Les Dunes.

Les Dunes is a sandy beachbreak on the Vendée coast that produces a-frame peaks across a wide stretch of beach. The wave is characteristically soft and forgiving - crumbly faces, medium to slow speed, and a tendency to well up rather than pitch. It handles a broad swell window from SW through NW, meaning it picks up anything the Atlantic sends in. Around mid tide the banks tighten into genuinely usable walls in the 0.3-1m range, offering decent shoulders for longboards and beginner surfers. Above about 1.5m the peaks tend to section and close out, limiting the fun factor considerably. The optimal swell arrives from the W, and a NE wind cleans things up nicely. Being an open beachbreak, the banks shift with the seasons and after significant storm activity, so quality varies. A large campsite sits directly opposite the beach and free car parking is close by, making this one of the more accessible spots on this stretch of coast. The combination of easy access and forgiving waves draws wave-jumpers and holidaymakers during summer, which adds bodies in the water. Crowd levels are moderate rather than heavy - manageable outside peak season. For more serious surf nearby, La Sauzaie reef sits 4km north and La Sauveterre offers reef options to the south.

Wide Atlantic window, banks that tighten mid-tide into forgiving Vendée walls.