Water sports in France - statistics & facts
The waves of the Atlantic beaches, the wind of the Breton coasts, the gorges of the Ardèche river, and the 2.5 million private swimming pools are all playgrounds for water sports lovers in France.
Water fans from all walks of life are numerous in France. In 2018, 20 percent of French people said they had practiced an aquatic activity during the last 12 months, far ahead of team or combat sports.
However, practices are as diverse as there are beaches in France. Formerly confined to swimming, rowing and sailing for decades, the arrival of new "Californian" sports such as surfing has turned the practice of sport in France upside down and has won over a new public, far from the governmental and institutional framework.
However, although the practice is autonomous, learning in France is often supervised by instructors trained by the French Surfing Federation and the Ministry of Sports. The training of individuals and tourists was the main activity of surf instructors, far ahead of training in a surf club.
The inclusion of surfing as an Olympic sport in 2016 and its upcoming appearance at the 2024 Olympic Games could well change the national landscape in the coming years.
Surfing
Just like almost all outdoor sports, the surfers' playground does not need any structure. Few material constraints have hampered the development of this activity in France. Emerging on the Basque Coast in the 1950s, surfing has long been a marginal practice, reserved for a few enthusiasts. Although the French Surfing Federation was created shortly after, in 1964, the number of members has stagnated for several years, around 15,000, and remains low compared to the total number of surfers at 680,000.However, although the practice is autonomous, learning in France is often supervised by instructors trained by the French Surfing Federation and the Ministry of Sports. The training of individuals and tourists was the main activity of surf instructors, far ahead of training in a surf club.
The inclusion of surfing as an Olympic sport in 2016 and its upcoming appearance at the 2024 Olympic Games could well change the national landscape in the coming years.
