Back to results

La Ciotat, France

Stay in La Ciotat: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of La Ciotat

All 16 on La Ciotat's map

Watch this spot We email you when La Ciotat is worth the trip.

About La Ciotat

Known for kitesurfing and windsurfing, by the OpenStreetMap map of the area. The shore faces SE, so wind from the NW blows out to sea (our estimate from the coastline). Facts: verified.

Water about 20°C: 2 mm shorty. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

A spot for kitesurfing and windsurfing, as OpenStreetMap maps it, on a shore facing SE. Wind from the SE blows onshore, wind from the NW blows out to sea, and wind from the SW or NE runs along the shore. It is sheltered to the open sea. The sea floor shelves moderately: 10 m deep about 300 m out (1 in 30). The sea is about 14°C in January, its coldest month (4/3 wetsuit and boots), and 24°C in August, its warmest (no wetsuit). For kitesurfing at expert level the best months are usually January, February, March and April, with about 1 good days in 7; in July and August, about 0. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is La Ciotat. Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot and 3 dive sites.

Save this trip A link to come back to, or to send to the group.

Book the trip

From Chicago: about 18 h door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Marseille Provence Airport (MRS), changing at Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG). About 14 flights a week that month.

    See flights ORD → MRS · Skyscanner from about £435 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 1 h 05 from the airport to La Ciotat.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in La CiotatAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Kitesurfing lessons in La Ciotat · GetYourGuideAdKite and board hire in La Ciotat · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

La Ciotat on Google Maps · Directions

The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.

One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

Best on Mon 19: 16 kn gusting 33, side-onshore. Water: waves 0.8 m.

The score for kite, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor

DayScoreWindGustsShoreWater
Sun 18Oct07knoffnot safeflat
Mon 19Oct7933knside-on0.8 mwaves
Tue 20Oct3634knon0.9 mwaves
Wed 21Oct029knoffnot safe0.8 mwaves
Thu 22Oct025knoffnot safechop
Fri 23Oct014knside-onchop
Sat 24Oct034knoffnot safe0.9 mwaves
Sun 25Oct012knoffnot safechop
Mon 26Oct032knoffnot safe0.8 mwaves
Tue 27Oct015knoffnot safeflat

Day scores are the conditions out of 80. Wind is the day's best reading: the mean and the gusts in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); the arrow points where it blows to. Shore: "side" is side-shore, blowing along the beach, the safe way; "side-on" and "on" blow in towards it; "cross-off" and "off" blow out to sea, and offshore scores nothing for kite and windsurf. Water is the open sea's waves near the spot: flat under 0.3 m, chop to 0.8 m.

The season

Good kite days in a typical week, each month, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).

  1. Jan1of 7
  2. Feb1of 7
  3. Mar1of 7
  4. Apr1of 7
  5. May1of 7
  6. Jun1of 7
  7. Jul0of 7
  8. Aug0of 7
  9. Sep1of 7
  10. Oct1of 7
  11. Nov1of 7
  12. Dec1of 7

Typical, not a forecast. Reanalysis wind misses some local thermal winds, so a spot known for an afternoon breeze may do better than this.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for kite. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Fly ORD to MRS, changing at CDG, then 1h 05 by road. About 18h door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Kite La Ciotat

    15 kn gusting 34, onshore. Water: waves 0.9 m.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 13 kn gusting 29, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: waves 0.8 m.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 11 kn gusting 25, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: chop.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 6 kn gusting 14, side-onshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: chop.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 14 kn gusting 34, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: waves 0.9 m.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Fly ORD to MRS, changing at CDG, then 1h 05 by road. About 18h door to door

Rough cost

About £1,070–£2,015 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. Kit hire is not in it yet: we have no sourced price for it.

  • Flights £435–£905
  • To the UK airport £35–£65
  • Hire car £105–£175
  • Stay £255–£425
  • Food £240–£445

Places to eat near La Ciotat

Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Kitesurfing lessons · GetYourGuide Kite and board hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.