FAQ: questions, controversies, debunked

Surfers Village Paris is a 12-hectare project located in Northern Seine-et-Marne, 5 min from Paris-CDG. It combines on one site: a SurfPark, a Health Centre, an indoor/outdoor sports complex (The Hive, Sports), a Surf Academy & Pawaii Surf Club, and accommodation (villas, residences, hotels). Guiding principle: approximately ~42% gross non-impermeabilised surfaces across the perimeter (transverse park, vegetated surfaces, draining soils), ~50% under official Cerema/ZAN methodology (including thick green roofs and planted permeable alveolar car parks). Both figures presented together for

Three concrete reasons: Accessibility: 12 million Île-de-France residents within one hour; France's 1st airport hub 5 min away; RER and TGV stations nearby; no 1,500-2,000 km journey to the Basque coast to surf. Land framework: agricultural land, outside any remarkable natural zone, outside any identified wetland at this stage, outside Natura 2000 site, outside forest massif. The project entails a partial artificialisation of an agricultural soil, to be offset under official ZAN modalities — ~42% of the perimeter kept as

Several projects have been abandoned or blocked in France: Sevran (93) — May 2021: Municipal Council unanimously votes against. Main grievances raised by opponents: direct proximity to a Natura 2000 zone, predominantly monofunctional project (pool), initial opacity of the promoter. Saint-Père-en-Retz (44) — June 2021: citizen mobilisation and ZAD. Promoter withdraws. Castets (40) — 2022: Linkcity (Bouygues) withdraws. Citizen mobilisation, opposition from FFS & Union of Professional Surfers (forest zone). Saint-Jean-de-Luz (64) — Dec 2020: Boardriders cites "other priorities". Lesson:

Fundamental differences: Location: SVP is neither in a forest (Castets), nor in immediate ocean proximity (Saint-Père), nor next to a Natura 2000 site (Sevran). It is an agricultural area with no exceptional ecological stake reported to date (4-season fauna-flora study conducted by a specialised consultancy, finalised autumn 2025). Multifunctional programme: SVP is not just a surfpark, it is a Sport & Health Village. The surf function represents a minority share of the programming. Opponents of other projects denounced monofunctional "surf

Two volumes that must be clearly distinguished — indicative figures at this stage, to be validated by detailed technical study and submitted to the EIA: Initial pool fill: ~23,000 m³ (dead volume, filled only once at commissioning, spread over pre-operation months and supplied primarily by rainwater accumulated in retention ponds). Annual operational top-up: ~23,000 m³/year (evaporation + periodic technical drainage). Pool water is continuously recirculated and filtered with a ≥ 95% recycling target on losses per Endless Surf specifications —

No. The planned supply relies on two sources, neither being the aquifer: Rainwater collected from technical roofs (non-green building roofs) and impermeabilised pavements, channelled into retention ponds and then injected into the pool after pre-filtration. The Village's green roofs and vegetated surfaces play their natural retention and evapotranspiration role — they are not counted in pool collection. Treatment of local surface water resources — pre-filtration and biological treatment stages (phytoremediation on dedicated surfaces) before injection into the pool. This second

The pool operates in a closed loop. No scheduled annual drainage. A technical check every 2-3 years is sufficient (current technology benchmark). Continuous filtration: UV + ozone, with chlorine dosing lower than a standard municipal pool (surfer exposure ≠ bather exposure). In case of exceptional drainage, water will have been pre-treated. Discharge must comply with ARS standards and the "Water Law" file submitted to DDT.

Fair point. The Canéjan judicial review did invalidate certain water-autonomy projections. Which is exactly why: SVP does not claim to be self-sufficient on pure rainwater. Rainwater is one source among two (the other being treatment of local surface water resources). Final figures will be validated by an independent consulting firm and submitted to the Environmental Authority, not presented as a fait accompli. We do not claim "B-Corp", "carbon neutral" or "zero impact" labels — the 2 JDP decisions against Canéjan

Indicative range at this stage, to be confirmed in detailed technical study and submitted to the EIA: order of magnitude of a few GWh/year for the pool + associated services (water treatment, lighting, cooling, buildings). Nothing is finalised at this stage — we are working on a projection currently being refined by specialised consulting firms. Parameters will be refined in operation and published annually (transparency commitment). The French electricity mix (~52 g CO₂/kWh, ADEME 2023) is among the lowest-carbon in

According to Wavegarden's official published figures: ~1.74 kg CO₂ per 1h session at a Wavegarden Cove (generic reference). 0.63 kg CO₂ per session at the Swiss Wavegarden (very low-carbon grid mix). For comparison — ADEME, French road mix: 1h of solo thermal car on motorway (~130 km at ~190 g CO₂/km) ≈ ~25 kg CO₂, the equivalent of roughly 14 Wavegarden Cove SurfPark sessions (generic reference). 1 round-trip Paris-Bali flight ≈ ~3,250 kg CO₂ per passenger, the equivalent of roughly

Two levers: French electricity mix ~50-60 g CO₂/kWh (one of the lowest in Europe, ~7× less than Germany). Solar self-consumption: PV target on a majority of Village covered surfaces (technical roofs, shaded car parks). Positive reference: URBNSURF (Melbourne open since 2020, Sydney open 2024) communicates on its renewable-energy commitments. SVP studies a similar goal but does not claim it until verified.

