The Kite Sessions

Lelex - Snowkite Session 25

2012-01-24T23:16:00.000+01:00

The last time I went to Lelex was in March 2009, so I was looking forward to playing again in this "groovy" terrain, with it's natural half-pipes and modules. But, hélas, the weather was temperamental and the foggy conditions, together with light winds, didn't allow for more than a dozen kilometres. I'll have to come back!

Australian trip

2012-01-22T17:51:00.000+01:00

Another big production from my friend Fred, that spent 3 weeks in Australia and did 4000 km with a couple of friends that are travelling around the world... This is the result! Enjoy!

Béal - Snowkite Session 24

2011-12-19T03:31:00.000+01:00

The first real good powder finally hit our homespots, so it was time to get the dust out of my Manta kites and snowgear and see if I still remembered how it's done! It had been since March 2010 that I hadn't touched the white stuff...

(photos by Patrick)

Man, it felt so great! Even if we only went for a 2 hour ride, it was good to be back out on the fresh snow... For me and another friend, it was the return to snowkiting after injuries, so we had a big smile at the end (I thought it even deserved a Photoshop tweak)...

Time to find a new toy!

2011-12-09T16:59:00.000+01:00

Today I sold my RRD Type9 12m kite... I must confess I almost had a little tear in my left eye, seeing it go away with it's new owner! It was the very first kite I bought and I had a lot of great times with it.

But it's time to move on, especially since this Summer/Autumn marked my return to kiting, after almost a year off due to injury. So, I leave you with a pretty photo of my old companion (the first one I took, when I took it out of the bag for the first time!), while I go "surf" the web for my new toy!

Finally back on the water!

2011-08-30T16:14:00.003+02:00

Well, this post has been a long time coming... After (seemingly never-ending) months away from my kites, I finally got the doctor's "OK" for getting back on the water! My 12m had a lot of dust, but it was still ready to ride.

It was only for two small sessions, 'cause I have to get slowly "back on the horse", since my herniated disk problem is not 100% recovered. But it just felt so great...

The conditions where great for a comeback: 14 to 18 knots side-on, with only small waves and (almost) no other kite on the spot.

If you're wondering where it is, just Google "Praia de Moledo" or "Caminha". A beautiful strip of sand on the top North of Portugal. In the photo below, the spot is on the left facing the ocean. The hill you see in a lot of the pictures is already Spain, separated by the mouth of the river Minho.

A portuguese Kitetrip - the movie!

2011-03-01T11:25:00.003+01:00

Finally, I've finished editing the video from our trip in Mai/June 2010! You can watch it here, but I advise going to Vimeo to see it in HD, full screen and with the sound up! Enjoy... ;)

It's not just kite all the time, but I think it has a nice rhythm and a good vibe so, hopefully, you'll enjoy it as much as those who where there.

A day at the Lautaret Pass

2011-02-22T19:20:00.000+01:00

My friend Fred is getting better by the second at filming and editing his videos, so here's a good example of the great progress he's doing. Enjoy!

A breath of warm air in the middle of the Winter

2011-02-12T16:12:00.004+01:00

Well, no being able to bring you my usual joyous adventures, I post a very cool video from a group of my friends that went to Guadeloupe to give a nice jump-start to 2011. Enjoy!

A cold birthday...

2011-01-24T18:31:00.001+01:00

Being forbidden to kite due to injury, I thought about celebrating my birthday in our snowkite "homespot", at the Col des Supeyres, since there's not much chance that I'll be coming here often this winter...
It was a fun opportunity to see the spot with different eyes and enjoy a nice weekend with friends.

This winter has been quite weird, with an heavy snowfall in December, followed by a steep rise in temperatures that melted everything... Now, temperatures a freezing again, but there's no precipitation, so it was quite strange to see the spot with almost no snow at this time of the year. Even so, we found a tenacious rider that didn't get discouraged by the less than 2 cm of white!

(all photos are from Olive)

Out for the season...

2010-12-20T22:16:00.001+01:00

Well, if you're a (more or less) regular visitor to this blog, you probably noticed I haven't been writing for some time. You might think it's just because I haven't been finding the time to ride... If that was the case, I would actually be happy! The real reason is actually worse...
A month and a half ago, just a few days after my last sessions, an acute pain to the left leg forced me to do an emergency visit to the hospital. Initially diagnosed as a sciatica, it was discovered a week later (through a new and even more painful episode that led another doctor to order a MRI scan) that I suffered from an herniated disc in the lumbar region (don't think you'll be able to spot it on the image, but that's just to illustrate this post with something else than my rambles).

No to bother you more with my medical history, let's just say what's important in terms of kiting: quite probably, at least six months out! It was very painful to hear the doctor saying this... But, some time after the fact and with a cooler head, I can say I've been lucky: no surgery was needed and I've been recuperating faster than the doctor thought in the beginning.
I've already set my mind at ease and made peace with the fact that I won't be snowkiting this winter (or snowboarding, or doing any sport or activity that might put my recovery at risk, for that matter), so I'm taking the time to enjoy other stuff and get my spine back into shape as fast and as good as I possibly can. The goal now is to be able to hit the water again next Spring or, at least, next Summer! I'll be back with a vengeance!
As for the blog, I still haven't figured quite how to handle it, but I've been thinking about feeding it from time to time with nice stuff related to kites and the passion of kiting, so keep visiting...

Pimp my board!

2010-11-04T02:09:00.001+01:00

Well, using as an excuse the fact that my RRD pads we're giving signs of getting old, I decided to offer my feet a nice gift. When I tried the Brunotti GSS pads that come with the Youri Zoon board, some months ago, I was amazed at how comfortable they were.

