Every year, Manera releases a video from an other-worldly location that is undeniably breathtaking. This year, the team had to get creative to find a way to tell an exceptional story while being locked down. Did they find magic close to home? Click here to dive into their French adventure.

Every year, Manera releases a video from an other-worldly location that is undeniably breathtaking. This year, the team had to get creative to find a way to tell an exceptional story while being locked down in France. Thanks to their talented team of riders and media, we have a behind the scenes look at the filming of “La mer, le vent et le cerf-volant,” translated as “The sea, the wind, and the kite.”

Planning for a MANERA trip usually starts with the search for an unusual, yet beautiful destination at a relatively cold time of year. Last year’s escapade to the Kamchatka Peninsula was just that sort of place, and indescribably beautiful. This year, we had something similar in mind. However, in 2020, the word ‘normal’ took on a whole new meaning...

After two months of quarantine amidst a developing global pandemic, our travel plans were dashed at the last minute. With travel authorization slips in hand, we decided to follow the wind a little closer to home, and meet up with the best local riders around France.

It was a Saturday morning in front of the F-ONE/MANERA offices in Montpellier, France when we met up with photographer Matt Georges. We stood outside our home for the next two weeks, Francis’ near-vintage 1994 RV. On the outside, it didn’t inspire much confidence, but the wood veneer that lined the interior gave it a warm and welcoming feel.

With wild wind already blowing on the Mediterranean coast, our first stop was at a nearby kite spot with the sort of weather we like: strong wind, rain, and waves. After we had our trip-opening session in the bag, it was time to hit the road in search of something new!

Freedom to go where the wind takes us… this is a trip I have dreamed of for years! Only a few kilometres into the drive, Matt spotted the first speed camera and reflexively slammed on the brakes - only to realize that we had already been going the speed limit because the RV had quite a bit less power than we expected. We exchanged a look, realising that we would be spending a lot more time on the road than planned. “Put it back in third - we can’t lose any more speed!”

In theory, following the wind is exhilarating, but in reality, it's harder than you think. The weather charts are updated every two hours and show a different forecast every time. We had to constantly monitor the changing forecast to be sure we didn’t lose the wind.

Our second stop was on the island of Oléron, to meet up with local rider Oscar Perrineau. He had told us of a flatwater lagoon, ideal for freestyle with the perfect wind orientation forecasted for the next two days.

We tried to get there before dark, but it felt as if we were racing against time in a slow-moving tractor. We arrived at nightfall, too late to get into the water - but just in time to catch a glimpse of the potential of the spot.

A van pulled in next to us, signalling the arrival of Swiss rider Maxime Chabloz. He had been waiting for the border between Switzerland and France to open to be able to meet us for this journey. With Olivier Sautet on board on the media side, our team was almost complete. Missing was Marcela Witt, who was stuck in Portugal in a battle with her embassy to get authorisation to fly to France. It wasn’t looking promising, and we had no choice but to accept yet another last-minute change of plans. Even with a small team, we knew this trip would promise something unique.

The next two days were spent in and around this beautiful lagoon, taking advantage of even the slightest gust of wind. While it wasn’t an extraordinary spot, it was a great start to the trip.

Our adventure continued north towards Noirmoutier. We enjoyed the scenery, and at the speed we were driving, we had plenty of time to do so. Upon arrival, we discovered that the entire peninsula had temporarily forbidden kiteboarding. This was not something we had even considered as a possibility! Our only option was to ride the ‘Gois,’ a submerged road at high tide which becomes a world-class freestyle spot at low tide.

Naturally, the wind on that day was parallel to the road rather than being perpendicular to it... which was not ideal. Regardless, as any self-respecting rider desperate to get some action knows, something is always better than nothing.

On our way to the water, I saw a "sludge" sign, which was intriguing. My next step to the side to unwind my lines left me knee-deep in gooey mud. Instantly, the sign made more sense.

We took off from the goo, and the light wind allowed us to do a few tacks and tricks. Riding back upwind wasn’t possible, so we ended up making our way back on foot along the road with our kites in the air. We greeted bemused passers-by who must have been wondering why we would want to fly a kite here at this time of year.

Noirmoutier did not seem to want us there, and neither did the wind. After the sludgy experience, we were ready to make our next move and continue the journey north to a new destination.

On the road, I carefully studied Google Images alongside weather maps, trying to find spots which were pretty, rideable, and windy. This is not an easy combination. We decided to call in reinforcements in the local kiting community because one man’s knowledge is better than 10 men’s guesses! Etienne Lhote, our Breton weatherman/local kite school owner, confirmed that conditions would be good for the next few days. I put the RV into 4th and charged forward on the highway. “We’re coming!” Olivier shouted on the phone.

