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Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience A citizen’s collective in the western French seaside town of Les Sables d’Olonne has initiated a highly original self-consumption operation seeking to bring together a majority of small-scale residential producers to supply local consumers The Sol'Aire Côte du Lumière collective in Vendée From pv magazine France Government announcements concerning a possible moratorium on rooftop PV have not dampened the spirits of the Sol'Aire Côte du Lumière collective in the western French department of Vendée which is more motivated than ever to promote renewable energy through a self-consumption operation covering the seaside towns of Sables d'Olonnes and Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie “the drop in subsidies and in the rate at which surplus electricity is sold is not going down well But when you think about it and prepare for it at the Salle des fêtes de la Chaume in Sables d'Olonne the latest news on the future of the PV industry will be on everyone's lips at a conference organized jointly by Sol'aire Côte de Lumière and the Sables d'Olonne urban area Two topics will be on the agenda: the first will focus on individual self-consumption and how to maximize it using power optimizers and/or batteries solutions destined to become more widespread with the lowering of the S21 tariff “This equipment will even be mandatory from October 1 when the 5.5% VAT for solar systems below 9 kWp comes into force,” Choblet points out “That's why we're currently testing optimizers with our two installation partners — ARS Energie and Asoleco from La Roche-sur-Yon — including a new intelligent system recently launched by a Brest-based start-up which is said to improve self-consumption by up to 90% with batteries the equipment will be systematically offered to our members for management and/or storage of the electricity produced,” he adds The second item on the agenda for the March 14 conference is the collective self-consumption operation currently being launched by Sol'Aire Côte de Lumière in the towns of Les Sables d'Olonne and probably Saint-Gilles Croix-de-Vie Both local authorities have included the collective's activities in their energy plans for the areas “We'll be supported by Enercoop Pays de la Loire a producer-supplier of green electricity and renewable energy consultant which brings together citizen groups like us,” Choblet points out Whereas most projects bring together a minority of producers and a majority of consumers as Choblet explains: “Knowing that residents equipped with solar power consume only half of what they produce the idea is for several dozen small residential producers to join together in collective self-consumption loops to sell their surplus electricity to a handful of local consumers located within a perimeter of 2 km or even 10 km.” Thanks to the support of Sol'Aire Côte de Lumière 310 rooftop power plants have been built on the Vendée coast — including 192 in the Les Sables area and 56 in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie — in the space of three years Three quarters of these plants are already in service and 160 new ones are due to come on stream by 2025 — enough to power as many energy loops as needed of installed capacity available for collective self-consumption The current context will certainly encourage our members to take part in this new system of locally shared energy,” Choblet adds More articles from Francois Puthod Please be mindful of our community standards and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment Your personal data will only be disclosed or otherwise transmitted to third parties for the purposes of spam filtering or if this is necessary for technical maintenance of the website Any other transfer to third parties will not take place unless this is justified on the basis of applicable data protection regulations or if pv magazine is legally obliged to do so You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" This website uses cookies to anonymously count visitor numbers. View our privacy policy. × The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this Close Text description provided by the architects. The project is located in the middle of a remarkable “Natura 2000” natural unit with which it enters in harmony. By a view-point effect, the main hall, light and elegant, offers a panoramic sight of the landscape. From a distance, only the main hall emerges above the salt pans and the waterway named La Vie. The roof is expressed in three “petals”, floating above ground; the reasoned form of the structure evokes the movement of water, the undulations of a line-manta moving. The abstract character of this roof in levitation above landscape is allowed by a structure in peripheral lattice, which surrounds the surface of the swimming-pool and supports the roof in an interdependent structural unit. © Jean-François TremegeTo allow the swimming-pool’s main hall to emerge, like the main project’s image, whole of the cloakrooms and technical premises are contained in a building adjoining the main hall that proceeds of a radically different logic.  