Playspot: France, Central, River Cher, St Aignan.

What's it like

Picture reproduced by kind permission of Dominic Lodola.

St Aignan is a village in the middle of France, between Orleans and Tours. In St Aignan, the river Cher has a nice playspot just by the bridge in the center. About 1 km downstream there is a beautiful breaking wave (see pictures). The wave is about 25 meters wide and 1 meter high. You can flatspin, surf, backsurf, cartwheel, splitwheel and all the rest.

The shape of the wave varies a lot depending on the water level: from a nice glassy wave to a big foam pile. At low levels, you may hit the bottom! At high levels it can be a little sticky.

The wave only runs from November until the end of April (if you're lucky). The best time is at high water level, but not flood (usually end December - mid March). During the rest of the year there is not enough water on the river and at the place of the wave you will find a wooden dam (June-September).

At high water levels, a very (read terminally!) dangerous spot forms on the left side of the river. This spot can easily be avoided though. Other than that, swimming is not usually too dangerous (except at flood levels): lots of calm water behind the wave.

The most interesting thing about the spot is that there is not 1, but 15 potential dam waves within an hour's drive! Although St Aignan is probably the best one year round, depending on water levels you may be better off visiting another one (especially at low or very high water levels). Or maybe you want to find an easier wave for beginners, or just a wave with fewer paddlers..... These other waves are quite easy to find: just drive downriver from the St Aignan playspot and look out for the characteristic "Dam Houses" just like the one in St Aignan. Most are visible from the road on the north side of the river.

At very high levels (almost flood) the only wave is just before Tours and is called Larçay. This wave is big. At (relatively) low levels, it is a nice glassy wave with foam on the top, about 1.5 - 2 meters high. At really high levels, it is a steep glassy wave on the right (superb for flatspins) with a huge foam pile in the middle (2-2.5 meters high), on which keeping control and moving around are quite difficult. At these really high levels, it becomes quite dangerous too: lots of strong hydraulics, chaotic waves behind the spot and the eddy stops about 40 meters after the wave. Click here and here to get pictures from Larçay in high water.

How to get there

Coming from Paris, take the A10 to Orleans. In Orleans, stay on the A10 in the direction of Blois/Tours. In Blois, take the D756 to Cour Cheverny. In Cour Cheverny, take the D102 till you are in St Aignan and you'll see the center bridge over the Cher for the playspot.

If you turn right at the roundabout just before driving into St Aignan, you'll see a small road to the left after 3 kms. Follow this road for 200 meters and you'll find one of the finest waves in France.

More info

Water level info: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Events

Rock in Cher, first rodeo of the French freestyle season in March.

Info sources

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