Water Skiing

Water Skiing: Everything You Need to Know About This Activity 🌊

Whether it's initiation, improvement, or a course, instructors adapt to your level and desires! Along the seaside, on lakes, or rivers, enjoy beautiful natural settings while practicing a fun sport!

What is Water Skiing?

Water skiing is a sport where you glide on the water while being towed by a motorboat. On water skis, arms extended, you grip your hands on a handle connected to the boat by a rope.

Wakeboarding is a variant inspired by ski lifts or tow lifts from winter sports. A cable stretched overhead and supported by pulleys allows several people to be towed simultaneously! This practice will be more linear than water skiing behind a boat, which allows for smoother maneuvering as well as tricks, jumps, and slaloms that are contested in championships.

Anecdotal Facts

This activity at the crossroads of alpine skiing and surfing has many enthusiasts. Across the Atlantic, in the United States, 13 million enthusiasts practice it! The Water Ski Federation, founded in 1947, has 16,000 licensees and 197 clubs in France. It will be easy to find a club near you for equipment rental and private lessons.

Alternatives exist to vary the pleasures of water skiing: on a wakeboard, kneeling on a kneeboard, barefoot... Whatever your choice of support, the joys and sensations of gliding are yours!

Water skiing is an ideal leisure activity in the summer. It will delight both children and adults, enthusiasts of sports and recreational water activities!

Water Skiing: A Demanding Physical Activity

Respecting a few rules will ensure your safety and enjoyment during practice. The conditions to practice are few but simple and important.

• This sport is open to all, regardless of age and level. There are no particular contraindications, but your physical fitness must be optimal (no back or knee problems, for example).

• Indeed, water skiing is a sport that requires good physical condition. It requires endurance and coordination while engaging all muscles, from arms to calves. It's a pleasant way to engage in physical activity. The benefits will also be felt in reducing stress and increasing self-confidence. Water skiing is good for both body and mind!

• As it is a water sport, it is necessary to know how to swim. Although equipped with a life jacket, this will help avoid accidents.

• To minimize the impact of falls, it is important to follow the safety rules transmitted by the club and to adopt the correct gestures to avoid bodily harm.

Water skiing becomes more and more fun as you improve. After a few sessions, you'll be doing spectacular acrobatic flips and tricks! The more experienced you become, the faster the boat can go.

Necessary Equipment

Water skiing requires little equipment but is relatively expensive. However, it remains a very accessible sport for booking a session at a club.

The Boat

Measuring between 4 and 6 meters and reaching speeds of up to 40 km/h on average, these motorboats accelerate rapidly to allow the skier to exit the water. The start can be done directly in the water or from a dock.

The Skis

Made of fiberglass or carbon, these skis specific to the aquatic environment are the most commonly used support in this sport. They resemble but are wider than traditional alpine skis. They are slipped on using rubber binding boots.

Skier's Equipment

The wearing of a life jacket is mandatory. A helmet and wetsuit may be recommended. And don't forget your swimsuit! Once suited up, it's time to dive in!

Safety Instructions

To practice water skiing safely, certain instructions must be followed.

• The boat driver must be qualified with a water skiing state diploma.
• A second person must be on board to watch the skier.
• Respect the marked areas designated for water skiing, with dedicated arrival and departure spaces.
• Practice on calm water.
• The towing equipment must meet standards and be monitored: a sturdy tow rope, a non-slip handle, skis adapted to the skier's size.
• Weather conditions must be favorable: excellent visibility to see other boats, swimmers, or obstacles.
• It is not recommended for children under 5 years old.

Water Skiing for All Occasions

Water skiing combines all the conditions to experience true moments of escapade rich in emotions.

Alone or with Friends

This sport guarantees you a day of laughter! Take the plunge before the big day and opt for a water skiing session for your bachelor or bachelorette party!

With Family

Share intense moments in nature. Why not offer your child a memorable half-day for a sporty birthday gift?

In Team Building

Strengthen your self-confidence to get out of the water in all circumstances!

Whether it's initiation, improvement, courses, or competitions, each water skiing session is tailored to your level and desires!

The Best Water Skiing Spots in France

Water skiing is practiced in clubs, along the seaside, or on other bodies of water such as mountain lakes or rivers crossing the countryside. The enchanting natural setting increases the well-being felt during the practice of this sport!

France is surrounded by kilometers of coastline and crossed by numerous rivers, making it an ideal playground for water activities.

In the Paris Region

For the delight of Parisians, water skiing is also practiced on the Seine and on bodies of water in the region. Many leisure bases exist in Île-de-France: Villeneuve St Gorges, Boulogne-Billancourt, Cergy-Pontoise, the Gravon water area on the Souricière pond...

On the Mediterranean Sea

Water activities abound on the southern coast of France: Cannes, Mandelieu, Saint-Tropez... Once a meeting place for the jet set, these sports in exceptional settings have now become more accessible! You will also be able to practice Stand Up Paddle, towed buoy, and many activities to enjoy the pleasures of gliding.

On Lakes

France is full of magnificent bodies of water: Lake Annecy in Haute-Savoie, Lake Castillon in the Verdon Gorges, Lake Guerlédan in Brittany... So many possibilities to practice water skiing all over the country!

On the Atlantic Coast

The ocean is a vast playground for water sports. You can practice water skiing in Lacanau or Hossegor, provided you pay attention to wind and wave conditions. Ideal for adrenaline enthusiasts!

For even more thrills, whitewater activities are offered by water sports centers (rafting, canoeing...).