French Riviera surf — rare but rideable when southerly storms cross the western Med.
The Côte d'Azur is the rarest of European surf regions. Most days the Mediterranean here is glass — wind-protected, scenic, useless for surf. But a few times each winter, low-pressure systems travelling east across the Gulf of Lyon kick up E, SE or S swells that wrap into beaches around Fréjus, Cap d'Antibes and the Var coast. Spots are short, shifty and crowded with the small but dedicated local scene. Water sits between 13°C in late winter and 25°C in late summer. The Mistral — a cold, dry N/NW wind — is offshore and frequently follows storms, creating the brief window of clean conditions surfers wait for. October through March covers virtually all surfable days.
Highlighted months are the prime swell season. Off-season can still produce windows — that's exactly what swelltrip.now is built to catch.
Treat surf here as a side quest. Nice or Antibes make excellent bases for a general Riviera trip; if the forecast lights up, drive to whichever spot the swell direction favours. Surf shops are concentrated in Antibes and Fréjus.