La Rochelle - Chef de baie, France
Also within 20 km of La Rochelle
- École de voile Sailing spot · 0.7 km from La Rochelle
- Aytré - lopette beach Surf spot · 3.1 km from La Rochelle
Watch this spot We email you when La Rochelle - Chef de baie is worth the trip.
About La Rochelle - Chef de baie
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SW (212°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (32°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 3–14 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very gently: 10 m deep about 4.2 km out (1 in 417). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 10°C in January, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 20°C in July, its warmest (2 mm shorty). For intermediate surfers 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 Rochelle, 4.8 km away (about 10 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot and 1 wind sports spot.
Water about 17°C: 3/2 wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 16 h 40 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to LRH, changing at Dublin Airport (DUB).
See flights ORD → LRH · Skyscanner from about £405 returnAdGetting there. 25 min from the airport to La Rochelle - Chef de baie.
Accommodation.
Stay in La RochelleAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in La Rochelle (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
La Rochelle 8 min by car · rooms from £95 a night · 99 places to stay · where La Rochelle - Chef de baie stays
Places to stay in La Rochelle · Booking.com AdAytré 13 min by car · rooms from £95 a night · 11 places to stay
Places to stay in Aytré · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in La Rochelle · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in La Rochelle · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
La Rochelle - Chef de baie on Google Maps · Directions
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Live webcam
Port des Minimes, 4 km away
Near La Rochelle - Chef de baie, 5 km away
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Forecast
La Rochelle - Chef de baie does not suit beginners. This is the forecast for intermediates, so you can see what it does.
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Scorefor Intermediate | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 19Oct | 8, too small | 1 ft7 smushy | 9kJ | offshorewind from the north-east, 7 knots, offshore | 15°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 28, too small | 2 ft12 ssoft | 143kJ | wind from the north-west, 2 knots | 15°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 16, poor | 5 ft8 ssoft | 354kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 17 knots | 15°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 18, poor | 5 ft8 smushy | 363kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 10 knots | 16°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 0, too big | 10 ft10 smushy | 2,012kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 23 knots | 15°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 36, fair | 5 ft9 ssoft | 431kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 10 knots | 14°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 14, poor | 4 ft9 smushy | 321kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 15 knots | 18°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 22, poor | 5 ft8 smushy | 272kJ | wind from the south-west, 10 knots | 17°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 47, fair | 4 ft8 smushy | 204kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 6 knots | 16°C |
| Wed 28Oct | 0, poor | – | – | – | – |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from today, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly ORD to LRH, changing at DUB, then 25 min by road. About 16h 40 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 22 of 80.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 26 of 80.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Sat 24 OctSurf La Rochelle - Chef de baie
Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 5 ft at 9 s, wind 10 kn (18 km/h).
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to LRH, changing at DUB, then 25 min by road. About 16h 40 door to door
Rough cost
About £1,035–£1,950 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to LRH, estimated from distance and season, changing at DUB, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £405–£845 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Taxi | airport and back, shared | £15–£25 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £255–£425 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £240–£445 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £85–£145 |
| Total | £1,035–£1,950 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near La Rochelle
- Café de la PosteFrench · in the centre
- Les delices d amalMoroccan · in the centre
- Charlie FriterieFrench · 0.1 km from the centre
- ImpressionsFrench · 0.1 km from the centre
- L'Epi de BléPancake house · 0.1 km from the centre
- L'ItalienItalian · 0.1 km from the centre
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
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Where to stayAd
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