Home Page›News›OPERATIONS› An initial round of financing to launch the construction of the Canéjan Surfpark.
OPERATIONS
06 January 2025
The Canéjan Surfpark: a place to bring surfing enthusiasts together all year round and attract new fans, with a reduced ecological footprint. 
Located just 20 minutes from Bordeaux, the Canéjan Surfpark will be an exceptional place dedicated to surfing all year round, while minimising the ecological footprint.
It will be the first surfpark in France, and the ninth in Europe, after The Wave in the UK and Alaïa Bay in Switzerland, to use the same technology and offer a consistent, realistic surfing experience suited to all levels of ability, from beginners to professionals.
The pool will be more than just a leisure facility. It will also include a technical performance centre, a research and development area, as well as catering and accommodation facilities. With a capacity of over 250,000 visitors a year, the project will make a significant contribution to the local economy, creating jobs and attracting tourists from all over the world.
Wavegarden technology was chosen for the wave generator, offering customisable waves that are suitable for everyone, while being energy-efficient and sustainable. Its water filtration system guarantees increased safety, and means you can surf all year round in optimum conditions, whatever the weather conditions. As well as reducing maintenance costs, it is modular and adaptable to a variety of uses, including training, performance research and competitions. This makes it an ideal solution and explains its worldwide success.
Private investors, as well as a number of SMEs and ETIs, took part in the funding round to support the Canéjan Surfpark. The project is seen as a strategic opportunity for regional businesses, attracting players such as Oxbow, which, as an iconic surfing brand and major player in the region, has decided to join the project and has brought in some of its own shareholders.
These new partners share the conviction that the Canéjan Surfpark will be a model of success, thanks in particular to its commitment to the environment. The project aims to minimise its ecological impact at every stage, by implementing innovative technical solutions that promote self-consumption and sustainability.
The redevelopment of a brownfield site limits the amount of land artificialisation and optimised materials management reduces the carbon footprint, in particular through the use of recyclable liners that minimise the use of concrete.
The park will also install rainwater recovery systems to reduce drinking water consumption, and will achieve energy self-sufficiency via photovoltaic panels. The pools will be equipped with a double filtration system, ensuring the purity of the water through natural oxygenation, supplemented by UV, ozone and chlorine, in the same proportions as tap water, thus meeting the highest standards of hygiene and safety.
The project will generate positive spin-offs for the local economy, creating jobs in the hotel, restaurant and transport sectors. By welcoming sportspeople, local associations, people with reduced mobility and surf schools, the Canéjan Surfpark will be an inclusive and unifying place, contributing to the development of associations and the promotion of a healthy and accessible lifestyle.
Backed by partnerships with local and international players, the project is part of a drive to enhance the regional ecosystem, while aiming for a neutral carbon footprint thanks to the use of renewable energy.
The Canéjan Surfpark project continues to progress, with the first pool scheduled to open in the first half of 2026.
A communication campaign was launched in autumn 2024 to inform the residents of Canéjan and Cestas, and will be stepped up in 2025.
This initial fundraising will enable work on the first pool to begin in the coming months. An initial service agreement has just been signed with Wavegarden, and the first earthworks will begin in March 2025.
The year 2025 will be marked by several key stages: a new round of fund-raising, preparations for the installation of the wave machine, then its actual installation in the autumn. The winter will be devoted to filling the pool, before the first wave tests in spring 2026.
This first phase marks a significant step forward for the Canéjan Surfpark, which is positioning itself as a future benchmark for water sports in France, combining performance, ecology and user-friendliness. The next stages will focus on completing the work, optimising the user experience and developing a community of committed surfers.
Those involved in the operation
Target companies |
SWELL INVEST & FREQUENCE | |||||
Buyers/investors |
Private Investors | |||||
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Advice FREQUENCE |
WIDOOWIN CF, Jean-Baptiste DAVID, Boris LESAVRE, Marine RICHARD | ||||
Lawyer SWELL INVEST & FREQUENCE |
RIVIERE AVOCATS ASSOCIES, Olivier NAULOT | |||||
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