Praia do Francês
Marechal Deodoro, Alagoas, Brazil · Beach break
Local time — · Sunrise 04:53 · Sunset 17:23
Reading the ocean.
SWELLRADAR is requesting a verified marine run for Praia do Francês.
Spot intelligence.
This retained marker represents the exposed Francês surf beach, not a promise of calm water in the protected bathing area. The reserve distinguishes Vila dos Pescadores, Leprosário and Coqueiral; their shelter and wave power differ. Advanced is a conservative gate for independent recommendations at this unsplit exposed-surf marker, not a claim that every Francês section is advanced or that supervised small-wave learning is impossible. Inspect the actual bank, reef margin and local advice before entering.
Profile source · PBRS / APRENDER Ecologia · original Francês management plan (2026)Profile sources & limits
Reviewed 23 Oct 2026 · not observation-validated
Published sources reviewed by SWELLRADAR, not validation against measured breaking waves. Swell-from and wind-from bearings are independent qualitative ranking references, not surveyed optima. The inherited generic 0.6–3.0 m offshore-model bands remain unchanged: they are not measured local surf limits, safe learner ranges or wave-face conversions. Approximate map pins are place markers, not surveyed takeoffs or approved entry routes. Explicit sea requests sample offshore models; banks, depth, currents, local notices and personal ability still require a local check. The original 2026 reserve management plan (section 3.6) describes sandy beach peaks receiving S, SE and E swell with different shelter; S is a qualitative shared reference, not equal exposure at every section. The general guide independently supplies NW wind. Its low/rising tide preference is not established for the retained southern beach marker by the section-aware reserve evidence, so no tide bonus, motion reward, preferred window or adaptive fallback is added. The plan's local wave-size examples are not offshore-model limits or conversion factors. The existing pin is retained without assigning it to a surveyed Coqueiral or Leprosário takeoff. Reserve maps guide conservation management; they do not establish legal surf zoning, live access, safe reef depth, water-quality clearance or patrol staffing. Reserve recognition and advertised lessons are not a beach-wide safety or learner clearance.
- PBRS / APRENDER Ecologia · original Francês management plan (2026)
Pages 11–12 and 22: original reserve maps and section-specific sand-bank surf, S/SE/E exposure, differing coral shelter and powerful tubular waves; not measured offshore height limits or a tide optimum
- Surf-Forecast · Praia do Frances original guide
General beach/reef context, sandy-beach lefts/rights, S swell, independent NW wind, crowd caution and reported low/rising tide; tide preference is not transferred to every section
- Programa Brasileiro de Reservas de Surf · Francês profile
Original programme description: Marechal Deodoro, Alagoas, sandy beach-break surf, coral ecosystem and three distinct surf areas; reserve status is not a safety or water-quality certificate
Source-informed axes
Swell axis S · 180°
Offshore wind from NW · Advanced profile
Wave
Lefts and rights · section-dependent beach peaks
Sand banks · nearby coral/rock barrier
Swell window
S · E/SE also reported by section
0.6–3.0 m offshore ranking band
Clean wind
NW · qualitative guide reference
Applied to wind scoring
Tide window
Section-specific · check locally
No tide phase affects scoring
Field guide
Read the break.
Character · setup · local read
Field guide
Read the break.
Character
01Praia do Francês is defined by lefts and rights · section-dependent beach peaks over sand banks · nearby coral/rock barrier. The shape can change with swell angle, period and the active section, so the live score should always be paired with a visual check from shore.
Best setup
02S · E/SE also reported by section swell, nw · qualitative guide reference and section-specific · check locally form the profile baseline. SWELLRADAR retains 0.6–3.0 m as an offshore-model ranking band, not a measured local surf limit or a breaking-wave prediction.
Lineup read
03This is an advanced profile: positioning, entry and exit should be assessed before committing. Pay particular attention to powerful hollow open-beach waves, nearby reef and variable shelter, crowded takeoffs. Local signs and advice always take priority.
Know before you paddle
Live conditions and local advice always override this profile.
Optional community layerRecent surfer reportsVoluntary and potentially incomplete. Not used for the forecast or Surf Score.
The break
Beach break
Advanced. Works best with S · E/SE also reported by section swell.
Timing
NW · qualitative guide reference
Section-specific · check locally. Re-check local observations and the lineup before you paddle out.
Data note
Model data unavailable
SWELLRADAR withholds numerical conditions, scores and surf windows until a quality-checked marine forecast is available.