La Torche

Who hasn’t heard of La Torche – the legendary World Cup beach that even Robby Naish called “a really difficult spot”? The bay’s split in two by a pronounced rocky outcrop from where you can watch an exhibition of double-mast-high waves. The right-hand side is for accomplished wave warriors only; the surf is more radical and the current’s more extreme too – especially close to the jutting cliff-face. If in any doubt, stick to the southern bay of 'Pors Carn' where you can launch a kite too (there's a kite zone in summer). Only the rocks midway along the beach are any problem here as they’re covered at high tide. There is extra parking at the southern end of the beach, known as 'Le Petit Bois’.