Northern France — Initiative 2026

The wave
is coming North.

North Swell — Surf Park & Resort

North Swell is the first surf park & resort project in Northern France — a sports and leisure development designed for a region of 6 million inhabitants, and a Europe reachable by train.

75M€
Target investment
6M
Inhabitants — primary catchment
35M+
Extended catchment area

A coastline, real waves —
but no surf. Yet.

Northern France has a remarkable coastline — the Opal Coast, the Flanders dunes, the Channel. Waves exist, but they remain too irregular, too exposed, inaccessible for anyone wanting to learn and progress in surfing.

North Swell does not create an artificial surf disconnected from its territory. It fills a real gap: making surfing accessible year-round to 6 million people who have never had it on their doorstep — until now.

The model is proven where you least expect it: Alpine surf parks demonstrate that a landlocked environment can generate an intense and profitable surf practice. Across Northern Europe, similar resorts welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Waves no longer need the sea to exist.

Wave technology

Real, adjustable, reproducible waves — for beginners and elite athletes alike. Guaranteed sessions, hour by hour, whatever the weather.

Multi-activity resort

Accommodation, dining, wellness and indoor & outdoor sports. A complete destination — a full stay without leaving the site.

Brownfield regeneration

An existing industrial site transformed into a place for sport and life. Circular economy at the heart of the project, unlocking available land across the region.

Sustainable by design

Closed-loop water system, on-site renewable energy, documented carbon footprint. Target certifications: BREEAM Excellent HQE Outstanding RE2020 ISO 14001

A rare asset, in a market with no regional competitor.

North Swell simultaneously addresses multiple investment segments: recurring-revenue leisure real estate, tourist accommodation, and activity concessions. Each component of the project can be held by a distinct investor according to their thesis.

75M€
Total investment
Three-layer financing structure: private equity, senior bank debt, and public funding.
25–30% eligible for public funding (BPI Tourism, Hauts-de-France Region, Europe, ADEME).
32%
Accommodation share of revenue
The accommodation component is the primary generator of stable income. Owner of the walls model, third-party operator under management contract.
Real estate asset value decoupled from operational risk.
15M€
Stabilised target revenue
Diversified income streams: surf sessions, accommodation, F&B, activities, events, local memberships.
No single revenue line exceeds 35% of total — resilience through diversification.
160k+
Visitors / year — Year 3 target
Projection benchmarked against the European reference: 160,000 visitors expected per year at opening, exceeded within the first 12 months.

Benchmark: comparable surf park, £60M, opened Nov. 2024 — 100,000+ visitors in 12 months.

150–200
Direct jobs
Permanent local positions at full maturity: surf instructors, hospitality, F&B, technical maintenance, events, administration.
Direct benchmark: 130 jobs created by a comparable £60M project in Northern Europe.
11M€+
Annual local economic impact
Direct impact on the regional economy: local suppliers, surrounding accommodation, induced proximity tourism.
Joining North Swell means anchoring your name in a project that creates lasting, visible, measurable territorial value.

An exceptional European location

Lille Metro
20min
1.2M people — Primary catchment
Paris
45min
12M people — Direct TGV
Brussels
1h
2M people — Direct TGV
London
2h
9M people — Direct Eurostar

Why here, why now.

A coastline, but no accessible surf

The Opal Coast offers remarkable landscapes and consistently windy conditions. Waves exist — but surfing remains niche, seasonal, and reserved for the initiated. Access to board sports for the general public is almost non-existent across the region.

Available land, public funds ready to deploy

The Hauts-de-France region has many large-scale sites available at controlled cost, supported by national and European brownfield regeneration and attractiveness programmes.

An exceptional public funding environment

Hauts-de-France is a priority region for European funds, tourism investment support, and sport & attractiveness programmes. The public financing context is particularly favourable for a project of this nature in 2025–2027.

Strong regional sports momentum

The region has invested massively in landmark sports facilities over the past decade. Surfing, an Olympic discipline since Tokyo 2021, is growing fast nationally. North Swell arrives at the right time, in a territory ready for a flagship facility.

"We have proven that an artificial wave can generate more economic impact than a football stadium — in a city that has never had a coastline."

— Founder of the reference surf park in Northern Europe, opened 2024

Phase 0 — Building to last.

M 1–3

Structuring Underway

Creation of the project vehicle, brand identity, first institutional and media contacts.

M 3–6

Benchmark & pre-feasibility Underway

European reference site visits, industry stakeholder discussions, project memo production.

M 6–12

Territorial ecosystem Upcoming

Activation of institutional partners, land identification, first formal public endorsements.

M 12–24

Fundraising & team Upcoming

Founding team assembly, project management advisory mandate, financing plan structuring.

You have a role
to play here.

North Swell is being built with a collective of convinced stakeholders: investors, institutional partners, tourism professionals, regional industrialists, and sport enthusiasts.

A 20-minute conversation can change the trajectory of a project of this scale.

Investor A territorial impact asset, proven model, diversified recurring revenues — and an unrivalled European location.
Partner Hotel operator, restaurateur or leisure operator looking for a captive, high-footfall site with regional visibility.
Institutional A landmark facility, local jobs, European reach — for a territory that deserves it.
Co-founder Expertise in tourism, leisure or finance — you're looking for a major project to co-build from the ground up.
Direct contact contact@northswell.fr

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