NEWS KAYAKSURF.NET / OLD: KAYAKSURF IN FRANCE / ARGELÈS SUR MER by HERVÉ PHILIPPE

KAYAKSURF EM FRANÇA / ARGELÈS SUR MER por HERVÉ PHILIPPE

Argelès sur Mer - sul de França junto à fronteira espanhola pirenaica

Hervé é elemento da nossa NEWS TEAM e convida-nos a visitar a belíssima zona onde vive e habitualmente surfa... quando há ondas! Argelès sur Mer encantou poetas, escritores e pintores. Matisse e Picasso foram só alguns dos mais conhecidos mestres da pintura que se deixaram conquistar pela luz única desta localidade. Mas vamos ao report de Hervé.

Hervé Philippe belongs to our NEWS TEAM and, directly from France, invite us to visit the beautiful place where he lives and surfs. Argelès sur Mer is a paradise that conquered writers and painters. Matisse and Picasso are only some of the famous masters that could not resist to the unique light of this place. But let's read the report from Hervé (in english).

LET'S MEET ARGELÈS SURF MER - IMAGINE SURFING WITH THIS LANDSCAPE...

I live in Argeles sur Mer, a sea resort on the mediterranean coast, in the very south of France at the bottom of the pyrenees and in the middle of vineyards.

The mediterranee is not known for its swell, rather for its wind appreciated by windsurfers and kiters.

However in winter times we get sometimes good sessions. It often comes with rain. The bay of Collioure is a good spot when the swell is too big outside. Surfing at the bottom of the church and of the castle is unique. Collioure is well know for the painters (Matisse, Picasso...) who visited it because of its wonderful light when the Tramontane (local strong wind like the Mistral) is blowing.

These storms coming from the east sometimes bring a decent swell. When it becomes big, local spots get saturated and we have to go down to spain (30 minutes drive) to find spots on rocks which support bigger swell. This day boardies stayed on the beach.

The problem is that the swell is not very frequent. We have good conditions without wind maybe only 10 days a year. The ambiance at the line up is good. We are only two kayaksurfers and now are appreciated at least because of our critical wipeouts.

Sharing a wave is not a problem - sometimes, it depends with whom....

If you want to visit this region of France, you can take your kayaksurf. You need also your WW boat, skis, mountain bike, the area offers a lot of opportunities. Spring is the best period.