Rent a holiday cottage in Brittany and watch the fleets set off for some of the region’s most reputed sailing races.
The Route du Rhum
Topping the list of sailing races that leave from Brittany is the legendary Route du Rhum. This transatlantic yacht race takes place every four years. Skippers set out solo from Saint-Malo as they embark on a 3,542-mile voyage to Guadeloupe. The current record holder is Loïck Peyron, who completed the transatlantic crossing in 7 days, 15 hours and 8 minutes during the last edition of the race in 2014 on his Maxi Solo Banque Populaire VII. Boats are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and this is reflected by increasingly impressive achievements; it’s a far cry from the first Route du Rhum in 1978, when Mike Birch was on the seas for 23 days, 6 hours and 59 minutes!
The next edition will be held in 2018, so now’s the time to start looking for a luxury rental villa in Brittany to secure yourself a place at the start line.
The Solo Concarneau
Of all the sailing contests that leave from Brittany, this race has a slightly lower profile, but it is nonetheless a firm fixture for sailing enthusiasts. The Solo Concarneau Guy Cotten Trophy is part of the preparation for the Figaro Solitaire. Since 2016, this fast and challenging race can be completed either single- or double-handedly. The course spans 340 nautical miles, and sets off from Concarneau towards Les Sables-d’Olonne before returning to Ile d’Yeu.
The Transat AG2R La Mondiale
Once again, the port of Concarneau is where it’s at. The Transat AG2R is a double-handed transatlantic yacht race that leaves from Brittany and takes place every two years. Skippers battle it out on the waves over 3,600 miles to reach St Barts in the Caribbean. The distinctive feature of this race is that all the participants have the same boat, a Figaro Bénéteau. Fleet size is usually around 25 to 30, although only 15 yachts set sail for the 2016 edition.
The Armen Race
Another race, another atmosphere! The Armen Race is open to all yachtsmen and women who like a challenge and is completed in pairs or crews. Participants leave from Trinité-sur-Mer and follow an offshore course covering between 300 to 360 miles. In 2014, an impressive 194 yachts took to the seas.
Why not be part of the experience and watch the departure of sailing races that leave from Brittany?
If you are a sea lover then a holiday in Brittany is for you! Rent a luxury villa in Brittany, especially in Finistère, Morbihan or Ille-et-Vilaine and head to the start line to soak up the atmosphere as the fleets set sail. Once they have left you can spend the rest of your holiday enjoying everything Brittany has to offer. This beautiful region has a wealth of natural landscapes, a rugged coastline, and is steeped in history.
We suggest you Plages et Régates and La Villa du Port, two villas at La Trinité-sur-Mer.
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