NOTE:YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ ALL OF THIS, IT MAY LOOK LONG BUT MOST OF IT'S JUST INFO IF YOUR INTERESTED.

After all the information i looked up on Hossegor it turns out we're not going there any more. I was looking forward to riding those big waves. Oh well, i'll just have to enjoy the waves at La Sauzaie near Bretignolles sur Mer. The waves here are prety good.
Has anyone been there or at least near it?

Here's some info:

Quality
Wave quality > Regional classic, don't miss it
Experience Required > Experienced surfers
Frequency > Don't know

Wave
Type > Point-break
Direction > Right and left
Power > Hollow, fast,
Length Normal Day > Short (<50m)
Length Good Day > Normal (50 to 150m)
Bottom > Reef (coral, sharp rocks etc..)
Tide & Swell
Tide Position > Mid and high tide
Tide Movement > Rising Tide
Swell Size > Starts working at less than 1m - 3ft and holds up to 3m+ / 10ft+
Swell Direction > NorthWest, West, SouthWest,
Wind Direction > NorthEast, East, SouthEast,
Access

From the main city around (Saint Gilles Croix de Vie), take direction Br?©tignolles sur Mer (road D38bis + D38). The spot of La Sauzaie will be on your right, behind a parking lot where there is a big buoy exposed on ground (yellow + black stripes). The buoy reads "La Sauzaie" on itself. Park the car, have a look at a little "house" nearly on the beach : this is the rescue station (summer duty); the wave breaks there.
Distance > Near a city
Walk > Instant access (<5mn)
Easy to Find ? > Easy
Public Access ? > Public access

More Details
Crowd during the Week > Empty
Crowd on the Week-end > Crowded
Hazards > Rips, locals,


[Edited on 28-9-2003 by Airborne]

I'm going here next year to bodyboard, it's La Sauzaie Beach near Bretignolles sur Mer, in the Vendee in West France.

Other pictures:

Hi Airbourne

I wouldn't be too disappointed with going to Bretignolles. There are some world class breaks around there.

I have been to an island called Noirmoutier (about 45 mins north of there) every year for about 25 years. For some good pics & reviews etc check out
http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/Europe/France/Vendee/index.html

This has lists of the whole area. I think Bud Bud looks like quite an awesome spot. La Sauzaie gets very crowded in the summer, 'cos there's really only 1 peak!

Also take a look at http://www.gonzalesbodyboard.com/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=album85 for loads of bodyboard pics from the area. The site is in French, but there are also some vids in the Video section

Hope this helps

Thanks SinisterPenguin,

I've heard about Bud Bud, it sounds really good and that area must be good if you keep going there. Thanks also for the websites. I've already checked out www.wannasurf.com from one of your earlier posts to me, it's really informative, great website. I'll definately use it in the future.

Do you bodyboard?
Cheers From Airborne.

[Edited on 1-10-2003 by Airborne]

Hi Airbourne

I don't actually bodyboard, but I have done a bit, nothing too serious though.

On the island where I go, there is a real shorebreak, making the rides kinda short for stand up surfing, so I tend to mess about with one of those cheap old polystyrene boards (which I re-shaped to improve the performance). It's fun to get a few barrels etc, but if the waves are good I surf rather than bodyboard.

There is a spot in the Vendee, which isn't reviewed on the wannasurf site called Sauveterre. I like this break, it has a rip which pulls you out to the lineup, then an excellent sand bar acting like a reef. It's in the stormrider guide if you've got a copy.

Hope you have a good time there!

Cheers Mate.

Sounds as though your a pretty good surfer.
Where can i get a Stormrider guide and what's it about?

Airborne.

Here ya go... a link to the Stormrider Guide

Its a guide to all the surf breaks of Europe and should be any travelling surfers / bodyboarders bible.

Al.

Cheers Mate, really helpful! How do you answer all these posts. It must be tiring but fun doing this website. You should be proud of it.

Any news about the bodyboarding questionaire?

Keep up the hard work. Airborne.

Yeah, it takes a bit of time, but I quite like doing it (most of the time).

We should be getting a phoneline into our house soon, once thats done and I've done a few jobs I'll be able to start work on various parts of the site again... Body-boarding questionnaire included.

Al.

Hi

It may sound like I'm a pretty good surfer, but I'm really not! I've been surfing a long time, but I don't get to go very much, so I've stayed around the 'fairly good' level for the past 8 yrs or so!!

Hopefully I'll get to go more now and end up being good.

How long have you been bodyboarding?

Nice one Al.

Hey SinisterPenguin, I've been bodyboarding for about 4 years, but for only the last 2 years i've been doing it properly i.e. fins (flippers), proper body board (not like a £20 slick stick, let alone one of those polystirene beach boards).
I've now got a 40' Manta Elite Board (£99). Like you Sinister, i don't get in the sea very much because I don't live near the coast...but i'm ok at body boarding.

From Airborne.

Hi,

went bodyboarding in the vendee last summer. I went to La Sauzie but stayed out as there were too many rocks. There are some great surfing beaches around though like le grand plage at St Gilles Croix de vie or my absolute favourite Les Dunes just a bit further down the coast.

You must also try out Croyde as it always seems to be a foot or more higher than the rest of Devon.

Also if you're at Fistral and the over zealous life guards shut the beach, try holywell, still good waves.

Hi Leeseph 1.
As you've probably gathered, i bodyboard as well. I've just read your last post and it shocked me because i never thought i'd find someone who bodyboards around that exact area of the Vendee. This summer (2004) i'm going to Les Dunes. I'm staying right near the beach (200 m away) in the villas they have there. I've been before and i really enjoyed it!
I wouldn't mind going to La Sauzie which is right near where were going (like you said). Could you tell me any more about the place? Any lifeguards? How big were the waves.
There is loads of info about all these spots on www.wannasurf.com but for some reason my internet says: 'page cannot be displayed' so at the moment i can't get onto that web page.
I really like Croyde as well, when do you think the best time to go is? I always go in the easter holiday.

Please reply. Thanks.