The Tidal Bore of La Sélune Mont Saint - Michel ( FRANCE )

Tidal bores, waves created when very high tides push upstream into river channels, only take place in certain locations around the world. When tides are predicted to be high, kayakers, surfers and stand up paddlers gather for the exciting experience of surfing the wave as it moves upriver. The tidal bore of the Sélune River in Normandy, France has an added element of magic. Located near the Mont Saint-Michel World Heritage site, paddlers and surfers have a constant view of one of the most beautiful architectural creations in all of Europe. In February of 2015, Gaétan Séné caught the Mont Saint-Michel bore when the tidal range was over 13 meters.

Words: Gaétan Séné / Photography: Ludovic Bacquet

Tidal bores (mascarets in French) have always intrigued me. My first experience was in 2014, on an epic trip to India near the city of Calcutta. It was an amazing and unforgettable experience, not in the least because I was in the company of Anthony Colas, author of the book Mascaret, l’Onde Lunaire (Tidal Bore, The Lunar Swell), which thoroughly explains the tidal bore phenomenon. I couldn’t have found a better teacher; in just a few days, he managed to pass on much of his knowledge and passion to me. Back at home, I was determined to find a French mascaret and I started searching for options, places, times, tidal differences and strengths. I chose to focus on a tidal bore around the Mont Saint-Michel, in the northwest of France. Taking…

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Kayak Session (Digital) - 1 Issue, SUP World Magazine 2015

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