Hi,
I'm riding in gruissan and some spots around.
You can choose between very different spots in a small area :
- Vieille Nouvelle, great landscape, no man's land except kitesurfers. Quite difficult to go there (road can be flooded , you have to use dirt roads and drive on the beach for 4 kms...). Offhsore wind but very stable (best quality, you will not find better from spain to Montpellier). No safety boat , ride at your own risk...
https://goo.gl/photos/yYeNBqD3wZRdZTM58
- La palme : very busy spot (a lot a kiteschool and riders), the safest spot around but the worst wind (on shore), if you are a very beginner you can go there but I don't recommand it if you are intermediate or skilled rider
- La Franqui ("Mondial du vent" spot): side off shore wind, gusty. Safetyboat is available (not for free, you have to register at the kitehouse on the spot).
https://goo.gl/photos/PBsgTmu92sP6hgsm7
- Les dosses/Eole : spot where you can choose onshore or offshore side . Wind is gusty and irregular, it can decrease to 15kt and increase to 40kt in few minutes (depends on orientation : NW is Ok, avoid North wind).
https://goo.gl/photos/LjYwy2oh6ieoSckB8 , nice spot for kiteloop (
https://vimeo.com/70402386) ...
- La nautique : onshore wind, wind can be quite good if wind is NW and W, if wind is North don't ride here. Water is brown, chopy water, launch area is small with obstables with gusty wind, be very careful ...
https://goo.gl/photos/dsFwRpUcAsmgUonSA
There is no 'perfect' spot here, you always to choose a compromise : wind quality, offshore or onshore ...
Tramontana is very predictible, forecast are fine 5 or 4 days before. But wind speed is less accurate, sometimes forecast give 20kt and you have 35kt... If forecast give 40kt or more, run away
Then you have to go near montpellier (port camargue, espiguette,...) to have less wind. There are top level riders overthere (F.One and Takoon headquarters). Wind blows 300 days per year in Gruissan.
Tramontana is ON-OFF wind : there is a lot of wind or no wind. My quiver is 5-7-9m² (70kg, riding surf strapless 5"3) , I use 7m² 80% of the time (high end...).
Wind coming from the sea SE (called 'marin') is much more unpredictable. If this direction is forecasted, go to the south : Barcarès, Canet, St Cyprien to have more wind. The more south you go the more wind you have (SE wind only).
Barcarès :
https://goo.gl/photos/GB1hboSJDfJFmi4H9 , Canet :
https://goo.gl/photos/GB1hboSJDfJFmi4H9 .
In SE wind, don't ride in Gruissan , it is like washing machine on the sea. You can try La palme if wind is strong enough.
Boemix is right, this year temperatures are very pleasant, about 20°C on the air today. But temperature can fall very quickly if strong north wind from siberia comes... We can easily loose 10°C in one day in this season (until April, temperature can varie a lot).
SE wind and thermical start ususally in april/may (land is warm + water cold = strong thermical). Today, only foil were rinding. For this week end, about 30kt are forecasted .
Don't hesitate to ask if you have any question about spots.
See you soon !
RideZeBigOne