Riding in choppy conditions was totally different, it felt like riding through butter! The choice was then easy, when I decided to pimp my ride. I didn't much like the straps (in terms of looks, not comfort), so I was glad to discover you can buy any Brunotti pads and straps separately. Not doubts there, I took the "bling bling" option, with the straps that come with the Low Rider board!

As soon as I got the kit, I mounted the new upgrade on my RRD Poison board and loved the result! I can't wait to go and try it on the water, 'cause I'm sure my feet and legs will notice the difference. As for the looks, tastes are always "to each his own", but I do love my restyled ride!

Sand dunes and smiles

2010-11-01T15:39:00.001+01:00

If you consider going to Dakhla, even if just for a week, there is something you absolutely should not miss: the Dune Blanche (White Sand Dune). If the wind is strong enough, you can do a downwind from the camp, it will take you 1h/1h30m to get there. Alternatively, you can get there by 4x4, going around the lagoon and through a nice patch of desert. It is probably the most beautiful place to kite in the region and it's completely worth staying for a couple of nights (Auberge des Nomades proposes a downwind with a night on a traditional tent for a cheap price, meals included).

Want to know what they're looking at? Just click on the panoramics below to see in detail a couple of views from the top of the dune...

Not that Dakhla has many problems with getting to crowded, but another advantage of the Dune Blanche is that there's no one else around. Here's some views from the other side of the dune, with the Dragon Island as background.

All in all, it was a wonderful trip and one that we want to repeat as soon as the opportunity arises. We have a bunch of good "souvenirs" and, as most good trips, we've made new friends, like Olivier and Jean-Yves, and all the guys at the Auberge, a crazy team of Moroccans that made our stay there even more magic: Mohammed, Mahfoud, Salem, Faiz, Ahmed and Omar. Shukran for the wonderful time and I hope to see you again soon!

Windless in Dakhla...

2010-10-31T10:06:00.001+01:00

During our Moroccan escape, we had a couple of days with no wind. A torture that had devastating consequences...

But no problem, there was a range of other activities we could do to occupy the time when the air was still. For example, a mere 25 minutes walk from the camp (through a desert landscape), we found a nice surfing spot (and a wonderful wave spot for kiting, by the way!).

If you don't feel like surfing, you can always get an old board and try hitting the slopes on the dunes. Or you can get a taxi and go for a tour in the port and the old part of Dakhla. It's a refreshing change from the usual "harassment" that greets foreigners in the medinas of Fez or Marrakesh.

And if you get really, really bored and already tried doing pretty much everything there is to do, dig into your imagination, 'cause a silly idea will surely pop-up!

Easy living under the sun

2010-10-30T20:16:00.001+02:00

Coming back to the Dakhla trip, I must say that it's with great ease that you get into the "daily routine" of this place... When you wake up a nice breakfast awaits you, giving just enough energy for the first "task" of the day.

After pretty much the same thing until lunch time, you're greeted back in the camp with a tasty and copious meal. Topping the "far too much to eat" feeling with a glass of sugary mint tea, what else can you do?

Of course, this precious moment of "introspection" is then used to decide, with great care, in which way you're going to occupy yourself until sunset. No wonder that everyday finishes with everybody showing clear signs of fatigue... And a big smile!

Beauduc - Kitesurf Sessions 73 and 74

2010-10-28T01:26:00.004+02:00

Not even the cold could stop us from a wonderful sunset session... With winds at 27 to 35 knots, perfect for testing the 7m Switchblade once again, thanks to my good friend Julos!

(photos by Baptiste)

The morning after it was difficult to get the motivation to jump in the water, mostly due to the freezing temperatures at sunrise... But a couple of hours later, after a good breakfast, a big coffee (thanks Remi!) and with the wind picking up a bit, it was a different story. Just stopped to do a couple of photographs... Beauduc still as some good sessions left to offer before the snow season, even if it's Viking style!

Massilia - Kitesurf Session 72

2010-10-25T23:02:00.002+02:00

A little session in Marseille... It was fun to kite with the big buildings as background!

(photos by Lucie)

A very special thank you to Julos, for letting me try his brand new 7m Switchblade! A wonderful little kite with a lot of spirit...

The lazy desert winds

2010-10-19T18:22:00.052+02:00

Our week in Dakhla was really cool. Running away from the first signs of the coming Winter season, we were all happy to be under the sun all day long. I never got to use my shorty when kiting, just a simple t-shirt to avoid sunburns!
Although we had fun discovering the Moroccan Meca for kitesurf, we must confess that it was somewhat disappointing to have mild to light winds all week long!

The conditions didn't really allow us to try all those new tricks and stunts we had been dreaming about, but nevertheless we had enough magic moments to share, like when the fog invaded the spot in a matter of only a few minutes and we found ourselves riding in the midst!

That was actually the only time our skin had a little rest from the omnipresent sun... Me and Gilles we both had our day of frustration, just what was needed to digest the fact that this time we wouldn't be able to do the crazy stuff we'd been planning. But soon after we decided to enjoy the easy ride that marked the trip, saying that the strong winds and big jumps would be postponed for the next visit!

At the end of one of the days, with the wind dropping completely but under a pretty light, I took a series of photos to edit into a nice panoramic of the spot (click to enlarge). Even at low tide, you can see all the potential...

Dakhla dream spot

2010-10-17T21:22:00.001+02:00

After hearing so much about this place, I finally embarked with a group of friends on a plane to go see what all the fuss was about. Arriving at the Dakhla Magic camp (best know as Auberge des Nomades du Sahara) at night, we had to wait until next morning to have an idea of what was around...

