After years of trials and more trials, Paris might finally have a surf park, as plans were announced this week for Surfers Village Paris.
The proposed wave pool is planned near Charles de Gaulle Airport in the town of Messy. Developer Christophe Bouquin said the site is lideal with nearby access to high-speed rail and public transportation, and will be easily accessible to both domestic and international visitors.
According to Bouquin, the land required for the development is already owned and secured, meaning the primary remaining hurdles are planning approvals, political support, and regulatory authorizations.
The wave pool development at Surfers Village Paris is envisioned as part of a broader mixed-use project. In addition to the wave pool, plans include warehouse logistics facilities, solar energy infrastructure, hotels, sports amenities, and leisure attractions integrated into a larger development zone. When completed, the development would occupy approximately 12 hectares.
“I have been driving this project for over ten years,” Bouquin told WavePoolMag. “Surfers Village Paris is the culmination of a personal journey and a conviction: that we can create, in the Île-de-France region, a place where sport, health, and hospitality are written together, in dialogue with the local area, in response to concrete challenges, and with environmental responsibility at the heart of the project. Making the project public means opening up a dialogue.”
He added that the overall development would cover around 100,000 square meters and include three hotels designed to accommodate a range of visitor budgets and demographics.
To broaden the offerings at the Surfers Village Paris development, additional sports and recreation facilities are planned. Current concepts include a skatepark, paddle facilities, co-working spaces, and other leisure attractions intended to provide activities for non-surfing visitors and families.
Environmental restoration is part of the development strategy. Bouquin said decades of agricultural use have degraded soil quality on the site and that the project aims to return 40–50% of the land to natural green space and ecological restoration.
The project is intended to serve both commercial and community purposes. Bouquin added that he wants the facility to work with schools and youth programs, helping introduce surfing to people who may not have easy access to the coast or traditional surf experiences.
Endless Surf will be the technology partner. The pneumatic wave pool company has seen rapid growth in recent years and expects five new venues to open in 2026.
Construction could begin in 2029 if approvals proceed as planned. Bouquin said the timeline is currently dependent on local elections and regulatory processes, with a potential opening targeted for 2030 if all approvals, financing, and development milestones are achieved.
Paris has long sought to add a wave pool to its offerings. Last year, Greater Paris saw roughly 48 million visitors. Of those, 26.1M were domestic, and 22.6M were international, with nearly 3 million coming from the United States alone.
Editor’s Note: Information contained in this article was obtained through original reporting by WavePoolMag. Reproduction or republication of material should include attribution and a link to the original article.