Francis’ RV seemed to be holding up. Despite the windshield wiper occasionally trying to get away, we were always able to repair it with a little bit of tape. We arrived before the wind did, so headed into the water with Max for a quick surf session on the ‘Cote Sauvage’ of Quiberon. The conditions were far from amazing, but after hours on the road, the water was the best place to be.

We woke up to the wind blowing, transforming the Quiberon bay into a picturesque freestyle spot. “It’s finally time to go!” I put my boots on and started throwing tricks for the camera. Confinement hasn’t been kind to pro kitesurfers. I started the session a little rusty and was having trouble finding my flow. Max seemed to be doing rather well, which was apparent when I watched him land a few clean double handle-passes. Olivier and Matt were happy, having captured some great shots.

After having the opportunity to spend the whole day on the water, we were stoked! We celebrated a successful day by grabbing a beer and enjoying the sunset together. In Brittany, you have to learn to appreciate sunsets when they come around because they are rather rare. When you’re lucky enough to catch one, they are incredible!

The following day, the RV was in dire need of a good cleaning, and Etienne offered us the luxury of a shower in his school. What an incredible feeling after five to six days, to finally take a shower and feel clean.

On we went to the next spot. This time, the swell forecasts seemed to be on point. “Crozon, we’re coming!” Etienne couldn’t resist following us to score in what looked like promising conditions. With La Palue beach in our line of sight, we rushed to get in the water, already picturing ourselves inside barrels with Max.

First problem: a two-metre gate prevented us from accessing the parking area near the spot... We found ourselves blocked in at the top of the parking lotin the middle of several other RVs. From the top, we could see the offshore lines. Max and I shared the same look of apprehension. We both know how to surf, but when it’s that big, it gets a bit out of our comfort zone.

Olivier then proceeded to add: "Guys, if I don't see you in a barrel, I won’t even get my camera out". Nothing like a bit of pressure to help things along! We walked down the road leading to the spot and got a look at the low tide waves up close. They looked rather nice from the beach, but the swell was expected to increase heavily through this day and the next. I grabbed my surfboard while Max waxed his Mitu 5'6, which he would surf for this session.

To sum it up: lots of duck dives, a couple of waves surfed, and a few serious adrenaline spikes when dropping in on those bangers. We slept with our fingers crossed, hoping there would be wind the next day.

When the alarm clock sounded, I woke up to see my favorite Breton’s waking face, saying "So guys, ready to get smashed by mountains of water?’’ At the time, I was nervous, but in the end, the surf session wasn’t too bad. I got caved a few times, but it was pure bliss!

It was mid-morning when the wind slowly picked up. We started getting the kitesurfing equipment ready, looking at our only opportunity to get a proper wave session in on this trip. With wind between 12-13 knots, I took the 13m Breeze and Etienne went on the 12m Bandit.

Before leaving, I assked Etienne, "Do you think I should use a leash?" He gazed at me with a surprised look, saying "If you don't want to drown, I’d say it's better, yes." Ok… In that case, I'll grab a leash.

La Palue beach is quite big, especially at low tide. We walked as far as we could upwind to take advantage of the slightest wave on the way down. I struggled to surf well. Etienne was killing it, even riding backside. You could instantly see his experience, and we were stoked he had come along with us. He linked back-to-back rollers despite the fact that his kite was barely flying. It was an impressive sight to see! I ended up surfing the reforms closer to shore, choosing to walk back on foot after having surfed three to four waves. That walk allowed me the opportunity to appreciate the view of the landscape and the cliffs, which are truly beautiful in Crozon.

France is beautiful! We tend to forget this sometimes… and it will have taken a pandemic for me to go and discover it!

Before leaving for the next destination, I went for a sunrise surf foil in the Goulien bay. The swell was rolling gently, ideal for the foil. After dropping in, I rode the waves and passed through a group of surfers and stand up paddlers who seemed intrigued by this strange new surf tool.

One croissant and no shower later, we were on the road again, heading to Brest, where Amaury - a local shop manager - was waiting to show us the best spots in the area.

Navigating through a city with an RV was no easy feat, but we were so big and wide that everyone made room for us to pass. Amaury had mapped out our next spot, showing us exactly where we needed to get into the water. We were headed to Plouguerneau, crossing our fingers that we’d get some sun so we could see the true colours of the incredible turquoise water.

