Wind School Hyères, a unique wingfoil school in Hyères

Today the Spotyteam takes you to discover Wind School Hyères! A unique sailing and Wingfoil school with two exceptional instructors: Hervé and Ben.

Thanks again to Hervé for answering our questions!

My name is Hervé and with my partner Ben, we manage the structure called Wind School Hyères.

Wind School Hyères is a unique concept since we use a catamaran as a starting platform for our Wingfoil activity. We are the first 100% Wingfoil school in our region.

At the same time, we offer day packages for navigation schools, sailing schools and cruising schools on our catamaran. We will take you on board to help you discover our magnificent region by sail, the Giens peninsula, the Golden Islands and its surroundings… The most beautiful spots in the region with the added bonus of an ecological approach to all the fauna and flora which make it its wealth.

The company is recent, we created it last year, with the idea of ​​sharing our passion for the sea and water sports. With Ben, we are big Windsurf enthusiasts. Basically, we are windsurfers, then 4 years ago we tried Wingfoil. From that day on, we fell in love with this sport.

We felt that this water sport with great potential would develop quickly. In addition, Wingfoil takes an important place in the region. The spots in Hyères are perfect for this. After the kitesurfing boom in recent years, the regulated practice areas are a little saturated and it is becoming complicated to kitesurf on the Giens peninsula.

Many people, former windsurfers who took up kitesurfing, are now taking up wingfoiling. A fact which can be explained by the numerous navigation constraints that there are on the peninsula, especially during the months of July and August.

We have two different but complementary offers:

1- A plus, access to the navigation school, the sailing school, the cruising school.
We will take you on board for the day with a departure from the port of Hyères scheduled for the morning at 9 a.m. and a return to the port at 6 p.m.
It is the weather conditions and your desires that will shape the program for the day:
– sailing, that’s what we prefer…!!!
– enjoy anchorages in the most beautiful coves and beaches around the islands
– practice paddle: they are inflated on board and made available to you
– go snorkeling, with fin/mask/snorkel also at your disposal

Other options are offered to you in the navigation school formula:
– paddle coaching where for 1h30, we will supervise you in paddling technique, in hiking mode, to discover our coastline
– Wingfoil packages in semi-private or private coaching, obviously adapted to your level.

2- The Wingfoil.
As soon as the wind exceeds 10-15 knots, we will meet you directly at the spot and pick you up from the beach to board our catamaran. Indeed, the spots are different depending on the weather conditions, the wind direction and your level. For initiation and improvement, we favor offshore spots (an onshore wind to have a flat body of water). So, either go to the port of Hyères, or directly to the spot of the day that we have selected for you around the peninsula.

The supervision takes place in private or semi-private coaching with 1 instructor for 2 people max. We manage a maximum of 4 people in the water at the same time.

In the formulas, everything is included: the full suit, the helmet, the impact vest and all the Wingfoil equipment of the year. The only equipment we do not provide is your slippers.

You can now book your activity on Spotyride! Click here.

It is a CATANA 411 which measures 40 feet, or approximately 12.50m. It is a very sporty and well canvassed boat. In addition to this, it is equipped with two lateral daggerboards (the daggerboards allow the wind to be better picked up), enough to give you a good feeling at the helm with just over 100 m2 of sail upwind and 165 m2 downwind…
In addition, last year we invested in a set of new sails. The settings are much more precise and the catamaran runs strong… for even more fun!

State qualified sailing instructors (BEES 1st degree Sailing), Ben and I have more than 20 years of experience in supervising, teaching and practicing water sports.

With Wind School Hyères, we welcome you on board and we always supervise you as a couple, whether for the navigation school or the Wingfoil sessions.
For the Wingfoil sessions, one of us is on a semi-rigid and the other on a support.
Being on the water and in Wingfoil at your side allows us to best support you in your first flights…

The session takes place in two stages and will depend on the experience you have in sailing, wind, and board sports.

If you have little experience, there will be a first phase which will take place on a paddle. We are going to equip the paddle with two side fins, which will form an anti-drift plan.
The first phase consists of discovering this new means of propulsion which is the wing (which allows you to move on the water) and learning to control your direction. Then, once you manage to maintain a trajectory perpendicular to the direction of the wind, we will change the board for a smaller inflatable board, equipped with a foil which allows you to take off at low speeds.
The goal as a beginner is to really build your confidence.

Other people with more experience in windsurfing or kitesurfing can move directly onto a board equipped with a foil.

Two types of sessions are available to you:
– 2 hours in discovery session
– 3h30 in intensive coaching (initiation or perf.)

We also offer 2-hour private lessons.