The cloakrooms are integrated in a concrete building which mineral brutal aspect melts in the landscape. Ground floor planThe technical premises benefits from the natural topography of the ground to be embedded there. The facade’s lattice filters the light and the sights and create reflections in the landscape. The curved surface of the interior roof treats both the pools’ acoustics and luminous environment. The white metal structure, the clear grounds, the clear cement walls and the wood cladding, harmonizes with the surroundings vegetal universe. © Jean-François TremegeThe swimming-pool’s main hall, like a timeless shelter, designed in observation of the natural forms, enters in harmony with its environment. Water slide levelThe building is especially outstanding thanks to its glazed wide spaces, with different heights, allowing to reach up to 11 meters. The roofs’ offsets allows a direct daylight incoming in the middle of the swimming-pool’s main hall. The roof’s overflows takes part in the glazings’ solar protection for a good comfort during summer. Glass lays out a particular treatment in order to bring light while minimizing reverberation and maximizing transparency on the swimming-pool. © Jean-François Tremege The structure of the main hall is very specific: located above beams, the ceiling is surfaced with 1400 micro-perforated triangles which model the roof’s curves. It is a visible structure with a system of nonapparent fasteners. © Jean-François TremegeThe metal lattice makes it possible to avoid posts within the pool’s hall. The white structure is voluntarily visible, as a ship’s hull. The row provision of the basins allows to offer to the swimming-pool’s users the best orientations for the sunning, and the nicest views on the site. © Jean-François TremegeAn architecture of nature to serve a serene and dynamic environment It is the identity which the territory’s remarkable landscape inspires to us You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email The city of Destin introduced itself to French city 20 years ago through Sister Cities International Eisenhower in 1956 in effort to promote global peace by bringing nations together in a personal way since the initial formation of the friendship little has been done to utilize the potential economic and knowledge-sharing aspect that the program encourages adopted in March of 1994 through resolution,” said Public Information Manager Doug Rainer “But it is not a program we are actively working on.” The French city was originally chosen as a sister city because of its similarity to Destin as a thriving fishing village “Both cities are sensitive to the colossal impact and role the fishing industry has on the foundation and economic development of the city and its citizens The sister city relationship will benefit each community through the exchange of information within the areas of tourism Gilles Croix de Vie was added as an unofficial sister-city in 1998 Gilles Croix de Vie visited Destin in April of 1998 which may be what prompted its unofficial addition as a second Destin sister city Public record also shows a delegation of Destin residents and councilmen visited France between ’97 and ’98 and revisited the council with gifts from St At Tuesday night’s City Council meeting talk of the purpose of sister cities was discussed Okaloosa County Economic Development Council Executive Director Nathan Sparks was present at the meeting but shared his thoughts on the topic on a phone interview with The Log “I think that sister cities are meaningful provided that both parties go into that agreement with similar intent,” said Sparks “The scope of the program that is most successful is when it involves economic ties which are geared towards fostering a more robust and meaningful relationship.” Sparks told The Log that although he believes the educational side of the program is helpful there is more potential for a sister-city program that could help boost economic trade and business development and cultural exchange is great but the economic part is really what I think is the key,” he said “I believe it is just as important if not more important because we are now operating in a global community.” If Destin revisits the sister-city program Sparks says he hopes to see the program reach its full economic potential “A sister-city program needs to have those tenants in mind as its being instated or improved upon,” he said the studio is proposing to establish a small village in order to ensure urban continuity whilst giving occupancy