(click on the panoramic photos to enlarge)

The flat water spot is just huge and, together with the magnificent surroundings of mostly desert, it's not difficult to imagine why so much people praise this little corner of "kite heaven" so much. Our camp was well integrated in the scenery...

Placed just in front of the lagoon, all you see from sunrise to sunset is the playground area, constantly calling you.

Promising, wouldn't you say?

(to avoid repeating myself, I use this first post on Dakhla to thank the photographic contribution of Florence, Laure, Patrick and our new acquaintances Olivier and Jean-Yves)

Beauduc - Kitesurf Sessions 66 and 67

2010-09-20T19:29:00.019+02:00

Another great weekend in Beauduc, with the KAF in full force! The forecasts were shitty all week, but by Thursday things started to look promising and, by Saturday, we were having massive fun. A special thanks to Fred for making a little space in his truck (beats the tent by miles!) and to Gui for the little lesson...

(a beautiful photo by Mrik)

(some others by Olive)

(and a couple of good ones from Nonosse)

Back to school! - Kitesurf Session 65

2010-09-08T02:42:00.001+02:00

After 2 years kitesurfing, it was fun to go down South to Beauduc with just my friend Michal (who did some of the nice photos here, by the way), who never tried this amazing sport before... The goal was, as you've certainly guessed, to put a kite on his hands and see how he felt!
Arriving on Sunday afternoon, we found the beach very quiet and with no wind. Being so, we set camp and decided to make use of the last rays of Sun to play a little game of Kubb (a swedish game I picked up in my last trip, invented a long time ago by the Vikings!).

By the next day, the Gods were on our side and we had good wind all day long, enough to get me tired and to get Michal up to the point where he body-drags very well and even tried his first water starts, without forgetting to learn all the security basics! I don't think I'm a particularly good teacher, but he certainly is a fast learner! Something tells me that the world has a new kiter...

Sweden - Kitesurf Session 64

2010-08-25T23:39:00.016+02:00

Contrary to the previous day, the wind was blowing hard when I woke up... But it was too hard for my 9m kite so, biting my fingers, I decided to go take some photos of the Habo Ljung locals while I waited for the wind to go down a notch (I really, really need to buy that 6m kite).

After a painful but no very long wait, I was finally able to go out and try one of the best flat water spots I have ever come across! Perfect conditions for a perfect last day in Sweden, before driving down to Denmark, even with the sky a little bit greyer.

The wood pier offers a great viewpoint for photographs or generally just enjoying the moves! With the skies slowly cleaning up again, I started to do some nearby passages, just for the camera's delight...

Habo Ljung is really a kiter's paradise: knee to waist deep clean waters as far as the eye can see; a spot that works in the entire range of easterly winds; a beautiful scenery, with a good camping site nearby and a nice rigging space, covered in lush green grass (no sand packed with the gear, boys and girls!).

Even if you don't speak swedish, here's a nice website to look at: www.habolocals.se. A very cool crew of Habo Ljung resident riders that have the moves and the aesthetic sensibility to offer great videos!

Sweden - Kitesurf Session 63

2010-08-24T23:28:00.012+02:00

Waking up and getting out of the tent under the sun in the Habo Ljung camping, I really thought I was just going to have breakfast, pump the kite and jump on the water...

Unfortunately, the wind was playing lazy, so we decided to visit Lund in the morning. It started to pick up around midday, so it was time to check out the famous spot at Ljunghusen. But with the wind still light and the waves demanding a stronger push, I ended up not getting the gear out. Thanks to the advice of some cool locals that were packing up as I arrived, I drove 20km North to the spot at Klagshamn. This flat water venue was perfect for my 12m kite. The menacing clouds and rain were there again, but at least we were only three sharing the spot!
Since, due to the bad light, the photos weren't great, I decided to post just a few in black and white, for a dramatic touch...

Sweden - Kitesurf Session 62

2010-08-23T23:06:00.081+02:00

While everybody goes South for the Summer, I went North for a two week trip in Sweden. Mostly driving through the West and Southwest coast, I managed to squeeze a couple of nice sessions (mostly at the end of the trip), Scandinavian style!
Being the second part of August, with the hot days already gone away until next year (the Scandinavian Summer runs from the end of May to the 15th of August), the rain was always not far away. But with the wind blowing constantly in the easy-living spot of Skanörshamn, I did like the locals and jumped into the water, despite the menacing clouds.

(click to enlarge)

Pretty soon we were all ("all" meaning the four kites sharing this huge deserted spot) riding under a strong and very consistent rain! A very funny experience, I must say. And it wasn't even that cold, since I was only wearing my shorty...

Since we were going to roam around the Southwest tip for the next days before heading to Copenhagen, we chose to set the tent at the Habo Ljung camping site. A very nice choice, especially for kiters! A not very expensive and well equipped camping, "glued" to a beautiful spot and with a super kite friendly environment!
With the sun back on the horizon, it was time to dry all the gear and imagine the riding on the days to come in this "out of a dream" spot!

(click to enlarge)

Beauduc - Kitesurf Sessions 60 and 61

2010-08-07T12:34:00.014+02:00

A great couple of days, with winds ranging from 20 to 35 knots. A good opportunity to try out the 7m Cabrinha Nomad, a killer kite! And also a farewell from my old VW Golf to the salt and sands of Beauduc. It was his last trip South before being sold this Sunday...

Beauduc - Kitesurf Sessions 58 and 59

2010-07-20T00:30:00.002+02:00

Another great weekend, with good wind all the time! Arriving at the beach at 6h on Saturday, directly to the water with no sleep. The last ride of the day was past 22h, with the sun already down... And Sunday was equally great!