📍 Reading note — location — This section and the next (Q13) use generic wording for precise location. Why? As long as detailed environmental studies are not finalised and public inquiry is not open, we prefer to avoid prematurely fuelling debates based on partial data. The project is in Île-de-France, close to Paris-CDG, as indicated in the Village presentation. The Climate-Resilience law of 22 August 2021 sets: −50% artificialisation 2021-2031 vs. the previous decade. Absolute ZAN by 2050. SVP shows

A 4-season fauna-flora study was carried out by a specialised consultancy, finalised in autumn 2025. Several protected species of mostly moderate stakes were detected on the perimeter: skylark (vulnerable nesting avifauna), European goldfinch, common noctule and Leisler's bat (near-threatened chiropterans), common wall lizard, snakes, edible frog. No high-stakes species has been identified, and their habitats are not protected under Article L.411-1 of the French Environmental Code. No proven wetland has been identified on the perimeter. An ERC (Avoid-Reduce-Compensate) approach is

Fair question — we explicitly built it into our commitments (see Stakes ⑦). We do not use the term "regenerative" as a global qualifier for the project. We use it only to qualify the part specifically returned to nature. The Stakes H1 is: "Less built, more regenerated" — meaning: less built footprint, more ecological quality on what is returned. No claim to a net-positive "regenerative" project without quantified demonstration.

The final pricing grid is being designed and will be set closer to opening. The ranges and tiers shown on the Membership, Surf Academy and related pages are illustrative projections at this stage — reference orders of magnitude, not finalised prices or contractual offers. The current European market sits in a wide range depending on technology, wave level and associated services. Priority pricing axes retained: Degressive Member pricing for loyal members (Membership model). Surf Academy and Pawaii Surf Club programmes

Fair question. Honest answer: yes, partially — if we stop at the hourly rate. But that analysis is incomplete. The total cost of accessing surf practice from Île-de-France historically includes: fuel or train, accommodation, blocked days, board rental or purchase, lessons. For many Île-de-France practitioners, the full bill of a coastal surf weekend far exceeds the price of an equivalent immediate-access pool session. The elitism argument applies to all technical sports in France (skiing, tennis, equestrian, golf, sailing). SVP commits

Three concrete levers planned: Partnership with Handi-Surf National Association: adapted equipment, trained staff, dedicated slots. Handi-Surf has been organising adaptive sessions on the Atlantic coast for over 20 years; the SurfPark opens an additional pathway to practice in a safe and controlled environment, particularly ideal for adaptive surfing (modular wave, controlled depth, immediate supervision). Partnership with Surf Santé: therapeutic programmes for fragile audiences (mental health, various disorders, cancers), potentially reimbursable via Adapted Physical Activity (APA) prescription. Surf Academy + Pawaii

Surf Snowdonia (Wales) did close its surf operation in September 2023. The cause is NOT commercial or ecological: repeated mechanical failures of the wave machine from August 2022, with unsustainable maintenance costs and downtime. The site was taken over by Zip World in late 2025 without the surf component. Crucial difference: Snowdonia used the Wavegarden Lagoon v1 (2015 generic), a now-obsolete technology. The Wavegarden Cove sites operating worldwide have not, to date, recorded any closure for technical cause, and the

Honestly: we take this hypothesis seriously. Any large-scale development in France is liable to appeals, and we consider this a sign of democratic vitality. Our differences with Canéjan: Sourced and nuanced communication — no "carbon neutral", no "B-Corp", no "zero impact" pledge. The JDP decisions against Canéjan create a reproducible pattern to avoid. Full impact assessment planned — not exempted. L.103-2 public consultation planned — not avoided. Prior dialogue with associations — we have explicitly opened the "Open Dialogue" section

As of writing (May 2026): 30+ surfparks operating worldwide across 5 continents. 4 closures recorded (Seagaia, Snowdonia, NLand, Big Surf) — predominantly for technical reasons on older technology generations. Successes referenced: URBNSURF Melbourne (opened 2020, ~300,000 cumulative visitors in a few years), URBNSURF Sydney (opened 2024), The Wave Bristol, Alaïa Bay Sion (Alpine climate close to Île-de-France), Wave Park Korea, Atlantic Park Virginia Beach. On opposition: the activist site Non au surf en boîte lists several dozen mobilisations in France

SVP is a multifunctional project — exactly what several failed projects lacked. The 5 planned revenue pillars: SurfPark: Member & visitor sessions, school, club, competitions. Health Centre: sport-health consultations, APA programmes, surf therapy. The Hive (indoor/outdoor sport): memberships, B2B events. Hotels & Residences: airport tourism, business stays, weekend. Pawaii Villas: acquisition + managed rental — co-financing via qualified investors. No pillar depends exclusively on the others: if one underperforms, the other 4 ensure resilience.

