Le Mascaret is a tidal bore that rolls up the Gironde Estuary, far from the sea. On the biggest spring tides the surge pushes around 70km inland and forks where the Garonne and Dordogne rivers meet. With a buoyant longboard and a sense of humour, it can serve up over ten minutes of mellow surf, breaking both left and right.
When It Works
The bore is at its best when river levels are low, after summer, which gives the wave a chance to break over the undulating bottom. It breaks over sand and draws swell from northeast to southeast (NE-SE), working from 0.3 m / 1 ft to 1.2 m / 4 ft. It is an inconsistent wave, so the tide and river conditions have to line up.
Wind and Tide
Look for southeast (SE) offshore wind. The bore forms roughly five and a half hours after dead low at the ocean, and low tide is the optimal window, with a rising tide generally the better call.
Local Tips
This one suits intermediate surfers, and the lineup gets busy. Crowds can top 100 at the widest point near St Pardon, spread across the banks and the central sand and mud bar. Expect a mix of boards, SUPs and sideways-sliding kayaks jostling for the bigger opening wave, which can be the first of up to ten in the set; the following waves are much harder to catch. Behind the bore comes a powerful torrent of muddy, polluted, debris-laden freshwater moving at up to 9 knots (14 km/h), with large rocks and logs to dodge.
Access
It is a river spot with no real facilities, though there is a car park with free parking.
