Trucks and Fins is a huge present to the whole skate community - not just for the skating people, but also for shops, builders and schools. Super easy to use and can't believe how complete it is.
Pascal Lieleg aka Official Bowlshit
If you're rolling through France hunting for concrete history, Saintes Bowl Skatepark is a must-hit. Built in 1978, this old-school beast in Saintes, Charente-Maritime, is a time capsule of transition skating, a place that has seen skateboarding evolve while keeping its roots deep in raw concrete. It’s one of the oldest surviving skateparks in France, and if you love flowing lines, deep bowls, and that pure 70s skate energy, you need to check this spot out.
Back in the late 70s, when skateboarding was just catching fire in Europe, a bunch of die-hard French skaters came together to fight for a proper spot to ride. Their push paid off, and in 1978, Saintes became home to one of France’s first real skateparks—complete with a gnarly snake-run feeding into two big bowls. The design was straight out of the early skatepark playbook: pure carve-and-flow vibes, built for high-speed slashing and old-school pool-style skating. Unlike so many other early parks that got bulldozed when skating dipped in the 80s, Saintes survived. The concrete stayed, the lines stayed, and even when street skating took over, the bowl stayed waiting. Fast forward 46 years, and Saintes Bowl is still serving up some of the smoothest lines in France.
Saintes Bowl isn’t your typical modern skatepark—it’s a certified transition paradise. The main attraction? A killer snake-run that funnels speed straight into the deep bowls. If you’re into surfing concrete, this place is built for speed, flow, and aggressive grinds. The graffiti-covered walls and worn-in transitions tell the story of decades of skaters leaving their mark. It’s DIY in spirit, but the concrete holds up, and the locals keep it alive. Over the years, BMX riders and skaters alike have kept this place running, and while newer parks have popped up in Saintes, nothing beats this OG bowl.
This spot has legendary status in French skate culture. Some of the earliest French transition skaters, including pioneers from Bordeaux and Paris, used to session here in the late 70s and early 80s. Through the 90s and early 2000s, skaters on European road trips made pilgrimages to Saintes to experience one of France’s original skatepark builds. No, it’s not as famous as Marseille’s Prado Bowl, but real ones know. If you’ve ever flipped through a French skate mag, chances are you’ve seen shots of someone tearing up the snake-run at Saintes. It’s been featured in local skate zines, YouTube edits, and underground transition documentaries, all celebrating the pure speed and surfy flow this park delivers.
Saintes Bowl has appeared in various French skate magazines, blogs, and local news features. It’s been called a “skateboarding relic” and one of the last surviving 70s parks in Europe. While it hasn’t been in massive productions like Thrasher tours, it’s a staple in French skate history and keeps getting rediscovered by new generations. You’ll find footage of the snake-run getting slashed by transition heads on YouTube, and there are a few legendary road trip videos from skaters who hit Saintes along with other old-school concrete parks. If you’re looking for a raw, untouched, no-frills bowl experience, this is the spot.
If you love bowls, speed lines, and history under your wheels, Saintes is calling. It's not just another skatepark; it’s a piece of European skateboarding heritage that’s still shreddable today. Whether you’re into high-speed carves, classic 70s transitions, or just want to session a place that has stood the test of time, Saintes Bowl is an experience every real skater needs.
📍 Spot Details: Location: Saintes, Charente-Maritime, France
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Trucks and Fins is a huge present to the whole skate community - not just for the skating people, but also for shops, builders and schools. Super easy to use and can't believe how complete it is.
Pascal Lieleg aka Official Bowlshit
Trucks and Fins is a great resource for checking on local spots if you are traveling or planning a road trip! A one stop resource that is constantly updated with the newest projects as well as those bucket list locations worldwide. The intuitive UI features gps coordinates as well as useful information about shops nearby.
Architect Betonlandschaften
Trucks and Fins provide a great service. Its quick and easy to use and has such a vast amount of parks included, not just in the UK but worldwide. CANVAS Spaces support the cause and fully back what they are doing.
Our skate community has been crying out for a comprehensive guide to global skate spots. Trucks and Fins should be commended on their dedication to mapping the world's STOKE!
Maverick Skateparks
Trucks and Fins brings all of the world's skateparks to you all in one convenient place through their endless search for parks around the world. They have park locations, details, images, and more to help plan your next skate quest wherever that may take you. We appreciate their dedication and passion for skateboarding and the amazing gifts that skateparks and skate spots are.
Steve Zanco, Skatepark Respect
A big part of skateboarding is about finding Animal Chin - your spirit animal, or in other words: whatever gets you stoked. Could be the right people to roll with, or that special dream terrain. Trucks and Fins has all the best skate destinations in one place; a map of stoke in your hands.
Jan Kliewer, Yamato Living Ramps