Conservative first-pass estimate, to be confirmed in a detailed business plan: order of magnitude of 150,000 visitors/year across all activities in full operation. SVP prefers anchoring projections at the low end of the range rather than displaying optimistic, unsustainable targets. For reference, URBNSURF Melbourne (opened 2020) has welcomed several hundred thousand cumulative visitors in a few years. The Île-de-France catchment (12 M inhabitants within 1h) easily absorbs this target footfall.

No. The project is in capital structuring phase: Land controlled by the founder (under secured private agreements). First targeted investor closings 2027-2028, subject to obtaining the cleared building permit. No sales nor pre-commercialisation at this stage. The Villas, Residences and Memberships pages present programming intentions and qualify interested profiles — they do not constitute subscription offers nor contractual proposals. No information here constitutes banking solicitation (L.341-1 CMF) nor subscription offer (EU 2017/1129) nor investment advice (L.541-9 CMF).

Preliminary consultation (Art. L.103-2 Urban Planning Code), unified public inquiry (R.123 Environment Code), public municipal deliberations (CGCT): all these steps are planned and open to neighbours, associations and elected officials. Upstream consultation step: a public information and listening meeting is organised in June, with the project sponsor, elected officials and residents. This meeting will be included in the consultation report attached to the procedure to bring the local urban planning document into compatibility (framework L.300-6-1 of the Urban Planning Code,

Yes. Mandatory for a project of this size under article R.122-2 of the Environment Code. Led by an independent consultancy, it will be submitted to the Environmental Authority (Ae) whose opinion is public, opposable and attached to the public inquiry file. The project sponsor must formally respond before permit issuance. Consulted services will include DDT, DREAL, ARS, SDIS, network operators, intercommunality, and where applicable CDNPS and CRB IDF — each issuing an opinion attached to the application file and publicly

The argument is cultural, legitimate, and was made by the FFS and the Union of Professional Surfers during the Castets debate. Our position: pool surfing is not the same thing as ocean surfing. It is not a substitute, it is a complement. For beginners, the pool is a safe learning environment that democratises access to the sport. For people with disabilities, the pool offers a complementary pathway to adaptive practice in a safe and controlled environment (modular wave, controlled depth,

Discussions underway on: Affiliation of Pawaii Surf Club to FFS. Pôle Espoir / Regional Hub status for young athlete training. BPJEPS Surf state-recognised coach training approved by FFS. FFS pool competitions (including adaptive surf category). We are aware that the FFS has, in specific cases, expressed critical positions on surfpark projects. Our approach is to engage in dialogue, not to bypass the institution.

Ocean addict like a fish in water since age 5, surfer addict since age 12. Founder of Webcam-HD turned GoSurf.fr, reference surf media in France, in operation for 15 years. Land secured for SVP, in-depth study of global surfparks 2022-2025. Full portrait and journey: The Founder page.

No, SVP is not a solo project. It is a structured ecosystem under construction, with named and verifiable components: 4 named advisors in progress (Land, Finance, Legal, Urbanism) — verifiable LinkedIn, engagement letters being signed. Circle of fellow travellers for 10 years — informal but constant support (land, surf, hospitality, finance, law, sports medicine, community). 4 first-hour partners alongside the founder (Endless Surf · WhiteWater, Mirage Visualisation · Thibault Paturle, Shapes · David Porré, Jenn Beretta). 7 approached partners in

The operating company will be incorporated prior to any commercial operation — that is the standard legal sequence for a project of this nature, and also a prudence signal: we do not create the entity before securing the permit and the funding round. Upon creation, full company details (form, capital, RCS, SIRET, intra-EU VAT) will be published in the legal notice.

No. Waitlist registration is fully free with no commitment. You just leave us your contact details and stay preferences — we'll get back to you at booking opening.

Official booking opening is planned around 6 months before Village opening (~early 2030). Waitlisters are contacted first, ahead of the public opening.

By your waitlist registration order. The earlier you register, the higher you sit — and the earlier you'll access booking (and the best slots + rooms).

Rate cards will be communicated at booking opening. Waitlisters benefit from the Waitlist d'ouverture rate — precise conditions announced at that time.

You register once in your name — you can then book as many rooms as needed within availability, at booking opening.

Any time, one-click from the newsletter, or by simple email to christophe@surfersvillageparis.com. Your data is removed immediately (GDPR).