A single-handed round-the-world yacht race
See you in Les Sables d'Olonne on 10 November for the Vendée Globe 2024
The skippers will set off from Les Sables-d'Olonne in Vendée on Sunday 10 November 2024 for the 10th edition of the famous Vendée Globe. Since its first edition in 1989, the race has acquired international renown, attracting skippers from all over the world. Above and beyond the competition, it is above all an incredible human adventure.
The Vendée Globe is a single-handed, non-stop, unassisted round-the-world race that takes place every four years.
The participants will circumnavigate the globe, starting in Les Sables-d'Olonne and heading south down the Atlantic Ocean. They will cover around 45,000 kilometres around the globe, rounding the three legendary capes (Good Hope, Leeuwin and Cape Horn) before returning to Les Sables d'Olonne.
The race lasts several months: skipper Armel Le Cléac'h has won the 8th edition of the Vendée Globe in 74d and 3h 35 mns and 46 seconds: the record! Find out more (official website)
Around forty skippers will be taking part in the 2024-2025 edition of the Vendée Globe, including Alain Gautier, Michel Desjoyeaux, Vincent Riou, Armel Le Cléac'h and Yannick Bestaven.
Discover the Vendée Globe 2024 village: 3 weeks of festivities
From 19 October to 10 November 2024, head to Port Olona, in Les Sables d'Olonne, to visit the race village and admire the Vendée Globe boats - the famous 18-metre long monohulls. In the village, you'll also find a wide range of entertainment for young and old, interviews with the skippers and culinary workshops.
Campsites open to watch the Vendée Globe
Whether you want to spend a weekend near Les Sables d'Olonne to watch the start of the race, or take advantage of a longer camping stay to enjoy the Vendée Globe village festivities beforehand, choose a campsite to suit your needs.
Campsites near Les Sables d'Olonne: as close as possible to the race
There are 10 campsites in or near Les Sables d'Olonne. Among these, we have selected those which will be open on the weekend of the start of the Vendée Globe 2024:
Les Pirons campsite ***** is located in Les Sables d'Olonne, 300 m from the ocean and 1500 m from the beach. It offers a wide choice of accommodation (canvas bungalows, houses, chalets or mobile homes) for up to 8 people.
Camping La Baie de Cayola**** is also located in Les Sables, 200m from the Atlantic Ocean. Set back a little from the seaside resort, you'll find peace and quiet in a 2 or 3 bedroom mobile home, for example. You can swim all year round in one of the heated pools.
Camping Le Nid d'été **** is located in Olonne-sur-mer, 15 minutes from Les Sables d'Olonne. It offers a wide choice of quality, fully-equipped mobile homes for up to 8 people.
The following two campsites are about half an hour's drive from Les Sables:
- Les dunes campsite***** is located in Bretignolles-sur-Mer, 100m from the ocean. It has around a hundred mobile homes to rent for your weekend at the campsite.
- Le Paradis**** campsite is located in the heart of the Vendée, in Talmont Saint Hilaire. Choose a rental to accommodate you during the weekend of the start of the Vendée Globe.
Campsites in Vendée
Of the 348 campsites in the Vendée, only around thirty are open all year round, so you're sure to find the ideal campsite for a holiday or short weekend away.
You can also choose from among the 22 dream campsites in the Vendée, by checking their opening dates.
Discover Les Sables d'Olonne during your holidays in the Vendée, while enjoying the Vendée Globe
The seaside resort of Les Sables d'Olonne, the capital of northern Vendée on the Côte de Lumière, boasts an exceptional setting: to the south, the wild coast offers a landscape of golden sand interspersed with rocks, a succession of small beaches that are almost secret because they are seldom visited. The area around Les Sables d'Olonne is ideal for recharging your batteries in the fresh air, hiking along its wild coastline, marshes and forests, before returning to the bustle of the seaside resort.
Find out more about what you can do in Les Sables d'Olonne.
Q&A on the Vendée Globe
What is the nickname of the Vendée Globe race?
The media generally refer to this race as the "Everest of the Seas".
In what year did the 1st Vendée Globe start in Les Sables d'Olonne?
The first Vendée Globe was held in 1989.
Who was the 1st organiser of the Vendée Globe?
Philippe Jeantot organised the first edition of the Vendée Globe. Before that, in 1982, he won the "Boc Challenge", a single-handed round-the-world race with stopovers, which inspired him to come up with the concept of the Vendée Globe.
Who won the 1st Vendée Globe in 1989/1990?
Titouan Lamazou won the 1st edition of the Vendée Globe in 109 d 8 h 47 min 55 s
Who holds the record for the most Vendée Globe participations?
Jean Le Cam has taken part in the Vendée Globe 5 times.
Which sailor has won the Vendée Globe twice?
Michel Desjoyeaux won the 4th edition in 2000/2001 (93 d 3 h 57 mns 32 s) and the 6th edition in 2008/2009 (84 d 3 h 9 mns 08 s).
Which yachtsman has beaten the Vendée Globe record in every edition?
Armel Le Cléac'h is the current Vendée Globe record holder, having completed the race in 74 days 3 h 35 min 46 s, in 2016/2017, during the 8th edition of the race.
Which yachtswoman broke the Vendée Globe women's record?
Clarisse Crémer broke the women's record in 2021 in 87 d 02 h 24 mns 25 s.
Who were the first women sailors to sail around the world non-stop, unassisted and single-handed?
Catherine Chabaud and Isabelle Autissier in 1996-1997 were the first female skippers to complete the race.