of the plot of land to 101 housing units forming a strong interiority beneficial to the development of social interaction between residents this approach requires that a careful response be given to each urban micro context – this will avoid any mass effect by favouring a perpendicular settlement providing a vista on a street by opening up an alley along its line; thereby retaining the peaceful nature of residents’ houses by placing access to the parking areas in a buffer between the gardens and the new community the arrangement has the added advantage of aligning housing with public space to the palpable diversity of collective spaces offering the residents the opportunity of having social facilities: children’s playground facilities shared publicfestivities… all elements of a socially active population.separating boundaries handrails, ramps and balustrades are designed with exceptional care letter boxes and electricity meters are fitted into the scheme with extreme care.the sun shading equipment is in the form of playful vernacular designs seeming as the housing appears as cast shadows an allusion tothe pine trees in the vendée forests.  building surface: 2757sqm housing surface: T2 (53m2) architect: tetrarc architectsproject manager: claude jolly designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style France — In a small room in the city hall of the coastal town Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie The French presidential candidate for the conservative Les Républicains party had just spent an hour-and-a-half talking about the economy with fishermen and small business owners But all the questions were about a speech she had given the previous weekend in Paris, in which she referred to the “Great Replacement,” a far-right conspiracy theory that native Europeans of Christian heritage are deliberately being replaced by Muslim immigrants with the complicity of the political elites “It’s mind-boggling that only one sentence is emphasized that does not have the meaning that you gave it at all,” she said accusing the media and supporters of French President Emmanuel Macron of trying to paint her as extreme “The controversy I’m going through is completely made up because nothing in my speech and in my behavior can give credit to this Pécresse-bashing — if not a strategy completely orchestrated by the Macronists encapsulated the challenge Pécresse has faced as she seeks to present a conservative alternative to Macron while fiercely competing for a top spot in April 10’s vote with two far-right candidates: National Rally’s Marine Le Pen and the former TV pundit Eric Zemmour As her party’s first female presidential nominee Pécresse has attracted a lot of attention for the groundbreaking nature of her run with some giving her a good shot at facing off against Macron in the second round of voting on April 24 But her lackluster performance on the campaign trail and the huge disruption caused by the war in Ukraine makes her path to victory look increasingly narrow With her campaign now oscillating between third and fourth place in the polls the story of her candidacy is more likely to be that of her party’s predicament in the Macron era as it struggles to find space in an ever-more crowded part of the political spectrum “Les Républicains is caught in a vice between the extreme right and the liberal Macronist right,” is how Maxime des Gayets the leader of the Socialists’ group in the greater Paris region and a long-time Pécresse opponent “Valérie Pécresse’s problem is that she is permanently giving pledges to both.” Pécresse’s time on the campaign trail has highlighted both her well-known strengths and weaknesses The president of the greater Paris region is considered a smart but she hasn’t managed to shake off the perception that she’s stiff and bourgeois that has dogged her in the more than 20 years she’s spent in politics A product of France’s élite education system — she attended the country’s top schools including the Ecole Nationale d’Administration which produced former Presidents Jacques Chirac and François Hollande as well as Macron — her career path includes mandates in parliament and stints as a minister during former President Nicolas Sarkozy’s time in office Pécresse snatched the presidency of the greater Paris region from the Socialist party becoming the first woman leader of one of Europe’s richest areas For more polling data from across Europe visit POLITICO Poll of Polls “She is certainly one of the most determined people I know: She sets goals and doesn’t let go until she reaches them with a kind of tenacity,” said Jean-Raymond Hugonet a senator from Les Républicains who ran on her ticket during the 2015 regional elections Described by friends and foes alike as a hard-working politician with an attention for detail Pécresse is comfortable getting wonky with subjects like