Andalusia, a sunny region in the south of Spain, is a true paradise for water sports enthusiasts, especially wing foil. With its vast and diverse …
Wingfoil destination in Gruissan!
Gruissan, nicknamed the pearl of the Mediterranean coast, is positioned as a dream destination for wing foil enthusiasts. The city, known for its authentic charm, offers an environment conducive to wind and board sports, making it a privileged place to indulge in this emerging discipline.
The Must-See Spots for Wingfoil in Gruissan
Located in the heart of the corridors where the tramontane accelerates, Gruissan is bathed by more than 300 days of winds a year. Its laid-back atmosphere and picturesque scenery make it an ideal playground for wingfoil enthusiasts. The many specialty stores on site offer visitors the opportunity to purchase the necessary equipment and benefit from repair services, ensuring a hassle-free experience.
The beach of the chalets
The first must-see on our list, the Plage des Chalets, allows easier access to our second spot which will be the Plage de la Vieille Nouvelle. The Chalets are the beach that hosts the mythical Wind Challenge, which is now broken down into Kite Challenge and Wing Challenge. At Les Chalets, the wind is often quite unstable due to the urbanisation to the wind of the beach, but as soon as you pass on the other side of the seawall… The magic begins. Be careful, in summer, launching is forbidden due to the swimming area. You will have to get into the water in the channels and sail at 300 meters.
The Old News
The spot of La Vieille has been the Mecca of windsurfing for more than 20 years now, well known for the Wind challenge. It will allow you to tack more than 10 km in a tramontane wind that can take more than 10 knots between Gruissan and Port-la-Nouvelle. The background with the view of the Canigou… The wild beach… In short, a joy. Be careful, for some time now, access to the beach by car is no longer possible, or very risky (we are talking about a fine of 1500 euros). It now has to be accessed differently, either by the canal or by the Plage des Chalets.
Mateille, it’s small, it’s a pond, there are lots of beginners and a school, but it feels good! The spot is terribly windy and unstable in the tramontana, but as soon as the “grec”, the wind that comes from the south, comes in, the spot becomes legendary. The sessions are a kind of gathering of buddies with the same passion.
At the Nautique, the wind comes in any direction. The spot is reassuring because it is a pond. A little chop (which can become quite big) will allow you to practice any type of sailing program. Be careful though, at the bottom, the pond has long been the “garbage dump” of Narbonne, the atmosphere is with stone blocks and broken tiles on the water’s edge (it depends on where you get in the water).
Various Activities in Gruissan
Gruissan and its surroundings lend themselves to a variety of activities, from wingfoil on windy days to paddle boarding when the sea is calm (often it’s the Mediterranean). The practice of dockstart is also possible, provided that a suitable pontoon can be found. For the curious, learning how to beach start in foil is an exciting option that we will explore in our next articles. that you don’t want to rinse your kite every time. We therefore advise you to rinse it once in a while at low pressure with fresh water.
Tips for Wing Foil Equipment in Gruissan
Mediterranean winds can be strong and erratic, challenging even experienced practitioners. Two approaches are available to you depending on your level of mastery for the choice of your wing foil equipment:
For experienced practitioners:
Opt for a variety of equipment, favouring small boards and foils adapted to big conditions. As an example, the SROKA team recommends a 4’6″ or 4’8″ Superfly, 3.4 and 5m² V3 wings, a 14 mm Elite foil with carbon fuselage, 180cm² stabilizer and three fins to adapt to all conditions, preferably small.
For practitioners in progress:
Choose equipment that you are familiar with, remaining aware of potentially strong and unstable conditions. Safety is paramount, especially at sea with offshore winds.
Maintain your kite surfing and wing foil kites: watch out for the sun!
Gruissan is a town by the water. This area is an ideal place to practice water sports. Windsurfing, wingfoil, kitesurfing but also optimist, canoeing, paddle boarding and catamaran sailing. If you want to learn with a school, go to the two nautical bases of Gruissan which will welcome you with pleasure. Finally, for all those who are waiting for their other half on the beach, this region offers many alternatives running, hiking, mountain biking, paintboall, horse riding on the beach, tree climbing, climbing in the Clape. Have a good ride.
If you still have questions about this, or for any other request, please do not hesitate to contact us !
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