Les Sables d’Olonne erupts this weekend as nine IMOCA skippers prepare to launch into the Arctic Circle. The Vendée Arctique represents the first solo qualifier on the path to the 2028 Vendée Globe, and France’s Atlantic coast is pulling out all stops to send them off.
From 29 May through 7 June, the departure village sprawls across the esplanade in a carnival of ocean racing culture. A thousand drones will paint the night sky above Grande Plage on Friday evening at 0330 NZST on 30 May, the organisers pushing the spectacle forward one day to avoid Saturday’s heavy winds. It was initially scheduled for Saturday but the race team had seen the forecast and moved quickly.
The week unfolds with live concerts, DJ sets including Pfel and Greem (formerly of C2C), a documentary screening of Violette Dorange’s 2024 Vendée Globe journey called “Devenir,” and open access to the pontoons where spectators can watch crews make final preparations. The public village opens to foot traffic on Saturday 30 May at 1000 NZST (31 May), followed by skipper presentations at 1200 NZST. A signing session follows at 1515 NZST.
Thursday 4 June brings a women’s sailing evening featuring Elodie Bonafous, Francesca Clapcich, Violette Dorange, and Sam Davies alongside the Alice Milliat Foundation, before the outdoor screening. On Sunday 31 May, a Solidarity Day highlights the charitable commitments each skipper carries into the race, with proceeds from a jumble sale supporting the SNSM rescue service. World Environment Day on 5 June includes beach cleanups and a climate conference with Plastic Odyssey.
Beyond the racing drama, the village emphasises the Arctic frontier. Photographer Florian Ledoux’s exhibition of polar regions anchors an immersive experience for families. Scientific organisations including IFREMER, the Polar Institute, Under The Pole, and environmental groups are embedded throughout the site, grounding the spectacle in real work around ocean protection and climate risk.
The nine skippers will slip their moorings on Sunday 7 June, with the ceremonial descent through the Vendée Globe channel beginning at 1030 NZST. The actual start gun fires at 1502 NZST, sending each boat toward the Arctic Circle alone, unassisted, for 3,500 nm of open ocean. The departure will stream live on the village’s giant screen and across digital platforms. After ten days of noise and colour and human connection, the boats will thin against the horizon, leaving Olonne to its silence.
