What wetsuit do you need in France?
The one suit that covers most of the swimming season, for 26 coastal cities in France.
| City | Coldest | Warmest | One suit for the season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marseille | 13.5°C Feb | 23.1°C Aug | nothing |
| Nice | 14.1°C Feb | 26.3°C Aug | nothing |
| Le Havre | 8.4°C Feb | 20.0°C Aug | nothing, or a rash vest |
| Toulon | 14.0°C Feb | 24.8°C Aug | nothing |
| Dunkirk | 8.1°C Feb | 19.2°C Aug | nothing, or a rash vest |
| La Rochelle | 9.6°C Jan | 20.4°C Aug | nothing, or a rash vest |
| Cannes | 14.1°C Feb | 26.4°C Aug | nothing |
| Calais | 8.6°C Feb | 18.6°C Aug | 5/4 mm full suit |
| Saint-Nazaire | 8.7°C Jan | 19.1°C Aug | nothing, or a rash vest |
| Quimper | 10.3°C Feb | 17.6°C Aug | 4/3 mm full suit |
| Lorient | 10.1°C Jan | 18.2°C Aug | 4/3 mm full suit |
| Ajaccio | 14.2°C Feb | 26.1°C Aug | nothing |
| Saint-Brieuc | 9.5°C Feb | 18.8°C Aug | shorty, or skins if you are used to it |
| Saint-Malo | 9.4°C Feb | 19.0°C Aug | nothing, or a rash vest |
| Hyères | 14.1°C Feb | 25.1°C Aug | nothing |
| Boulogne-sur-Mer | 8.4°C Feb | 18.9°C Aug | shorty, or skins if you are used to it |
| Aubagne | 13.5°C Feb | 23.3°C Aug | nothing |
| Bastia | 14.6°C Mar | 26.9°C Aug | nothing |
| Sète | 12.3°C Feb | 22.9°C Aug | nothing, or a rash vest |
| Dieppe | 8.6°C Feb | 19.2°C Aug | nothing, or a rash vest |
| Biarritz | 12.4°C Jan | 22.9°C Aug | nothing, or a rash vest |
| Cherbourg | 9.8°C Feb | 17.9°C Sep | 4/3 mm full suit |
| Hérouville-Saint-Clair | 8.8°C Feb | 19.4°C Aug | nothing, or a rash vest |
| Agde | 12.3°C Feb | 22.9°C Aug | nothing, or a rash vest |
| Royan | 10.4°C Jan | 21.2°C Aug | nothing, or a rash vest |
| Bayeux | 8.9°C Feb | 19.1°C Aug | nothing, or a rash vest |
Thicknesses above are for swimming. Surfing the same water wants a step more — most of a session is spent sitting still in the wind rather than moving and immersed. Each city page gives both, along with when you need boots, gloves and a hood.
Sea temperature and swimming season in France →
Boots below 14°C, gloves below 12°C, a hood below 10°C. Where the numbers come from