the administrative burden faced by small businesses or the impact of Brexit on fishermen But people around her, including her late mentor Chirac have noted that she can appear ill-at-ease when dealing with the public — a significant handicap in a country where shaking the hands of strangers in markets and kissing babies is a centerpiece of any political campaign “Pécresse has trouble with proximity,” said a veteran from Les Républicains who spoke on condition of anonymity Pécresse isn’t the first woman with a shot at becoming president of France Marine Le Pen made it to the second round of voting in 2017 and is the favorite to face off against Macron this time as well the Socialist candidate Ségolène Royal lost in the second round to Sarkozy But while Pécresse has spoken about being a target of sexism throughout her career A mother of three, she has complained of having been nicknamed “the blond” by her adversaries and said she had been refused jobs because of her pregnancies Speaking to reporters after her Paris rally in February she attributed the savaging she got from the press and her political opponents partly to the fact that she’s a woman “When Emmanuel Macron was doing rallies five years ago he didn’t get a week of violence like the one I just got,” she said she confronted one of France’s most feared journalists on live television after he was accused of sexual assault “If these accusations are true, they are serious and must be condemned … As president of all the French people, I will no longer allow any woman to be afraid to file a complaint. The code of silence is over,” she said during a two-minute speech looking at visibly-embarrassed Bourdin in the eyes and silencing him with her hand when he tried to interrupt her And yet, a few weeks later, Pécresse — who has said she feels “two-thirds Angela Merkel one-third Margaret Thatcher” — promised she’d govern with “a man’s grip.” “She is a feminist when it suits her,” said Emmanuelle Cosse a former minister and a member of the Greens and one of Pécresse’s opponents on the regional council Cosse cited the fact that Pécresse had reinstated financial aid to anti-abortion movements in the Ile-de-France region Classically liberal for most of her career — her stances have been business-friendly fiscally conservative and pro-EU — Pécresse has struggled as a candidate to differentiate herself from Macron while fending off the far right “Emmanuel Macron’s political strategy is to say that there are the extremists on one side and the progressives on the other … But between the two there is me,” she said during her trip to the area around Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie Since then, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has grabbed headlines and disrupted the campaign entirely, providing an edge to Macron and consigning his political opponents to the sidelines and her bid is facing increasing headwinds Two of her party’s heavyweights, former Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin and former Budget Minister Éric Woerth, have also recently rallied Macron in an eyebrow-raising move, while former President Nicolas Sarkozy has yet to endorse her In 2019, Pécresse left Les Républicains, arguing that then-President Laurent Wauquiez was steering the party too much to the right. But since returning to the party’s fold and securing its nomination, she has leaned to the right herself, especially on immigration and the EU “Until before the current presidential election right-leaning beliefs,” said Thomas Guénolé a left-leaning political scientist who has written about the French conservatives “There wasn’t the thickness of a cigarette sheet between her and Emmanuel Macron — and that was her problem.” Her problem now — as the reaction to her Paris rally showed — remains the same: finding a political space that isn’t occupied in which to lead her party back to relevance “Les Républicains might not survive the presidential election, they would not be the only ones and it’s not the end of the world,” Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire, a former Les Républicains heavyweight who now backs Macron, said in a POLITICO interview in February “They are the ones who opened Pandora’s box they refused to choose between the extremes and Emmanuel Macron … they released the evil genie that will devour them next,” he said Clea Caulcutt and Juliette Droz contributed reporting The continent needs to focus on cheaper satellites to stay in the space race NATO’s Admiral Pierre Vandier tells POLITICO Paris and Stockholm are deepening defense ties in missiles air defense and even nuclear deterrence amid uncertainty caused by Donald Trump German lawmaker Nils Schmid argues there is no need to open the subject as the U.S has not said it would withdraw its nuclear umbrella European capitals are divided on how to respond to a