Saint – Pierre – en – Port bas

Saint-Pierre-en-Port bas is a small coastal soaring site above a beach on the Normandy coast in France, launched from a grass strip about 20 m above the sand, roughly in the middle of the valley that opens onto the beach at St-Pierre-en-Port. It's a northwest-facing site with a modest height difference, so it needs a real breeze to get going — 20 km/h or more of clean northwest wind is close to the practical minimum, with the best conditions running 20–25 km/h. The site sits under the Deauville TMA (controlled airspace from 760 m over the sea) and cross-country runs are capped to the right by the restricted zone around the Paluel power station. In strong wind, from about 25 km/h up, the cliff edge can throw turbulence over the launch. Landing works either back at launch or on the beach itself at low tide, reached again by a short staircase; takeoff is best avoided from two hours before to two hours after high tide, when the beach option disappears.

Launch & conditions

Launch is a grass strip about 20 m above the beach, roughly mid-valley at St-Pierre-en-Port. The site needs a real breeze to fly — around 20 km/h of clean northwest wind is close to the practical minimum, given the modest height difference.

Getting there & local rules

Park in the lot about 100 m before the beach access, on the left side of the road, then continue on foot; launch is about 200 m further, up a staircase to the right of the beach entrance.

Local rules & hazards

The site sits under the Deauville TMA (controlled airspace from 760 m over the sea), with cross-country capped to the right by the restricted zone around the Paluel power station. From about 25 km/h of wind, the cliff edge can generate turbulence over launch, and takeoff is best avoided from two hours before to two hours after high tide, when the beach landing option disappears.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Saint – Pierre – en – Port bas, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Saint – Pierre – en – Port bas with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.