Beauduc (Wainman style) - Kitesurf Sessions 55 to 57

2010-07-08T02:52:00.009+02:00

Great conditions for a Sunday to Tuesday escapade! 12 to 15 knots on Sunday, 15 to 20 knots on Monday (all day long) and 20 to 25 knots on Tuesday (also all day long, with some stronger moments going up to 30 knots). It has been long since Beauduc offered us such a dose!

Some other photos by Olive:

And, to top the great sessions with a big cherry, we had the Wainman Hawaii Rabbit Gang around to show off for a couple of days (they're currently touring Europe)!

The "legend", Lou Wainman:

Bertrand Fleury:

Niklas Huntgeburth:

And the rest of the gang:

With a crew like this setting the tone, a lot of local riders came to show their style...

A portuguese kite trip - Part IV

2010-07-03T04:11:00.002+02:00

We finally get to the last part of this wonderful trip... As I've said before, we decided to have a cool ending, since the group was now reduced to the last few and the forecasts told us that around Lisbon was the place to be. The choice was then Lagoa de Albufeira, where we spent the remaining two days.
Arriving at 9h30 at the beach on a Thursday, we weren't prepared to see so many sunshades! I quickly figured out why... I had forgotten it was a holiday!

No problem, we set camp on the ocean side and, soon enough, the wind starts to pick-up. We ended up spending all day on the waves with the thermal effect getting stronger and stronger. It was actually the session, in all the trip, where we got stronger measurements, with the wind peaking at more than 30 knots! The end of the day was superb, with the lagoon finally only to ourselves. The wind had gone down, but the sunset was superb...

The final day was, as it should always be, unforgettable! Good conditions all day long and almost nobody on the spot. My brother joined us again and, having tasted good waves on the previous day, we decided to start things off on the ocean side...

After a good dose of wave riding, it was time to go inside the lagoon. With only a couple of other kites on the spot, we had enough space to fully enjoy the last jumps and turns of the trip.

I definitely still have some training to do on my "beach to water" starts...

We packed the gear for the last time with a big smile and another beautiful end of the day.

(photos by Olive and Sigo)

Beauduc - Kitesurf Session 54

2010-06-23T23:18:00.010+02:00

Great conditions last Saturday! From 7h to nightfall, we had good winds all day long. And it was a good thing we took advantage, 'cause on Sunday it started to blow too strong and, after some of us tried to go out with 6m and even 4,5m kites, the >40 knots (with gusts up to 50 knots!) forced an early return home...

(Photos by Maitre Gazonga, I think...)

And a little photo/video edit by Banjoo!

The buzz on the new Cabrinha 2011 kites...

2010-06-22T23:48:00.003+02:00

Yep, rumour has it that the new Cabrinha kites are coming out in a month's time... I'm not much into posting new products on my blog, but having tried (and adored) the previous two generations, I'm really stoked to see these little beauties in motion!
So, after a little web surfing (and despite all the secrecy that seems to surround Pete's new babies), I found a couple of references that give out the looks of the 2011 kites!

Love the design of the new Switchblade and Nomad:

Apparently, the Crossbow declines in two models, the "regular" Crossbow and a dedicated version for racing competitions, called the XB Race Edition:

And for beginners, here's the look for the next Convert:

If the buzz is confirmed, I must say that, personally, I love the radical chance in visuals that Cabrinha decided to take! Looking forward to see them up close and personal...

For more info (or rumours?):
http://www.kitesurfnet.gr/kitesurf/showthread.php/2901-Cabrinha-2011-Kites

A portuguese kite trip - Part III

2010-06-21T19:11:00.003+02:00

The second week was launched and we moved at a slower pace, since forecasts only offered good wind in the central spots of Estremadura. The decision was then made to go up to Foz do Arelho. Near Óbidos, Portugal's biggest lagoon offers a flat paradise, that we only shared with a couple of other kites...

We ended up staying there for three days, giving us enough time for some good sessions (shared with my brother, since it's one of his "homespots"), a lot of chillout and a decent dose of filming (scenes to come in the final road movie)...

After checking the wind forecast for the last days of the trip, we decided to stay around Lisbon. The first stop was Guincho, but facing the strong (on not very regular) winds and the big waves, we decided we had no intention of putting the gear (and ourselves) at risk... So, in order to have a relaxing end to two great weeks, we chose to head back to Lagoa de Albufeira. Arriving with no wind, we still managed to have enough for a little magic session at the end of the day. A very nice moment that would be crowned by some of the best kite sessions of the trip, in the following days...

(Photos by Olive and Arnaud)

A little teaser...

2010-06-17T15:09:00.000+02:00

...of thing to come!

A portuguese kite trip - Part II

2010-06-13T02:25:00.009+02:00

After Alentejo and despite the good times spent together, most of us were felling the "itch" of the need for wind, so it was time to check the spots surrounding Lisbon to see if we had more luck there...

To start the hostilities, we chose a place I know well, Lagoa de Albufeira: flat waters on a beautiful lagoon that changes constantly with the tides and the possibility to get some waves on the ocean side (this option was left for a later visit in the trip...).

And the choice proved right, 'cause we had here the first great session of the trip!

With our restless "kiter souls" more relaxed, I suggested we try the spot at Nova Vaga beach, normally a "sure bet" in Summer due to good thermal winds (and the only place in Caparica were kites are allowed during the high season!).
After some sunbathing, the light conditions started picking up force and we all jumped to the water for a great wave session, before running with sand still on our feet to get some friends at the Lisbon airport, arriving at night for the second week of the trip.

