The Picard familyPortrait of snow sports enthusiasts

The Picard family

A story of sliding, transmission... and passion

For the Picards, board sports are more than just a leisure activity. It’s about holiday memories, shared sessions, thrills and, above all, a passion that’s been passed down from generation to generation. Between kitesurfing, wingfoiling, windsurfing and the legendary spots on the Normandy coast, François, Caroline, Clément and Martin live to the rhythm of the wind and the high tides.

A passion

born in the family

Originally from the south of Manche, François discovered the joys of surfing at a very young age in Jullouville. As a child, his father took him out on his windsurfing board. The whole family soon followed suit. François and his sisters started windsurfing and catamaran sailing in Jullouville.

” It really is a family affair,” he sums up.

The years went by, but the call of the water remained intact. In 2019, during a holiday abroad with little wind for windsurfing, François tried his hand at kitesurfing. Then, in 2024, a new opportunity led him to try wingfoil in theChausey archipelago. And once again, the magic happened.

Clément

The first jumps and the feeling of lightness

Clément, the eldest of the siblings, also immersed himself in the world of board sports at a very early age. At the age of 12, he started kiteboarding with David from Fifty Kite, the only kiteboarding school in Granville Terre et Mer. Now 16, he particularly remembers his first independent sessions on Chausey.

No competition for him, but above all the pleasure of the sensations.

When he talks about kitesurfing, Clément immediately evokes“that feeling of lightness during the jumps, with that gentle descent, as if carried by a dynamic parachute. Time almost slows down before gently returning to the water“.

Martin

the wingfoil revelation

Martin first tried windsurfing. He then tried kitesurfing, but a bad experience held him back for a while. Everything changed in February 2025, during a holiday in Martinique. With his mother Caroline, he took his first wingfoil lessons.

Back in Normandy, the duo continued their adventure with a week’s training in Bréhal with Gaël, an instructor at 8 Milles Nautic. Then in September, Martin joined the club’s competition section.

“It was a revelation. Since then, Martin has talked of nothing but wing “, confides François, his father.

What does he love most of all? ” The speed and the feeling of flying over water. “

He’s particularly keen on sessions in easterly winds of between 20 and 25 knots, on flat spots like Bréhal, but also has fond memories of a free-fly session at Jonville.

And the young rider already has a goal in mind: to qualify for the French championships by finishing among the top six riders in Normandy.

Caroline

the pleasure of taking on a new challenge

For her part, Caroline discovered wingfoil almost at the same time as her son, Martin. A beginner since February 2025, she has been taking lessons and training sessions ever since.

What does she like about it? ” The pleasure of discovering a new sport, learning to manage the wind, understanding where it comes from… and then starting a new sport at the age of 50, that’s really cool! “she confides.

Her favourite spot is still Bréville-sur-Mer, where she likes to sail when the wind is right, but without too much swell.

Wingfoil and Kitesurf

A matter of sensations

In the Picard family, everyone experiences wingfoiling in their own way, but they all talk about unique sensations.

For François, a wingfoil session is synonymous with total freedom. ” It clears your head. Frankly, a wing session is worth a session with the shrink “, he jokes.

He’s particularly fond of Chausey, “the top spot”, but also the Bout du Monde spot for flat water or themouth of the Thar when there’s a wave. And depending on the wind direction, there’s always a plan B, such as Carolles in a south-easterly wind.

François prefers sessions in around 20 knots: ” It’s the perfect wind for making progress and trying out new things. There’s that feeling of freedom and the gentleness of board sports. “

Clément, on the other hand, likes rough conditions: “More like 30 knots and waves.

Memories for four

Aside from the performances and the ideal conditions, what the Picard family remember most are the moments they shared together on the water.

Caroline remembers a session in Collignon where the four of them were sailing at the same time.

There were also the checks between Clément and François during father-son kite sessions, and those memorable sessions between Martin and Anaël from Bréhal au Bout du Monde.

Simple but precious moments

Because at the end of the day, for the Picard family, the most important thing may not be the discipline practised, or even the perfect spot. Above all, it’s the shared passion that brings the whole family together around the wind, the sea… and the pleasure of riding together.

Portrait by Estelle Cohier, Office de Tourisme Granville Terre et Mer.

Discover