To improve, we film you and debrief with you on board. On an educational level, it is important to see ourselves in order to progress more quickly and target areas for improvement.

Wingfoil is an accessible sport, it offers exceptional sensations…

From 10-12 years old, the activity is accessible.h2>

So yes, it’s like kitesurfing or even windsurfing. Everything is possible.

The phase with the paddle will be a little longer for someone who has no experience at all with the wind. But the sensations are there quickly, because you can move quickly on the water with your wing which remains very light in the hand.

You just need to be comfortable in the water.

For someone who has no nautical experience (in wind, in sailing), it will take on average 4 to 6 sessions to be able to initiate their first flights.

For a person who has a background in kitesurfing, boarding or surfing, and who has good wind skills, the first flights can be done in one or two sessions.

And finally, for people who have good experience with windsurfing and windfoiling, making edges while flying will be even faster.

The wing foil allows you to access spots that we had somewhat lost sight of.

For windsurfers, or kiters, we often wait until there are 30-40 knots, or until there are waves, to get in the water. With the Wingfoil you can have fun in lighter wind conditions in which you didn’t think you could sail.
And we are thus rediscovering spots where we went windsurfing 20-25 years ago.

Taking up wing foiling means sailing in all wind conditions, taking advantage of all the potential of our different spots.

We offer “drop-off – supervised navigation” packages. You meet us at the spot, you board the catamaran with us, either with your personal gear, or with our Wingfoil gear. We offer you a wide range of inflatable and rigid boards with Duotone wings between 3m2 and 6m2. You will then sail within sight of the catamaran and we will ensure your surveillance and safety. If we see that you are in difficulty, we will come and pick you up. And we make sure to get you back into the right zone. So you are far from crowded beaches.

On the catamaran you will find all the comfort you need. A fridge is at your disposal to keep drinks and meals cool, a shower… All the comforts you don’t have on a beach.

If there is not enough wind, we can offer you introductory electric foil sessions with one of our partners. We can also redirect you towards a sailing school, navigation school, discovery of the Golden Islands… or postpone the session in a better weather window.

However, if you are a beginner, you don’t need a lot of wind, 15 knots is more than enough.

Please note that our wing wings range from 3 to 6 square meters. From 8 to 10 knots it is possible to fly. You can do Wingfoil with very low wind ranges.

The little injuries you can get are not so much when you are sailing but rather when you are in the water, stationary, around the board and the foil.
In our different packages, we equip you with a helmet, a full suit and an impact vest. And we recommend that you wear your slippers…

The trend is towards foiling… Who has never dreamed of flying over water?

The sensations are great in foil, especially with the sensation of flying, the impression of infinity, freedom, lightness and silence…

Wing foiling is a water sport that emerged after Covid. People are looking for a feeling of freedom and escape which they find in foiling with the discovery of new spaces.

With Ben, we invite you to learn to sail on our catamaran under sail while showing you the region.
Please note that Hyères harbor is a magical spot, with the island of Porquerolles less than 45 minutes away, which is great for discovering sailing. The day is spent learning how to navigate: being at the helm of your catamaran, knowing your way around the water, adjusting your sails to different speeds, sailing under spinnaker, holding a course, managing a tack. on board, a jibe, knowing how to reef…

A very accessible, fun and friendly activity to do and share with others!

During the course, one of us is at your side at the helm and the other guides you in adjusting the sails.

Officially we can take 12 people on board. It is not the most comfortable if you really want to go sailing to be able to move around and move easily on the boat, 4 to 10 people will form an optimal crew.

Yes ! Our concept lends itself perfectly to the organization of events.

In May 2022, we organized the 1st “SheWings” event. An event in partnership with Olivia PIANA, paddle world champion with already numerous Wingfoil titles. An event focused on Wingfoil and the feminization of this sport, with 17 riders on board for an entire weekend. Some were beginners, others had a high level.

We also participate in Wingfoil equipment test days in collaboration with the Surf Shop Welcome.

We also offer customization of the day on board for works councils, for EDVJF, EDVG, or any other request…

It’s a unique concept! We are the only ones to use a catamaran as a starting point for Wingfoil lessons. We are passionate and sharing what makes us tick is our priority… Definitely Addicted to ride!

We differentiate ourselves a lot from other schools in terms of our teaching, with our private and semi-private coaching options. It is an instructor for two people max, which ensures rapid progress through individualized teaching. The equipment is renewed every year thanks to our partnership with the Welcome Surf Shop store in Hyères.

Wingfoil is the new trendy water sport to discover and experience!!! So let yourself be tempted by this new experience aboard our catamaran…