probable reduction of America’s military presence Crash and protests muddle start of four-day stage race Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) won the opening stage of the Région Pays de la Loire Tour on Tuesday EF Education-EasyPost’s Marijn van den Berg took second and Manuel Peñalver (Burgos-BH) finished third The sprint victory was Coquard’s second this year and marked the 50th career win for the Frenchman Pays de la Loire Tour is the successor of the Sarthe Pays de la Loire Cycling Circuit The first of four days of racing had a rocky start from the start at Saint-Père-en-Retzas as protesters against pension reform in France lined a small section of the course 5km from the start and caused a short disruption in the proceedings.  A group of three riders built a slight advantage with just under 100km to go in the 162km contest - Valentin Ferron (TotalEnergies) Maël Guégan (CIC U Nantes Atlantique) and Johan Meens (Bingoal WB) The trio stayed intact for 70km as they hit the five local laps which included the KOM points at Côte Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez Guégan taking all eight points on the two passes The trio’s gap was down to under 30 seconds with 8km to ride so Ferron accelerated to try alone at the front It was soon after the catch that 15 riders were involved in a crash which left Nacer Bouhanni (Arkéa-Samsic) out of contention for the sprint in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-vie Coquard will wear the first leader's jersey for stage 2 Designed by Mer et Design and built by Transmetal Industrie La Vendeenne will be operated along with two other fast ferries between the popular tourist destination of Yeu Island and the commune of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie on the western coast of the French mainland and waterjet propulsion that delivers a speed of 21 knots Although the vessel has capacity for 294 passengers regular sailings will accommodate a maximum of only 250 people to ensure enhanced onboard comfort The hull also features stabilising flaps to correct attitude and roll hence reducing crew and passenger fatigue during sailings across the 32 kilometres between Yeu Island and the mainland The main passenger cabin is fitted with a lounge with panoramic windows The cabin's electrical power is drawn from rooftop solar panels thus freeing up the low-emission and low-noise main engines for navigation There are also outside areas with seating for passengers on the main and upper decks The vessel's electronics suite includes a Furuno radar Click here to read other news stories, features, opinion articles, and vessel reviews as part of this month's Passenger Vessel Week. The grand départ of the 2018 Tour takes place next weekend on the Atlantic coast Our writer rides his Brompton through dunes and forests with pit stops to sample fine local seafood The beaches, forests, lagoons and marshes of the Vendée coast will provide a scenic backdrop to the start of this year’s Tour de France on 7 July. And while football fans can’t have a kickabout on the pitch before a World Cup game, anyone with a bike can have a go at riding a stage of the Tour. But I looked at the race route and soon realised I’d best forget the bits that use fast main roads; instead I’d follow the traffic-free coastal bike path, the longest of the Vendée’s 1,800km of waymarked, often traffic-free cycling routes. Read moreI rode south on a cycleway whose verges were dotted with purple marsh orchids whitewashed windmills with witch’s hat roofs and a long tidal lagoon home to a large and noisy population of seabirds when they’re a stopping-off point for migrating species Noirmoutier’s rich but sandy soil is known for growing excellent potatoes claims the title of the world’s most expensive spud bonnottes are harvested by hand and can fetch absurd prices in Paris a much longer route along France’s Atlantic coast from Roscoff in Brittany all the way to the Basque country It’s well-signposted and my first few hours took me through fragrant coastal forests of pines evergreen oaks and mimosas bursting with scented yellow blossom Read moreAfter more sandy beaches, forest tracks, canals and marshes, I reached Les Sables-d’Olonne and the end of my first day’s ride. Its long seafront promenade looks out over the biggest expanse of sand I’ve ever seen, and its port is the start and end point of the Vendée Globe the solo round-the-world yacht race that is one of the few sporting events to rival the Tour de France as a test of physical and mental endurance It was once home to the largest cod fishing fleet in France Early morning guided tours of the wholesale market and auction halls are available (€6.30 Plage du Veillon is huge and back by dunes. Photograph: Jack ThurstonThe next morning I stopped for a swim at Plage du Veillon, a huge dune-backed strand with a surf school