The next morning, with 11 of us now in the group, my apartment was transformed in a camping site and the terrace in a kiteshop (beautiful, don't you thing?)...

Being the first day for some but the last day for others that where cutting the trip short after one week, we did a little tour around Lisbon, with enough time for breakfast at the famous "Pastéis de Belém" and a funky snapshot that must also be in the vacation albums of a lot of foreign tourists that were around at the same time...

To finish up the second part of the trip, what better spot than the mythical Guincho? Despite the "rush hour" of the weekend in this windy beach, some couldn't contain the joy of unpacking the gear to kite one of the most famous spots in Europe!

(photos by Olive, Marc, Emilie and me)

A portuguese kite trip - Part I

2010-06-07T03:58:00.088+02:00

I'm finally back with a big smile from the trip around my beautiful Portugal! The wind took some time to greet us, but it ended up offering me and my friends a lot of great sessions. We went from lighter conditions to better and better winds, ending the two weeks tour with the best and longest sessions, thanks to the "Nortada", well established and blowing strong, up to 25/30 knots in one of the last days!

Things started slowly in sunny Tavira. Bad forecast made us decide to cross the south coast of Algarve directly to Sagres. A hesitating Southwest wind allowed for some a first session in the Martinhal beach.

Not enough to kill the "appetites", but we made up the day with a nice cool beer at sunset. We also had the opportunity to sleep in the most "roots" camping of all the trip!

We decided to try our luck next in the West coast of Algarve and headed up to Carrapateira, my favourite beach in the entire country. She was a capricious one and decided to greet us with a beautiful day, but no wind. Nevertheless, we had good fun surfing some waves and fishing!

The wind was still playing shy, so we decided to immerse in the local colours, before descovering the Malhão beach. The long and wild strip of sand offered us a "home", but only enough wind for Guillaume to try a couple of downwinds.

The road took us next up the coast of Alentejo, at a slow pace, with enough time to enjoy the views, the food and the good times together!

If it's true that the first few days were light on wind, it must be said that we had lots of fun. And the great kite sessions were just about to come...

(photos by Olive and me)

Portugal: a rundown of spots

2010-05-20T16:15:00.149+02:00

I've been preparing a 15 days kitetrip with friends to my homeland, Portugal, that starts tomorrow. If it's true that I learned to kite near Lisbon, it's also true that my evolution was all abroad, so I've only tried a couple of spots in the surroundings of the Portuguese capital. This trip is, then, a discovery for me too!
I've been studying possible spots to test on this trip and the result is a nice rundown, that I decided to publish to help future "globetrotters". Clicking on the spots listed will give you Windguru's forecast. I'll try to do an updated version, at least with the spots tested, after the trip!

An easy guide to understand the rundown:
***** - Top wind spot, frequently with strong winds
**** - Very good wind spot, with regular wind
*** - Good wind spot, with frequent wind

NORTH COAST:

> Viana do Castelo - 2 exceptional spots, near this beautiful northern city: Cabedelo de Viana (mostly flat and small wave) and Praia de Moledo (flat and wave). *****
> Esposende - Flat on the river side, flat and waves on the beach. ****
> Porto - near the capital of the North, 2 spots are worth the visit: Cabedelo/Foz do Douro (flat and wave, a good spot on the mouth of the Douro river, but the water might be a bit dirty, depending on currents and tides) and Gaia/Canidelo (big wave).
> Espinho/Santa Maria da Feira - the coastal area around the city of Espinho has good waves. Special mention for the Furadouro spot (flat and wave).
> Aveiro - there's a wide range of spots in the area: Ria de Aveiro/Costa Nova (flat on inside waters); on the other side, also on the flat river waters, is the Gafanha spot and, on the ocean side, Praia da Barra (wave). Further inland, there's the Cais do Bico spot, to try flat water kitesurfing among the thin herb bushes. Not very far from there, is Murtosa, highly recommended (****).
> Figueira da Foz - this coastal city has long beaches, with a lot of wave riding potential. Nearby, you can find Berbigão/Ponte dos Arcos (flat on the Mondego river, near a bridge).
Praia da Vieira - a long strip of sand, between Marinha Grande and Leiria. Not very know, it might be worth a try...
> Nazaré - very colourful town, full of fishing history, with a nice wave spot in the north beach (when the swell comes in, it features the biggest waves in all of Portugal, an impressive sight!).

CENTRE:

> Lagoa de Óbidos/Foz do Arelho - flat water in Portugal's biggest lagoon. During high tide it's possible to pass from the lagoon to the ocean, for some wave riding. Restrictions: kiting is forbidden at the end of the lagoon, near the beach, from June 1st until the end of the Summer season. ***
> Ferrel - a "in the middle of nowhere" wave spot, a little further south from Foz do Arelho.
> Peniche e Baleal - a little stop here is almost mandatory, even if it's difficult to have good kiting conditions. Why? Because it has one of the most amazing surfs in the country, on the other side of the peninsula, in Supertubos. You can also check out Baleal's webcam.
> Praia da Areia Branca - a good spot for thermal winds (wave).
> Santa Cruz, Praia Azul and Santa Rita - a sequence of long beaches with easy access and not a lot of kiters around (wave).
> Guincho - A world renowned spot that attracts riders across the world. That said, it's a stop to include in every trip, but the conditions are often only for experienced riders. Winds grow stronger the further you go into the water and there is a big rock in the middle of the spot. On weekends of good conditions, you have to fight for your place in the waves! *****
> Costa da Caparica - the Nova Vaga beach is "the" spot to kite in this long succession of sand strips (and the only one allowed in the Summer season!). If you're looking for a bit of long distance fun, downwind is possible until Fonte da Telha, or even further to the Lagoa de Albufeira.
> Lagoa de Albufeira - flat waters on the lagoon, with possibility to rejoin the waves in high tide. A strong NW winds makes for a great "full speed" session, since you'll have the air on the kite, but the water protected by the sand dunes! ***
> Tróia - before crossing with the ferry, you can find the Figueirinha spot (near Setúbal), that works with south winds. The pretty ferry crossing (you can take your car) takes you to Tróia, where you can find mostly flat spots for almost all wind directions (***). A little bit further south, there´s the Comporta spot, also best with south tendency winds (***).

