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Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, France

Stay in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer

Watch this spot We email you when Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer is worth the trip.

About Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer

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

Water about 19°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 S. Wind from the S blows onshore, wind from the N blows out to sea, and wind from the W or E runs along the shore. It is exposed to the open sea. The sea is about 12°C in February, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 23°C in August, its warmest (2 mm shorty). For windsurfing at expert level the best months are usually January, February, March and April, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 17 h 55 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

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

    See flights ORD → MPL · Skyscanner from about £430 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 1 h from the airport to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in Saintes-Maries-de-la-MerAd

    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.

    Windsurfing lessons in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer · GetYourGuideAdBoard and rig hire in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer 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 Tue 20: 18 kn gusting 31, side-onshore. Water: waves 1.7 m.

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

DayScoreWindGustsShoreWater
Sun 18Oct019knoffnot safechop
Mon 19Oct4227knside-on1.6 mwaves
Tue 20Oct7831knside-on1.7 mwaves
Wed 21Oct018kncross-off0.9 mwaves
Thu 22Oct012knoffnot safechop
Fri 23Oct011knoffnot safe0.8 mwaves
Sat 24Oct1725knside1.1 mwaves
Sun 25Oct028knsidechop
Mon 26Oct017knoffnot safe0.9 mwaves
Tue 27Oct013knside-onchop

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 windsurf 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. May0of 7
  6. Jun0of 7
  7. Jul0of 7
  8. Aug0of 7
  9. Sep0of 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 windsurf. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Fly ORD to MPL, changing at CDG, then 1h by road. About 17h 55 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Windsurf Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer

    18 kn gusting 31, side-onshore. Water: waves 1.7 m.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 10 kn gusting 18, cross-offshore. Water: waves 0.9 m.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 6 kn gusting 12, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: chop.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 3 kn gusting 11, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: waves 0.8 m.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 14 kn gusting 25, side-shore. Water: waves 1.1 m.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Fly ORD to MPL, changing at CDG, then 1h by road. About 17h 55 door to door

Rough cost

About £1,030–£1,945 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 £430–£895
  • To the UK airport £35–£65
  • Taxi £70–£115
  • Stay £255–£425
  • Food £240–£445

Places to eat near Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer

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

Windsurfing lessons · GetYourGuide Board and rig 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.