KitesurfingMontpellier and around

Kitesurfing

Invented in Montpellier, kitesurfing – also known as Flysurf – is a water sport consisting of sliding across a body of water on a board propelled by a kite.

This sport, where you can take off and fly above the waves, is impressive to watch and it’s well worth the detour.

With its strong winds, calm and rough seas, sun and long stretches of beach, the Hérault coastline lends itself to the sport.

This coastline, which is at the forefront of the sport of kitesurfing, is also home to several schools. Fluid Kite, Axel’Air, Tiki Center, Lab Pro and Lac Magic are just some of the training centres where you can learn to kitesurf or perfect your technique.

Novices will need to complete a 20-hour course before they can ride both downwind and upwind.

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The festikite

Kitesurfing even has its own festival: Festikite. This event, which takes in place in June, sees pros battle it out in one of the stages of the World Championships.

The festival, which is free to watch, takes place in Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone and is also open to amateurs. The programme of events includes entertainment, conferences, meet-andgreets with the kitesurfers, and much more besides.

Festikite

Zoom on

RAPHAËL SALLES, THE INVENTOR OF KITESURFING

We have Montpellier-born Raphael Salles to thank for the invention and development of kitesurfing. Originally practised between Carnon and Palavas, the sport has now taken over the world. This kitesurfer has been a pioneer of the discipline since 1996.

As a former windsurfing champion and test rider for equipment manufacturers, Raphaël Salles finally hung up his wetsuit after a professional career spanning 15 years to create his own brand, F-one, which was the first to mass-produce kitesurfing boards.

“It’s a sport which is totally suited to our beaches with so many [good] spots,” explains the fist man to have taken off on a board!

Did you know

The “foil” is a special fin that allows riders to surf the waves and fly through the sky. Fixed to the bottom of a surfboard or boat, the foil lifts the rider several centimetres above the water to gain speed… as well as thrills!
Flying on water is a genuine feat, experts consider it to be the future of kitesurfing. You can practise kitefoiling at the Centre d’entraînement Méditerranée (CEM) in La Grande Motte.

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TIKI CENTER