The scattered rocks create an ideal landscape for freestyle. I was feeling good about this place, which was different from Crozon, but just as nice. As the sun came out, thermal winds picked up, so we quickly inflated our 13m kites with Maxime and Lazare Gourney, a local freestyler and member of our team who had joined us.

The current was strong, but we managed to get to the area behind the rocks, where we started linking tricks in turquoise blue water and gloriously sunny weather that made it feel like a tropical destination. The only reminder of reality was the 4/3mm wetsuits we were wearing.

Max was sending some big tricks, and I was focused on making the most of every tack while not wasting the drone and camera batteries with bails. The wind dropped gently over the next two hours, until there was none left at all.

A well-deserved meal was waiting for us at the restaurant in front of our riding spot. We tried the Breton crepes in every area to see which city made the best ones. Crozon set the bar very high, I have to say!

Freestyle, waves, foil, surf… We were beginning to amass the footage we needed to make a good video. The photos were looking nice, too. We still felt like we were missing a little something, that classic ‘je ne sais quoi’ that makes a MANERA video epic, that would showcase the splendor that France has to offer.

Next direction: the Mont Saint Michel. For this one, we needed to prepare. We asked our friends advice on the best way to ride, ideal wind conditions, and the right tides... The opinions came back very different. In the end, we decided to go see for ourselves.

High tide was forecast for 9 pm, and it would be possible to ride until at least 10 pm at that time of year. With questionable conditions, our fingers were crossed for an afternoon thermal that would allow us to ride around this beautiful structure.

I sat in the shade of a tree, waiting for the wind to pick up and the tide to rise. I was thinking to myself that for once, luck could be on our side. We waited, under our little tree, facing the area where we would be able to prepare our equipment and walk to the water. With a foil and a 15 metre kite, you only need 7-8 knots to be at full speed.

At around 6:30 pm, we donned our wetsuits. A light breeze was rising, filling us with hope. We brought our 15m Halo’s out and approached the water on foot. The path was sludgy and muddy, and by the time we got close to the water, we were boiling in our wetsuits.

We reached the water’s edge only to encounter a small problem: the current was agitated, and the color of the water didn’t allow us to measure the depth with our foils. It wasn’t looking good. Max and I decided to put our kites on the edge of the water and wait for the tide to rise. We sat in the mud, contemplating this outrageously beautiful castle.

It was 7:30 pm before the water was high enough. On my first attempt to set off, I got caught in strong current, but somehow managed to keep my kite in the air. The wind must have been oscillating between 5 and 6 knots. Max pointed out what looked like a riptide building on the side, where the current was swirling inwards. I tried again, kite barely staying up in the air. I took off, pumped a few times, and I was gone. I could not believe it!

I turned around to see Max following right behind me. We did it, we were kitesurfing in front of the Mont Saint Michel! What a magical moment. I could barely feel any wind on my face, and the current was guiding us along in the right direction. The stress of falling gradually left my mind, and I began to relax and enjoy the moment. We tacked, Max leading the way, both of us hoping that Matt and Olivier would not miss a moment of what was happening.

As the sun descended, it turned into a ball of fire, reflecting tones of orange from the Mont’s stained-glass windows. A few people inside waved as we passed. I suppose it's not every day that two kitesurfers sail by at sunset.

We couldn’t hold back small cries of joy. A moment like that will be forever engraved in our memories. The sun finally dipped below the horizon, painting pink and turquoise hues across the sky. We headed back in, and with the rising tide were able to have some fun in the channels that we had walked through only a couple hours earlier.

I couldn’t stop smiling, thinking back to what had just happened. What a day... And a reminder of the reason we kitesurf, to experience such incredible moments!

Our trip on the French coast was coming to an end. We made one last stop in St Malo to enjoy a natural swimming pool and roam around the city before settling back in for a long drive at our maximum speed of 80km/h. We were returning home with the feeling of satisfaction and success, and found the return drive much more relaxing.

This confinement has shaken us up and changed our habits. In the past, we thought paradise could only be found far away. This year, we found it at home.

At a time when the entire world is confined, when world debt is higher than ever, when scientists are working day and night to find a vaccine against this virus, there we were, four humans in an RV going where the wind blows and taking advantage of all that France has to offer. Voltaire said: "I have decided to be happy because it's good for my health."

What if happiness was the key to it all? What if living at 200% was the cure for this virus?

Either way, this is how we have decided to go about it at MANERA.

Videos

Manera - La mer, le vent et le cerf-volant.
By Paul Serin

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