SOUTH COAST:
> Vila Nova de Milfontes/Porto Covo - a must, for the cool ambiance. In the Praia da Ilha, in front of the Pessegueiro island, you'll find a quiet unexplored spot, possible to navigate between beach and island with favourable winds. For an idea on forecasts, check Zambujeira do Mar.
> Praia da Bordeira/Carrapateira - one of the most beautiful beaches in Portugal! Nice waves and flat when the lagoon forms behind the beach. ***
> Praia do Amado - just a few kilometres south of Bordeira through a dirt road, you'll find this wave spot, with a very "surf roots" feeling.
> Tonel - one of the first spots when turning to Algarve's south facing coast, it offers mid to big waves. Nearby, Martinhal offers regularly strong winds (works with South to East winds; otherwise it's a offshore paradise, but you'll need a security boat to avoid scares!). Tonel and Martinhal are mostly windsurf spots, unless you have a boat to watch over you...
> Lagos - two nice spots to explore here: Meia Praia (on the Lagos bay, it's a flat spot that works with all wind directions) and Alvor (kite on the wetlands, also a flat paradise that works with all winds - ***). Praia do Alvor is also an alternative.
> Vilamoura - a far too touristic place, but with 2 spots worth the try: Praia da Rocha (best with SE winds) and Quinta do Lago (for SW).
> Faro - a lot of potential, in an around the Ilha de Faro (Faro's island). All directions of wind for the flat facing the land and small waves on the ocean side, with SW wind. The Deserta and Culatra islands, reachable by boat (or kite?) offer a nice spot, all to yourself! The Armona island nearby offers flat water and good ocean side kiting with winds from South to East (and you have a camping ground for the night).
> Tavira - the natural park of Ria Formosa offers flat water kiting on a beautiful landscape, but don't forget to respect the restrictions! Ilha de Tavira/Torre d'Aires is a must, offering flat water and small waves. The island and village of Cabanas de Tavira offer a super spot. Best wind is SW, but you can play in the flat water between the mainland and the island with all winds. To cross to the island, you need to get a boat (or, if in a group, try crossing with the kite, while one of your friends takes the rest of the gear!). A personal secret: if your a food lover like me, take the time to drive to nearby Cacela Velha and, near the church, look for a small tavern that offer local seafood specialties (it's not always open, but when it is, you'll get one of the best souvenirs of your trip!).

Hope you find this useful! I stress that this is not supposed to be a comprehensive guide to kite spots in Portugal, but just a rundown of the one's with most potential, in my opinion. If you find others, don't hesitate to tell me, to complete this list!
You can also find more spots in Kitebeaches.com and extra info in the following link (in french!): http://kaf.forum.free.fr/viewtopic.php?t=11526&highlight=portugal

Beauduc - Kitesurf Session 46 and 47

2010-05-17T23:00:00.017+02:00

All the muscles hurt after a couple of days of strong winds (max measured at 42,2 knots!), I keep finding sand grains in my hair and my face is burned from the sun... Very good training weekend for the kite trip around Portugal, starting next friday!

A very cool video edited by Seb!

And some more photos...
(by Simon)

(by Olive)

(by Laure)

Anse - Kitesurf Session 45

2010-04-28T14:29:00.007+02:00

Trying out a "spot" just 30km from Lyon...

Beauduc - Kitesurf Session 44

2010-04-14T23:59:00.005+02:00

First trip to "our" magic spot of the 2010 Summer season!

A little panoramic from the flood gate (click to enlarge):

(photos by Julos)

Stand Up MTB, with the toilet paddle!

A Winter Break in the Caribbean

2010-04-07T16:59:00.000+02:00

Finally got the edit finished on the Martinique and Grenadines trip... I had too much fun editing this one! Enjoy.

(you can also see it in HD directly in Vimeo, just click on the video title)

Snowy roads, a tribute to January's powder

2010-04-02T01:31:00.000+02:00

I finally managed to put together the movie from January's funky wakesnow session behind Thibault's Defender... Enjoy!

Supeyres - Snowkite session 23

2010-03-20T17:49:00.000+01:00

Spring snow, a warm sun and a gusty (but always present) south wind... Enough to have a great day, do another trip to the antennas and get a funky jump session to top it all!

And a last photo... (by Bidib)

Lagoa de Albufeira - Kitesurf session 43

2010-02-25T11:58:00.001+01:00

Even if this little trip to Portugal didn't really give me a lot of time to kite, I couldn't miss a chance of going to one of my favorite spots near "home". So, taking advantage of a day of better weather in what was a "raining cats and dogs" week, I really enjoyed kiting this beautiful lagoon again, with only a couple of friends!

One of the "locals", and my former kite instructor!

Even if we had a nice 17 to 24 knots all day long, I must say it's weird kiting here with a S wind, when you almost always have a N/NW wind in Portugal's Atlantic coast... And it confirms again that South winds here are always gusty!

Martinique and the Grenadines - a kitesurf paradise!

