Plage de Gwendrez – Brittany’s Beautiful Beach Break
Plage de Gwendrez is one of a whole string of white-sanded, wave-bashed beaches that lies on the south side of the Finisterre peninsula. I personally LOVE the spot. And not because it’s epic or anything.
I love it because it’s simply gorgeous. There’s a whiff of Spanish Galicia about it thanks to the color of the sand and the backing of big cliffs and green pastures. If the sun’s shining and it’s summer, the water goes this really lovely shade of teal blue.
And it’s chilled out. There’s no major city for quite a ways around Gwendrez, which keeps crowds to a minimum and the vibes generally good.
To put it simply: Make sure it’s on your list if you’re planning a road trip through Brittanny. Even if you’re not surfing, it’s great for some sunbathing and coast walking.
The surf offering is nice, too, though.
The SW orientation means that Plage de Gwendrez gets some nice action throughout the summer months, when the swells fire a bit up through the Atlantic, rather than down from Iceland. It’s very exposed, so even a foot or two can get it working, and there’s now a well-established – and well-run – surf school on the south side of the bay for all your lessons/rental needs.
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Read more about surfing in France and surfing in Brittany
Where is Plage de Gwendrez?
Plage de Gwendrez is on the south edge of the Finisterre peninsula, roughly 20 miles to the west – as the crow flies of the lovely little town of Quimper.
It’s kinda’ remote western France this, so you will need a hire car to get there – or your own wheels. I tend to use DiscoverCars for any hires in Europe these days – they’ve proved cheapest for me on the last few trips.
The ferry ports of Normandy and Brittany are about 2 hours to the north (Roscoff is the closest). The Brest Bretagne Airport is 1.5 hours’ drive away.
Surfing in Plage de Gwendrez
Gwendrez is really reliable, though hardly the best wave in France by any stretch. It kinda prefers a smaller SW swell – typical in the summer – than any wrap-around NW beasts in the winter, and I’d say it’s at its best on 2-4 foot with a nice offshore coming from the east.
When that happens, it’s very much a peak lower-intermdiate wave: Fun, playful, but also nothing crazy. However, it can womp up big time on heavier swells, so watch the forecast closely.
It’s got three semi-defined peaks: A reef break at one end, a beach break right in the middle, and a strange sandbar thingy at the top.
The middle bit is where most beginners hang. The reef on the south end is the best quality wave – it’s a fun left that breaks on the rock reef and peels inside the bay, and tends to enjoy a bit more size in the swell (it’s a better intermediate+ wave).
The sandbar in the north can totally disappear after strong storms. When it settles, a A-frame will break in front of it, but it’s mainly a nice right hander with some good length, so long as the sandbar is playing ball. Generally a fine learner-upper intermediate beach in the summer months. Great for escaping the crowds. Very beautiful. Don’t miss it on a French surf roadie!
Other surf spots close to Plage de Gwendrez
Plage de Gwendrez is one of a gazillion spots that dot the shores of Brittany. You can drive north or south from here on very pretty coast roads to find…
- Baie des Trepasses (north) – A highly consistent beach break on the western edge of the peninsula.
- Plage de Mesperleuc (north) – More regional beach breaks but a bit more fickle. Tends to be better at lower tides. It’s literally five minutes to the north by car.
- La Torche (south) – About 40 mins to the south is La Torche, which I’d say is probably the best spot in Brittany because it get so much swell and has multiple spots for all different levels.
When to surf at Gwendrez?
I think the summer is peak time for Plage de Gwendrez. It’s just that those lighter SW swells play perfectly with the orientation, and really this is a learner beach in essence.
You will have surfable days throughout loads of other seasons, but winter can be hard going, with heavy sets breaking and dumping right on the shoreline sandabars. The spot is also highly exposed to NW winds, so it messes up fast if there’s a big low pressure brushing the Bay of Biscay – as happens frequently in the deep winter.
Where to stay?
Where to stay at Gwendrez?
- Ty Ys Hôtel – This is the option for those whole like the buzz of a town. It’s in the lovely harbor town of Audierne like 15 minutes to the north of the spot, but it’s a fine stay: Balconies overlooking the beach, a great restaurant, and a variety of room types for families and couples. It would probably be my choice as a base if I was driving through the region.
- La maison de la Corniche – Literally a minute or two down the road, this cool coast house is a great option for couples/families who like a bit of space and quietude. It can sleep up to 7, has its own garden, and even views of the ocean.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
