Paris 2024 Olympic organisers have said the surfing competition will take place in Tahiti – 9,760 miles (15,700km) from the French capital.
The move is subject to validation from the International Olympic Committee, but if approved, athletes will compete on the French colony’s Teahupo’o wave in the South Pacific.
Tahiti has been chosen in preference to beaches in south-west France and in Brittany.
Surfing makes its debut at Tokyo 2020.
The French Polynesian island is a 22-hour fight from Paris, and a flight could cost around £2,000 at peak summer prices in 2020.
Tahiti, which is 10 hours behind Paris, is used as a location for the men’s World Surf League circuit and Teahupo’o is renowned for being one of the world’s biggest waves.
“It’s an extremely pleasant surprise and recognition for our history that will restore honour to Polynesia, where surfing began,” said Lionel Teihotu, the president of Tahiti’s surfing federation.
In a tweet, Paris 2024’s organisers thanked the other candidate cities – Biarritz, Lacanau, Les Landes and La Torche – for their “strong nominations”.