2010-02-21T19:42:00.000+01:00

Flying to the Caribbean in mid-Winter was somewhat of a new experience for me. The goal of the trip wasn't exactly to kite, but sail between french Martinique and the Grenadines archipelago. Nevertheless, I wasn't about to leave my kites and new board at home!
So, I managed to fit some magical kite sessions between stops. Not wanting to post a guide for kiting in the area, I'll give you an idea of the spots I tested and/or had time to check.

In Martinique I did a quick car trip that allowed to see some spots, but I only stopped and tried kiting in Cap Chevalier. Twice in the two weeks trip, I inflated my 12m kite in the clear sand of Anse Michel. It's a flat water bay, ideal for all levels and protected by the coral reef. The spot is easy to find and get to, so here's just a couple of photos, to give you an idea:

Setting my new board for the first time (can't find much better than this as a spot to test it)...

...then the kite, and off we go to the crystal water!

Don't really know how to explain it any other way, but sitting on the deck and looking at the sail, I couldn't stop thinking that sailing felt like a very logical way to travel from spot to spot, for a kitesurfer.

In the Grenadines, Mustique is not like other islands... Every hill has a huge mansion with the size of a small village, two of which belonging to none others than Mick Jagger and David Bowie. And they're not the only rich and famous that chose to buy a place to escape here, which is enough reason to understand why everything is picture perfect, starting with the "entrance" through the small dock...

I didn't kite in the island, but I could take a look at two big beaches (marked on the map below) with some waves and a lot of potential.

Another island with a lot of potential and a big choice of spots perfect for the Trade winds (the Alizés) is Canouan. The island is quite "thin", so if you're sailing and anchoring protected from the wind, you won't have to take your gear very far to try a spot.

Between Glossy and the airport, you can actually anchor on the spot, with some protection from the Trade winds ("normal" direction marked on map) when on the boat and with enough air for kiting otherwise.

Just South of Friendship (a great name, that totally agrees with the friendly character of the local population) is a dream spot. When I was there, the wind meter was marking 22kn and there wasn't any kite in sight...

As it should be, I'm saving the best for last! A lot of times, when kiting in the Grenadines, you'll be alone (or almost) in a spot. I'm guessing that that's because a lot of them aren't easy (or unexpensive) to get to, if you're not on a boat. In the Tobago Cays, that is taken to another level! A small group of islands, protected in a natural park, offer a view that you normally only see in perfect postcards...
As soon as I got there I only had one thought: "I have to kite here!"

Easier said than done because, due to the strict park rules, you can only kite to the left of the island on the photo below which (as you can see from marked area on the top of the map at the end) is completely offshore! So you need to have an inflatable with a good engine in your boat (and a friend to pilot it) or pay one of the "boat boys" to act as safety backup, to avoid getting a scare...

Another solution (which is what I did) is sailing around the coral reef and anchoring (very carefully due to the shallow depths) North of the Petit Tabac. Now, this is a postcard island if I ever saw one! A small line of white sand and coconut trees protected by the reef.

With the wind at 15kn at arrival, all there was to be done was to get the gear from the boat...

...to shore...

...and go kiting!

I'm guessing you can imagine the big smile I had at the end of this session... Well, time to drink the daily "ti punch" and enjoy the sunset!

Here's a couple of links to have an idea:
Discover the Grenadines
Catakite - spots in the Grenadines
Zananas Guide - kite in Martinique - there's a map of spots and clubs on a small menu on the right.

CFSK - A tour in the Snowkite Freeride Championship!

2010-02-04T16:41:00.001+01:00

I had lots of fun giving a hand in the 2nd round of the Snowkite Freeride Championship in France, brilliantly organized by the kite association I belong to, the Kenelle Air Force, in our "homespot", the Col des Supeyres! So much fun, that I didn't even take the time to get my camera and shoot some pictures... Fortunately, most of the others did, so I can offer this blogs' visitors a "best of" from this amazing weekend. Enjoy!

(photos by Kidipet)

(photos by Thibaut Méline)

(photos by Olive)

(photos by Wanou)

(photos by Simon Polo)

An inside view of the race (video by Seb).

The France3 news story on the race.

A cool ambiance edit that sums up the weekend (video by Froggy).

Les Estables - Snowkite session 22

2010-01-11T16:37:00.000+01:00

After a massive snowfall, we decided to try our luck for a powder session. Good thing we had a serious 4x4, because we did the 120km distance (x2!) in snow covered roads and (even) highways! Too much wind and low visibility didn't allow for a decent session, so we had to choose a small "spot" further down to kite. But we did have a lot of fun when, seeing the 10cm (or sometimes more) of fresh snow in the smaller roads, we tired a rope to the back of the Defender...

(a small video edited by Bizzo with his rushes, while waiting for me to finally decide to stop being lazy and edit mine!)

Supeyres - Snowkite Sessions 20 and 21

2010-01-08T01:54:00.000+01:00

Finally, a truly good session on the pearly white! This winter was starting to get on my nerves, but nothing like sun, wind, fresh powder and a huge spot for just four friends to get me fully motivated for the season!

A small video of my first tests with a fixed camera (I'm tired of the handheld version, with the picture always bouncing up and down, left and right)...

And I got to do my first trip to the antennas of the season!

A good surprise in the mail...

2010-01-05T00:07:00.000+01:00

Just as I was beginning to feel desperate from the wait due to all the french post delays during the holidays, my new toy finally arrived!
Today was a good day...

Le Casset - Snowkite Session 19

2009-12-31T23:32:00.001+01:00

After a scare with a sudden change of wind (from S 3kn to W/SW 30kn in 5 seconds!) in the Lautaret pass, we decide to go down a few kilometers to Chasta's hometown...

