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The Vendée Globe: a legendary single-handed round-the-world yacht race
This yacht race is a single-handed, non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation of the globe. It is also known as "The Everest of the Seas", a nickname given to the race due to its extreme difficulty. By way of comparison, many more people have climbed the world's highest mountain to its summit than have completed the Vendée Globe! It takes place every 4 years in November, starting and finishing in Les Sables d'Olonne. In 2024, the 10th edition will be won by Charlie Dalin.
The Vendée Globe: a Mythical Single-handed Round-the-World Sailing Race
A race like no other
Three weeks before the day the race kicks off, the Vendée Globe Village is held. Each team of skippers who will be lining up at the start has a stand there to present their projects and sponsors. For these sailors, this round-the-world race is not just a competition, but also an opportunity to promote the values they hold dear, to defend a cause by wearing the colours of an association, for example, or to highlight a humanitarian and/or environmental project. What's more, being one of the competitors is a first challenge that takes several years to prepare for. Not only do the sailors have to qualify, they also have to qualify their boats. The race organisers are even talking about an IMOCA/skipper pairing, as the boats eligible to take part in the Vendée Globe are in the IMOCA class.
In the course of their crossing, the competitors round the 3 legendary capes: the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa after descending the Atlantic, Cape Leeuwin in Australia which marks the end of the Indian Ocean and the beginning of the Pacific, and finally Cape Horn in Chile to sail up the Atlantic to the channel in Les Sables d'Olonne. In each edition, not all the sailors present at the start complete their circumnavigation, some being forced to retire due to injuries or damage to their IMOCA boats, as they have to fend for themselves, whether for treatment or repairs. Others finish the race but are disqualified, either because they arrive out of time (there is a maximum number of days to cross the finish line) or because they have had to call on help or have made a stopover somewhere on the Globe. Taking part in this Everest of the Seas is no less of a feat. Even if the majority of participants today are French sailors, more and more women and sailors from all over the world are taking up this monumental challenge!
Living the Vendée Globe from the inside: a unique and unforgettable experience
This race is a real event for the skippers and their teams, but also for sailing fans and the general public. The three weeks in the Vendée Globe Village are exceptional: you have to experience it to understand it. It's absolutely fascinating to discover all the projects of the sailors involved in this crazy race by visiting the stands. If you're lucky, you might even bump into some of the competitors and get their autographs. It's also an opportunity to discover or rediscover archive footage of the great exploits of the race, as well as spectacular injuries, shipwrecks and rescues. The village is located in Port Olonna, where all the IMOCA boats are moored: a visit to the pontoons is a must! Wandering around, you can really appreciate their imposing size: 18.28 metres long and a mast 29 metres high. These giants are real racing machines, with top speeds of up to 40 knots, or 75 km/h! You'll notice that there are two types of IMOCA. In fact, since the last few editions of the Vendée Globe, in addition to the conventional monohulls, foil boats have appeared on the start line. These give the impression that the boats that have them are flying above the water. In effect, they are like wings that enable you to gain speed by partially raising the hull. When you visit the Vendée Globe Village, you'll discover a whole host of other technical aspects and nautical anecdotes.
Finally, the moment not to be missed is undoubtedly the start. Some people go to the edge of the channel while it's still dark to make sure they're in the front row, just like getting ready for a world-famous concert. The atmosphere is absolutely crazy as they cheer on and wish fair winds to the sailors who are leaving for around 2 or 3 months of solitude. As for the arrivals, they come in dribs and drabs, even if sometimes several skippers arrive in a fairly short space of time. Inevitably, this means that there are fewer people, but that doesn't stop the atmosphere from being great and the emotion from being there.
Choose your ideal accommodation with Clévacances to make the most of it
To be as close as possible to the heart of the event you can stay in a Clévacances-labelled gîte or bed and breakfast in Les Sables d'Olonne. Depending on its location, you can walk to the Vendée Globe Village or even to the fairway on the day of the start. Some flats even offer an uninterrupted view of the jetty and the ocean, allowing you to admire these giants of the seas as they set off towards the start line and the open sea.
A lot of accommodation is also available in the surrounding towns.
Think about booking your accommodation with Clévacances well in advance: The Vendée Globe attracts visitors from all over France and even more and more from all over the world. As this legendary single-handed race only takes place every four years, you don't want to miss out!
We also advise you to allow at least 3 or 4 days on site so that you can visit the Village and take the time to visit the pontoons to admire the IMOCA boats before they set off around the globe. Especially if you want to be there on the day of the start, you'll really need to plan ahead to make sure you find a gîte or bed and breakfast that can accommodate you. What's more, if you book as early as possible, you'll have a better chance of finding accommodation close to places of interest.
For the arrivals, if you want to come and cheer on your favourites and even other skippers, don't hesitate to visit the Clévacances website to book your accommodation. Once again, you should try to plan ahead as much as possible, even if this is more complicated as the exact day on which a skipper will sail up the channel towards the port of Les Sables d'Olonne is difficult to predict with any certainty in the weeks leading up to the race.
The Vendée Globe is truly an extraordinary yacht race. The skippers set off on a solo, non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation of the globe for around two months, or even three for some. Over the years, more and more people have become passionate about the race, and more and more people are dreaming about it: both sailing fans and curious people who don't usually get involved in the world of sailing. Don't hesitate to visit the official page to find out more: https://www.vendeeglobe.org/
By booking your stay in a Clévacances gîte or chambre d'hôtes, you can rest assured that you will be staying in comfortable accommodation, which will make your Vendée Globe experience even more enjoyable.
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