W to NW swell with SW winds to activate, and those conditions align infrequently on this stretch of coast. Rising to high tide is the window. Getting in is straightforward - car parking is available both in a car park and roadside. The jetty itself is the key navigation landmark; the left breaks off its northern side on the right push of water. The crowd situation is worth knowing before you go. The regulars here are a tight, territorial group who materialize specifically on the big days - exactly when you want to be here too. Expect a cold reception rather than welcomes. Water quality can be compromised by proximity to Cherbourg's large commercial harbour.
Hollow left that wraps the Cotentin jetty, rare and territorial.
Youβre seeing the next 3 days. A free account opens all 14, which is the difference between checking tomorrow and planning a trip.
Quiet most of the time given how rarely it breaks, but the local contingent arrives quickly and in numbers on the good days. The vibe in the water is unwelcoming - this is not a spot where visitors are embraced.
Cold, territorial, raw
Normandy
A-frame peaks over mixed reef and sand in a sheltered Normandy bay, firing on strong SW swell combos.
Normandy
Normandy beachbreak producing multiple shifting peaks across a wide sandy bay, best on SW to NW swells.
Normandy
Rare but rewarding Norman left peeling off a rocky reef near a harbour wall, with a hollow shorebreak option on big NW swells.
+2 MORE βOnly works on a genuine W to NW swell - small or pure south swells won't activate the jetty left
Check the secondary peak 100m down the beach if the main jetty left is walled or overcrowded
Rising to high tide is the working window - don't waste time at low
Harbour proximity means water quality drops after heavy rainfall - check conditions before paddling
Arrive early on the rare days it fires, as the local crew shows up fast
HAZARDS Β· KNOW BEFORE YOU PADDLE
Car park and roadside parking both available near the jetty. The break is accessed directly from the beach adjacent to the concrete jetty structure on the northeast Cotentin coast.
Open in Maps