New year, new board...

2009-12-17T00:01:00.000+01:00

As the time has arrived to find a new tool to help me progress, I decided to say "goodbye" to my old board (we had such good times, but she will be in good hands!) and offer myself a nice gift for Christmas...
She's beautiful!

They're going to be hard, these days of waiting until she arrives!

Carteau - Kitesurf Session 39

2009-12-14T02:33:00.000+01:00

The snow is taking it's time to arrive this year... So who can say "no" to a session of 20-25kn in flat water under a nice December sun?

(Photos by Baptiste Bizzozero)

Fos-sur-Mer - Kitesurf Session 38

2009-11-23T02:37:00.001+01:00

Down South for a dip in the sea, taking advantage of the unusually warm days of November. A really good session, in a kind of Mad Max environment (the grey skies played a role too)...

(Photos by Olive)

(Photos by Kidipet)

Lautaret - Snowkite Sessions 17 and 18

2009-11-15T01:01:00.001+01:00

Keep getting light wind sessions since the return to the white fields... And with the temperature rise melting the little snow already covering the Alpes, can't say I already felt the "real return" to the winter spirit. Nothing a good hair blowing session won't cure!

Font d'Urle - Snowkite Session 16

2009-11-11T21:45:00.001+01:00

Lautaret - Snowkite Session 15

2009-11-06T00:43:00.000+01:00

The Winter is at my doorstep, so it was time to open the snow season! A nice little session, light wind, not a lot of snow, but just what it takes to leave the tired, sleepy and happy feeling at the end of the day...
Good opportunity to meet Ozone's photographer Pascal Boulgakow and pro-rider Jerome Josserand!

(Photos by Boulgakow)

(Photos by Mrik)

Beauduc, or the end of the world

2009-11-02T15:43:00.000+01:00

A nice ambiance video from the last escape down South... Thanks, Max, for capturing the spirit of these trips!

Beauduc - Kitesurf Sessions 36 and 37

2009-10-29T18:59:00.000+01:00

On the way down South, things were already looking good...

(Photos by Maxime Biosse Duplan)

And it's a steady 20-25 knots that awaits us!

A happy face at the end of the day!

(Photos by the brothers Bizzozero)

Finding the way back...

With no wind expected for the third day, we decide to chill out and enjoy the late Summer around Marseille.

KAF power in Beauduc! A weekend to remember...

2009-09-28T11:15:00.000+02:00

September as been far too slow, in what concerns kiting... No sessions this month! So a big thanks to Wanou, who set up this great video of the KAF meeting in August! A really great "souvenir"...

KAF meeting - Kitesurf Sessions 34 and 35

2009-08-17T19:03:00.000+02:00

The KAF Summer meeting, keeping with the tradition, on the weekend of the 15th of August in Beauduc. A big crew, some riding and a lot of drinking and playing silly!

(Photos by Dams)

While some ride, others are sightseeing...

Waiting for the wind!

(Photos by Kidipet)

The KAF camp... (click to enlarge)

(Photos by Simon)

(Photos by Wanou)

(Photos by Flying Chicken)

I was feeling kind of lazy, so I didn't take a lot of pictures, trusting in the good eye of the other photography addicts present in good old Beauduc...

L'Almanarre - Kitesurf Session 33

2009-08-04T08:37:00.001+02:00

Plage Napoléon - Kitesurf Session 32

2009-08-02T07:57:00.000+02:00

F-One's Momo and a friendly foil...

It hurts...

2009-07-31T22:35:00.000+02:00

...to see the result of a bad encounter between my board and hard sand on shallow waters! Some repairing is in order...

Beauduc - Kitesurf Sessions 29 to 31

2009-07-27T20:31:00.000+02:00

Opportunity for the first trial with a buggy... (photo by Olive)

Beauduc - Kitesurf Sessions 25 to 28

2009-07-10T08:29:00.000+02:00

Blocked at 40 minutes from the spot by the Tour de France...

3h later...

And a video filled with good "souvenirs". Thanks Juju!

Bretagne - Kitesurf Sessions 22 to 24

2009-06-29T06:44:00.001+02:00

Glénan Islands, a breathtaking scenery...

Pointe de la Torche, a mythical spot!

Douarnenez Bay

The long beach at Pentrez (Saint Nic)...

Flying at the Menez Hom!

Pentrez again, at sundown...

Another mythical sport, the Kerhillio beach!

Beauduc - Kitesurf Sessions 19 to 21

2009-06-09T07:57:00.000+02:00

Beauduc - Kitesurf Session 18

2009-05-28T07:21:00.000+02:00

Beauduc - Kitesurf Session 17

2009-05-05T17:02:00.000+02:00

And a little "photoshop" fun...

Lagoa de Albufeira - Kitesurf Session 16

2009-04-25T01:54:00.001+02:00

Panoramic of the lagoon (click to enlarge):

As the tide rises, all the sand on the left is covered by water, increasing the shallow area and allowing passage to the sea and waves...

Foz do Arelho - Kitesurf Session 15

2009-04-20T02:07:00.001+02:00

Lelex - Snowkite Session 14

2009-03-25T00:50:00.000+01:00

Supeyres - Snowkite Session 13

2009-03-24T02:38:00.001+01:00

Panoramic from the antennas (click for bigger):

Lelex - Snowkite Session 12

2009-03-18T20:02:00.000+01:00

Lelex - Snowkite Session 11

2009-03-17T20:14:00.000+01:00

Supeyres - Snowkite Session 10

2009-03-17T00:07:00.001+01:00

Steph after a bad flight...

2009-03-09T14:52:00.000+01:00