and a stylish, wood-clad beachfront bistro From here, I followed the Vélodyssée route inland across the Payré estuary. My destination was Port de la Guittière, home to France’s smallest oyster farm, Viviers de la Guittière where the oysters grow in sacks tied to wooden posts in the esturary’s clear water I ate a dozen oysters (€10 with a glass of local white wine) They engage all the senses: the scent of the sea cut with aniseed and wild thyme; the colours of blue-green sea holly and acid yellow and green euphorbia; the rustling sound of wind-blown marram grass it is decorated with exotic artefacts and hunting trophies: a tiger skin rug But Clemenceau’s greatest joy was the garden which he designed with the painter Claude Monet It is an impressionist vision of a Vendée dunescape with loose drifts of plants in a naturalistic style that was ahead of its time a century ago the area around La Tranche-sur-Mer is all holiday villas coastal forests and a seemingly endless sandy beach that’s perfect windsurfing as much of the cycleway runs alongside a busy main road; it gets more interesting around the mussel country of L’Aiguillon-sur-Mer Everywhere I looked little places were offering moules marinières a small museum just outside Chaillé-les-Marais (adult €5/adult) there were brightly painted bicycles and homemade banners welcoming the Tour It’s an honour for a town or village to be on the route and councils vie to host the start of a stage or For the Tour is much more than the world’s biggest bike race; it’s a 3,000km rolling jamboree in which France celebrates cycling and itself the teams will be ramping up the pace as each lead-out train jostles to deliver its star sprinter to the front of the pack in the final few hundred metres My Brompton and I continued our more leisurely journey following the meandering River Vendée upstream to the finishing line in the town of Fontenay-le-Comte The professionals will cover the distance in less than five hours But I’d seen a whole lot more of a corner of France that Bike hireFor short trips, it’s usually not worth taking your own bike, as bike hire is widely available in the region. Reckon on €100-€120 a week for a decent hybrid or tourer. Lyn Eyb of freewheelingfrance.com offers a free service matching cyclists with bike hire providers and arranging one-way hires Regional trains carry bikes for free and are a great way to get back to the start point of a linear ride Unless a bike folds – such as my Brompton – and can be checked in as normal luggage airlines levy an extra cost for bicycles (£40 each way) Le Petit Bouchot, an elegant seafood restaurant in Noirmoutier. On Noirmoutier, Hôtel Villa en l’Île (doubles from €62 B&B) is between the town centre and the wooded north coast Le Petit Banc (dinner only, three courses €25.50) has just seven tables and serves traditional Lyonnaise cuisine. For seafood, Le Petit Bouchot (menus from €20.50) is an elegant restaurant with rough limestone walls and an outside terrace In Les Sables d’Olonne, Maison l’épicurienne (doubles from €85 B&B two nights minimum) is a boutique B&B by the beach At Plage du Veillon, La Plage (mains €12-€17) is a stylish bistro serving moules frites In La Tranche-Sur-Mer, Les Isles offers a bewildering choice of artisanal-ice creams and sorbets while Slice Cafe breaks from French staples to serve fancy burgers, bagels and vegetarian dishes. L’Equinox has a great terrace by the beach The trip was provided by the tourist boards of Vendée and Pays de la Loire Jack Thurston is the author of the Lost Lanes series of cycling guidebooks Looking for cycling holiday inspiration? Browse The Guardian’s selection of cycling holidays on the Guardian Holidays website Are you looking to get away from it all for the February vacations At a time when everyone is rushing to the ski slopes take advantage of the calm to try out new activities and spend some quality time with family and friends Here are our trip ideas for getting away from it all An ideal choice when the weather is often still gloomy.  Take your whole family out to catch a wave The Glassy House features France's only artificial wave.. After invigorating strolls along the beaches treat your tribe to a storytelling horse-drawn carriage ride with Vincent from Attelage de la Vie you'll discover the legends of the Vendée as well as the local bocage 85270 Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez. Access: Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie > Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez by TER train Why not take the whole family to Paris for a day of museums and sightseeing  Winter is the ideal season to discover Paris museums with your children.  