Sail a trimaran between La Rochelle and Brittany

DAY 1 : La Rochelle
You will meet at 4 pm at the Port des Minimes in La Rochelle for your boarding. After meeting your instructor and crew members, you will familiarize yourself with the boat and its equipment. You will then discuss the different points you wish to work on: manoeuvres in port, navigation on the chart, tide calculation, sail adjustment, and solo manoeuvres... The objective is to gain autonomy!
You will cast off the next morning.

DAYS 2 à 7 : Navigation
Your skipper will suggest itineraries according to your objectives, the tides and the weather conditions. You will find below a non-exhaustive list of possible stopovers.

∼ The Charente coast ∼

• Île de Ré, a small corner of paradise where peace and quiet reign. Labelled as a country of art and history, it is one of the favourite destinations of the French. The island is composed of 10 villages with remarkable heritage and architecture. During your stopovers, you will discover, among others :
  • Ars-en-Ré and its salt marshes surrounded by its remarkable bell tower painted in black and white.
  • Saint-Martin de Ré and its pleasant walk along its city walls. The bell tower of the church named the "observatory" offers a unique view of the city.
  • Saint-Clément-des-Baleines and its towering lighthouse. The ascent of its 257 steps will lead you to a height of 57 meters for a breathtaking view.

• Île d'Oléronor the luminous island, as some people call it, has incredible cultural and natural diversity. You will go between beaches, swamps and forests to discover some of its cities:
  • Saint-Denis d'Oléron and the unmissable Chassiron lighthouse overlooking the Antioche channel. You will be surprised to see old coloured cabins on the beach of La Boirie.
  • Boyardville, the ideal place to take a break from the wind and admire Fort Boyard.

• The island of Aix, as small as it is (1,19 km²) charmed Napoleon in the XIX^th century. His former residence has been transformed into a museum.

• Rochefort, a city full of history. You can reach it after sailing up the estuary of the Charente, in the middle of a wild and preserved nature. It is also the cradle of the Frégate de la Liberté, the Hermione, a faithful replica of the one born in the XVIII^th century and commissioned by La Fayette.

• Royan, a family seaside resort, which will plunge you into the heart of the 50s. Its city centre is known for the atypical architecture of its church Notre Dame de Royan, but also for its covered market with a circus look.

∼ The Vendée coast ∼

• Les Sables d'Olonne, an elegant city with varied landscapes (dunes, forests, marshes...). You will have a beautiful overview of the architecture of the end of the XIX^th century by looking at the Remblai promenade. It is impossible to talk about this city without mentioning the legendary Vendée Globe, a non-stop solo race that takes place every 4 years. The next event will take place in 2024...

• Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie has the largest sardine port on the Atlantic coast. The true emblem of the city, the sardine, is celebrated with its own festival: the Spring of the Sardine. You will see the Josephine tower a little before you dock at Port La Vie. This port "in the city" is accessible at any time and protected for the enjoyment of boaters.

• Île d'Yeu, formerly known as the island of Oya, is located 15 km off the coast of Vendée. It has many surprises in store for you, both in terms of buildings and myths.
  
  • The dolmen of Petits Fradetsor dolmen of Gournaise, testifies of a human presence dating from more than 5000 years.
  • The Old Castle, a remarkable fortress surrounded by water which has survived the ages since the 14^th century.
  • The Citadel (or Fort de la Pierre Levée) would almost go unnoticed in the middle of a wild landscape. It was used, among other things, as a place of detention for Marshal Pétain.
  • The Lighthouse of Crows dominates the southeastern tip of the island from a height of 19 meters. Its light sweeps 18.5 miles out to sea.

∼ The Breton coast ∼

• Quiberon and its peninsula will seduce you. Its protected bay, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, offers magnificent landscapes and brings together the perfect conditions for sailing. Sail a few miles to the east of the bay to reach the harbours of well-known sailing towns: La-Trinité-sur-Mer and Le Crouesty.

• Belle-Île-en-Mer is the largest Breton island but also one of the most beautiful. It is the ideal place to learn to sail while enjoying the varied scenery. Here again, there are numerous anchorages and very pleasant places to spend the night (Sauzon, Sterven-Stervraz, Goulphar, l'anse de Kérel...).