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Looking for the best place to try land yachting in France? Head to the wide beaches of hard sand, mainly along the Channel and North Sea coasts, where the wind blows strong and steady. From the Côte d’Opale to the Mediterranean, eight destinations stand out for beginners and for reaching speeds of over 60 km/h. Our selection reviews the spots, their conditions and the clubs on site.
To stay as close as possible to the sand tracks, a waterside campsite is the ideal place to stay for back-to-back sessions right from when you wake up!
Berck-sur-Mer remains the French capital of land yachting. At low tide, its immense beach turns into a track of hard sand. The resort welcomes several thousand practitioners every year.
Visitors’ favourite feature: racing across the very spot where the world speed record was set, at 151.55 km/h.
Practical information:
Le Touquet-Paris-Plage combines seaside elegance with vast stretches of sand. Its wide beach welcomes land yachts as soon as the tide goes out, on flat terrain much loved by beginners. The activity can be tried from age 8.
Visitors’ favourite feature: the Belle Époque atmosphere of the seafront promenade, right after a wind-filled session.
Practical information:
Fort-Mahon-Plage opens up one of the finest stretches in the north. Between the Bay of the Somme and the Bay of the Authie, nearly 20 km of wild beaches are perfect for the sport. The Éolia school has been sharing its passion here for 40 years.
Visitors’ favourite feature: riding facing the protected dunes, far from any development, in a rare kind of silence.
Practical information:
Dunkirk rounds off this tour of France on the North Sea coast. Its long Malo-les-Bains beach, lined by a lively seafront promenade, is well suited to land yachting at low tide. The steady winds of the Flemish coast guarantee great sessions.
Visitors’ favourite feature: the seafront promenade and its colourful villas watching over the beach.
Practical information:
Ouistreham Riva-Bella appeals to land-yachting fans in Normandy. Nicknamed the pearl of the Côte de Nacre, the resort offers a compact sand track that’s usable all year round, without depending on the tides. The sporty land yacht is accessible from age 10.
Visitors’ favourite feature: being able to head out in any season, even a windy winter morning.
Practical information:
Cherrueix, at the heart of the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, holds the title of world capital of land yachting. Its 7 km of flat beaches allow the sport to be practised all year round, with no dependence on the tides. Two clubs train beginners and experienced riders alike.
Visitors’ favourite feature: the silhouette of Mont-Saint-Michel on the horizon during the session.
Practical information:
Saint-Jean-de-Monts brings an Atlantic touch to this ranking. Its wide golden sandy beach turns into a vast plateau at low tide, perfect for setting off facing the ocean. The family-friendly setting appeals to holidaymakers in the Vendée.
Visitors’ favourite feature: the Atlantic light on the sand at the end of the day.
Practical information:
Leucate-La Franqui proves that the Mediterranean has its land-yachting spots too. At Plage des Coussoules, 8 km long and classified as a Natura 2000 site, the tramontane wind blows for more than 300 days a year. This protected site also delights kitesurfers.
Visitors’ favourite feature: the garrigue scrubland and lagoons in the background, far from any concrete.
Practical information:
Ready to tame the wind on your next stay with your feet in the sand? Book your beachfront campsite on our site, then head to the nearest land-yachting spot for a first ride full of thrills!
The best place to go land yachting depends on your region, but the Côte d’Opale, the Bay of the Somme and the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel are home to the most renowned spots. Berck-sur-Mer and Cherrueix stand out as benchmarks, thanks to their vast beaches of hard sand and steady winds.
You can go land yachting from around 7 to 8 years old at most schools, provided you can coordinate your arms and legs. Clubs offer land yachts suited to children, then sportier models for teenagers and adults. Each centre sets its own minimum age.
The best season for land yachting runs from autumn to spring, when the winds blow harder. That said, the activity can be practised all year round, including summer, when there’s a good breeze. Sessions mainly depend on the tide and the strength of the wind on the day.
No, no sailing experience is needed to drive a land yacht. An instructor explains how to handle the sail and steering in just a few minutes. From your very first session, you’ll ride solo on the beach, under the instructor’s supervision.
A land yacht reaches an average of 60 km/h, and experienced drivers sometimes exceed 100 km/h. The world speed record, set at Berck-sur-Mer, stands at 151.55 km/h. For a first outing, you’ll of course stick to gentler, more reassuring speeds.
