Things You'll Need:
- Surfboard
- Wetsuit
- Car
- Map
- French Phrasebook
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Step 1
Start at Wissant. Only 20 kilometers from Calais, this spot offers both righthanded and lefthanded waves that are usually best with a northwest swell. Rarely crowded, the surf gets to a respectable 3 meters, high enough to challenge yourself, but not fear-inducing.
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Step 2
Find a barrel at Cap Gris-Nez. Considered the best spot in northern France, Cap Gris-Nez is usually around 3 meters and can reach higher with a storm swell. Not only is this a great spot, but the surrounding shores usually offer a few breaks as well. Watch for a strong rip and occasional crowds.
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Step 3
Move on to Dieppe. Though it is only an average wave, Dieppe is shielded from the wind by the ferry port. One of the other attractions to this spot is a goofy one; you can actually surf the wake of the ferry. It won’t be an epic ride, but timing the wave right and transferring from the ferry wake to a normal wave is fun.
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Step 4
Surf in milk at Pourville. It’s not really milk, but the limestone cliffs turn the water a strange milky color, and surfing a white wave is always interesting. The rivermouth adds a few feet of height to the various peaks that break in the area. Watch for the occasional strong rip, as well as the boulders that split the breaks in half.
