France · Charente-Maritime
La Plage
Charente-Maritime, France
On the beach
Right now
Sample dataIllustrative conditions — the live Open-Meteo marine feed wasn't reachable, so these are deterministic placeholder values that will be replaced automatically once the feed is available.
7-day outlook
Sample dataModeled placeholder forecast for demonstration — will be replaced by a live marine-weather feed.
Sea temperature
Next 7 days, °C
Wave height
Next 7 days, metres
View as table
| Day | Sea temp (°C) | Wave height (m) |
|---|---|---|
| Wed 2 | 26.2 | 0.2 |
| Thu 3 | 26.0 | 0.2 |
| Fri 4 | 25.4 | 0.2 |
| Sat 5 | 25.0 | 0.2 |
| Sun 6 | 25.0 | 0.6 |
| Mon 7 | 25.4 | 0.2 |
| Tue 8 | 26.0 | 0.2 |
Water quality history
Official EEA classification, one rating per bathing season, 2015–2025 — real data reported by national authorities.
- 2015: Good2015
- 2016: Excellent2016
- 2017: Excellent2017
- 2018: Good2018
- 2019: Sufficient2019
- 2020: Poor2020
- 2021: Poor2021
- 2022: Poor2022
- 2023: Good2023
- 2024: Excellent2024
- 2025: Excellent2025
Excellent in the most recent season, and 7 of 11 classified years rated Excellent or Good.
- Excellent
- Good
- Sufficient
- Poor
- Not classified
View as table
| Year | Classification |
|---|---|
| 2015 | Good |
| 2016 | Excellent |
| 2017 | Excellent |
| 2018 | Good |
| 2019 | Sufficient |
| 2020 | Poor |
| 2021 | Poor |
| 2022 | Poor |
| 2023 | Good |
| 2024 | Excellent |
| 2025 | Excellent |
Typical sea temperature by month
Modeled estimatePlausible seasonal climatology derived from latitude, for illustration — not a measured average.
Monthly sea temperature
Typical range across the year, °C
View as table
| Month | Typical sea temp (°C) |
|---|---|
| Jan | 15 |
| Feb | 15 |
| Mar | 15 |
| Apr | 17 |
| May | 19 |
| Jun | 22 |
| Jul | 24 |
| Aug | 24 |
| Sep | 24 |
| Oct | 22 |
| Nov | 20 |
| Dec | 17 |
Location & nearby beaches
Nearby beaches
- La Plage1.9 kmCharente-Maritime
- La Petite Plage3.6 kmCharente-Maritime
- Plage Du Mus de Loup3.8 kmCharente-Maritime
- Plage de la Cepe4.5 kmCharente-Maritime
Distances calculated as straight-line (haversine) from official coordinates.
Getting there & around
- Easy by car — there's parking close to the beach.
- Bus stop: Victor Hugo, about ~1.0 km away.
Food, stays & town
- Nearest village: L'Houmeau, about ~1.1 km away.
- 2 places to eat within 1 km Closest is L'anse de Pampin, about ~280 m away.
- 1 place to stay mapped nearby Closest is Au Petit Port, about ~1.3 km away.
- 1 shop nearby, about ~1.1 km away
What kind of beach is this?
This beach belongs to a small coastal village. It's usually calmer than a resort or town beach, though a popular village spot can still fill up on the best summer days.
Estimated from OpenStreetMap surroundings data (ODbL).
Is the water clean at La Plage?
Thinking of swimming at La Plage? The short answer: its official EU Bathing Water rating for 2025 is Excellent — the highest official classification under the EU bathing-water assessment. That rating is set once a year under the EU Bathing Water Directive, from a full season of testing for intestinal enterococci and E. coli reported to the European Environment Agency the following spring, so the 2025 season's grade appeared in spring 2026 and the 2026 season won't be graded until spring 2027. In addition to that yearly rating, some national authorities — for Croatia, the national environmental authority — publish individual water sample results during the season itself, ahead of the annual report. It's been a consistently reliable spot too — the rating has held at Excellent for 2 straight years. There's parking about ~240 m from the beach.
Looking to avoid the busiest weeks? The water is typically warmest around August, with the most reliable swimming window running July–September; outside that stretch you'll find a cooler sea but a quieter beach. Over the 11 classified seasons on record, 7 have come back Excellent or Good — a track record worth checking each year rather than assuming. On site you'll find Pebble shore, Parking, and Benches. The nearest town, L'Houmeau, is about ~1.1 km away.
Worth remembering: “Excellent” isn't a live reading, it's an annual grade — Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor — set once a year from that season's water samples and describing the average, not this afternoon's conditions. For what the sea is doing right now, check the “Right now” panel and 7-day outlook above. It sits in Charente-Maritime. There are 2 places to eat within a kilometre — L'anse de Pampin is the closest, about ~280 m away.
Frequently asked questions
Should you swim at La Plage?
Yes, without much reservation. La Plage holds the top EU Bathing Water classification, Excellent, for 2025, and 7 of 11 classified seasons here have rated Excellent or Good. It's also held steady at Excellent for 2 straight years.
What is the sea temperature at La Plage today?
Treat the ~26°C above as illustrative only — La Plage's live marine feed was down when this page was generated, and the figure will be replaced with a real reading automatically once it's back. That's the reading right off Charente-Maritime. On the modeled climatology here, August usually runs warmest.
When is the best time to swim at La Plage?
For swimming, July–September is usually the best call — that's the modeled window when the sea here runs warmest. That applies to the water around Charente-Maritime. Within that window, August is typically the single warmest month.
Who measures the water quality rating, and how?
Behind the annual grade: a season of testing for intestinal enterococci and E. coli, reported to the European Environment Agency each spring under the EU Bathing Water Directive. A few countries, Croatia via IZOR included, also publish individual in-season samples ahead of that report, but La Plage doesn't have one published yet.
What's nearby La Plage — parking, buses, or a ferry?
By car, it's easy — parking is right by the beach. By bus, the nearest stop is Victor Hugo, about ~1.0 km away. The nearest town is L'Houmeau, about ~1.1 km away.