Cannes – L’Aérospatiale
- Shortboard, Longboard
- Best for
- Beginner
- Skill Level
- Chop, Small waves
- Spot Type
- Busy
- Crowd Level
This spot information is AI-assisted and has not been human verified. It may be incomplete, outdated, or incorrect. Verify safety, access, local rules, and current conditions with official or local sources before riding.
About
This spot is accessed from either the beach or directly from the jetty, with shallow-to-deeper water along the shore. The shoreline setup includes industrial/pier infrastructure; square iron poles/piles along the jetty are noted as part of the surfing environment, shaping how waves run along the structure. Conditions are described as exposed overall, so wind direction is important for wave quality.
- Powerful, often punchy beach-break surfing
- Best swell from East to South-East
- Offshore north winds can groom waves
- Powerful, occasionally hollow beach break during the best swell setups
- Works across all tides
- Offshore north wind can groom waves nicely
- Pollution risk, especially after storms/heavy rain
- Can be crowded on weekends and during good winter swells
- Rip currents and submerged debris can occur near drainage areas
Wind, water and seasons
Wind
- Direction
- N, NW
- Offshore directions
- N, NW
- Wind Range
- 10–20 kts
- Wind Type
- Trade — Frontal-system winds can be present (typical 10–20 knots during frontal passages), but surfing is also highly swell-dependent.
- Reliability
- Low for wind-based sports; surfing is primarily swell-dependent.
- Gust Factor
- Moderate gusts — Moderate gustiness reported.
- Best Months
- January, February, March, October, November, December
- Shadow Zones
- Industrial buildings can create turbulence near the shore.
Water & beach
- Water Type
- Chop, Small waves
- Beach
- Sand
- Beach Size
- Medium
- Waves
- Small — Often small-to-medium; sources also note it can hold up to 2 m+ during better periods.
- Chop Level
- Heavy chop — Reported as choppy; east/south-east winds can make conditions messier/onshore.
- Launch
- Medium — Beach or jetty launch; sand entry or direct launch off the jetty/piles.
Through the year
Crowded on weekends and during good winter swells; quiet on weekdays.
Rainy season peaks typically in October and November.
By sport
What to expect for each.
Occasionally used for windsurfing during stronger offshore/side-onshore setups; primarily a surf spot.
- Sail Sizes
- 5–6.5 m²
Possible when the swell is small and wind is sufficient, but launch can be tricky due to sandbars and shore break.
- Foil Friendly
- Limited — Foil friendliness reported as limited.
- Min Depth
- 1.5 meters
- Wing Sizes
- 5–6 m²
Cannes–Mandelieu Aerospatiale is a beach-break with short, punchy sections that can become hollow/powerful during the best swell/wind setups. Works at all tides.
- Optimal Swell
- SE, E
- Swell Height
- 0.3–2 m
- Optimal Tide
- All tides — Per sources: all-tides; rising and falling tides.
- Shelter
- Exposed — Exposed beach break; surf performance is strongly dependent on swell and onshore/offshore wind alignment.
- Wind Effect
- Offshore north winds groom the waves; east/south-east winds make conditions messy and onshore.
- Bigger Swell
- Can close out on very large swells exceeding 2.5 m.
- Wave Quality
- Good — Regional classic / good wave quality reported.
- Wave Power
- Powerful — Described as powerful with hollow shapes at times.
- Wave Shape
- Hollow — Hollow/punchy in typical operation.
- Peel Speed
- Fast
- Ride Length
- Short — Often short; good days can extend longer.
- Typical Ride Length
- 50–150 m
- Ride Length Details
- Typical ride length reported as 50–150 m; normal days often under 50 m, with longer rides on good days.
Check the forecast before you go
See wind, waves, weather and session windows for Cannes – L’Aérospatiale in the full forecast view.
Cannes – L’Aérospatiale wind and wave forecast summary
- Wind
- 2–15 ktsGusts 29 kts
- Direction
- WNW299°
- Strongest day
- Sun, Oct 2515 kts
- Windy days
- 1/712 kts or more
- Waves
- 0.1–1.0 m4s period
- Temperature
- 13–21 °C
Over the next 7 days, Cannes – L’Aérospatiale is forecast for daytime winds of 2–15 kts, peaking around 15 kts on Sunday, October 25 with gusts to 29 kts. The prevailing direction is WNW. Waves run 0.1–1.0 m with a period of about 4s. Based on the Wavind model, in the spot’s local time.
Other spots in the area
What to know before you launch
Safety, access, restrictions, rescue, and local rules can change. Treat these details as informational and confirm them locally before launching.
Hazards
- pollution
- rip currents
- submerged debris near drainage areas
Rescue & support
- Lifeguard
- Seasonal — Seasonal lifeguards reported.
- Rescue & Self-Rescue
- No — No specific rescue availability reported at the spot level.
- Emergency Info
- Emergency services available via 112; nearest major medical facilities are in Cannes.
- Localism / Vibe
- Moderate
Rules of the spot
Standard surfing etiquette applies; respect local priorities during peak swells.
- Occasional water quality bans following storms
- Wait 24–48 hours after heavy rainfall due to urban runoff and pollution risks.
- Best early in the morning when offshore wind is steadiest.
- Waves can get quite busy when surf is up—beware of crowds.
- Watch for submerged debris near drainage areas, especially after storms/heavy rain.
Getting there & access
- Nearest City
- Cannes
- Nearest Town
- Cannes-la-Bocca
- Parking
- Limited parking along the Boulevard du Midi and near the industrial zone; car recommended.
- Access
- From Cannes, take the coastal direction toward Mandelieu-la-Napoule; exit A8 at Cannes Ouest. Spot is next to Mandelieu port and in front of the Thalè°°s Alenia Space facility; access is instant (under 5 min walk).
- Local Language
- French
What's on the beach
- Accommodation
- Nearby town — Numerous hotels and holiday apartments in Cannes-la-Bocca.
- Food & Drink
- Snack bars and restaurants along the nearby beachfront promenade.
- Equipment Rental:
- No specialized surf rentals directly on the beach; shops available in central Cannes.
- Gear Repair
- Gear repair available in Cannes city center shops.
No schools or services are listed for this spot yet.
From riders who've been here
Latest reported conditions
Spot questions
Frequently asked questions
When is the best season at Cannes – L’Aérospatiale?
The best overall months at Cannes – L’Aérospatiale are October, November, December, January, February, March. The best wind months are January, February, March, October, November, December.
Which wind directions work at Cannes – L’Aérospatiale?
Cannes – L’Aérospatiale works with N, NW winds. Offshore directions are N, NW.
What equipment sizes are recommended at Cannes – L’Aérospatiale?
Recommended equipment sizes at Cannes – L’Aérospatiale: Windsurfing: 5–6.5 m² · Wingfoiling: 5–6 m². The typical wind range is 10–20 kts.
What skill level is Cannes – L’Aérospatiale suitable for?
Cannes – L’Aérospatiale suits these riding levels: Windsurfing: Intermediate · Wingfoiling: Intermediate · Surfing: Beginner to Intermediate.