You can also take advantage of the cooler weather to take shelter in the magnificent covered passageways for one of the best old-fashioned hot chocolates in Paris Other visit ideas include the Auteuil greenhouses where you can get away from it all while staying warm the Musée Grévin and a visit to Rex Studios: a playful mini-museum dedicated to cinema If you're looking for something a little different in Paris enter the illuminated halls of the Atelier des Lumières If your children aren't always fans of museums with artworks projected onto a large screen which has reopened its doors after 16 years of renovation Over 600 brands await you under the legendary glass roof with a total of 10 eateries offering the very best in French cuisine For a change of scenery for the whole family Brittany has plenty of sunny days in store Easily accessible by boat from the Vannes region and boasts flower-filled lanes and charming fishermen's cottages wilder Île d'Arz will delight walkers with its stunning coastal path Bring a raincoat and rent a bike to discover them all >> Book your train ticket to Vannes Separated from the mainland by a narrow inlet, and nicknamed the Island of Flowers, Bréhat is just ten minutes by boat from the Pointe de l'Arcouest in Paimpol. A change of scenery is guaranteed in this little corner of paradise, where a micro-climate prevails, and where charming houses and wild coves follow one another... In summer and winter alike, Belle-île is a destination of unique atmosphere and scenery, with tranquil beaches and spectacular cliffs, colorful harbors and lush green countryside. It's the largest of the Breton islands. Don't miss the most beautiful viewpoints: the great lighthouse, the rocks of the Apothicairerie grotto, the panorama from Port-Coton or Port-Goulphar.  Do you know the history of Marseille's cabanons? True little corners of paradise, cabanons are part of the Marseille landscape. Often located in the heart of the calanques, they benefit from the seaside and the tranquility of the area outside the tourist season.  So why not treat yourself to a little stay by the water, even in the middle of winter? Even if it's too cold for a swim, there's nothing more exotic than waking up facing the sea and being able to stroll along the paths without the summer heat, towards the most beautiful calanques: En Vau, Sormiou, Morgiou...  Don't leave Marseille without a trip to the Vieux-Port, where you can take the little train to the top of Notre-Dame de la Garde, for a panoramic view of the whole city. Try to pass by the port in the morning, when the fishermen come back to sell their fish at the auctions - the atmosphere is really great, especially with the younger ones! And if you like street art, the Panier district is a great place to take a stroll, with its frescoes, graffiti and collages. It's a great way to discover this emblematic district in a fun way.  Do you love medieval castles, and do your children too? Even in winter, many of the Dordogne's tourist sites remain open.  Perched on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Dordogne River, Castelnaud-la-Chapelle castle is a museum of warfare in the Middle Ages, with a collection of armor that children will love. During the winter vacations, it offers a guided tour entitled "A bas les idées reçues!  In the Middle Ages, was boiling oil a weapon of mass destruction? Was dirt an art of living, and was daily life all shades of black and grey? Above all, the Middle Ages represent 1,000 years of history. This indoor tour will dust off our imaginations and clear up what we think we know! For prehistory fans, visit Les Eyzies de Tayac, the "prehistory capital of the world", in the heart of the Vézère valley, not far from Sarlat. The village offers an incredible series of caves and prehistoric sites, set against an impressive backdrop of cliffs. A highlight of the Dordogne, the Château des Milandes, long home to Joséphine Baker, is open to visitors and hosts a wide range of events. The site is stunning, with a large park boasting wonderful panoramic views over the Dordogne valley and open-air birds of prey shows! The newbuild is a near-identical sister of an existing vessel that the same owner has been operating out of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie in western France's Pays de la Loire region Designed by local naval architects Coprexma according to Bureau Veritas class rules the steel-aluminium newbuild has been named Papy Chichi ("Grandfather Chichi") in honour of the late father of fisherman and La Belle Alliance co-owner Jérémy Chagnolleau who was fondly called "Chichi" by his grandchildren was one of three volunteer crews with French search and rescue organisation Société Nationale de Sauvetage en Mer who were killed after their lifeboat capsized while responding to an emergency in storm-hit waters off the country's west coast on June 7 It is intended to operate in tandem with sister vessel Les Chignolles in trawling for sardines and anchovies to maximise the catch volume on each sailing The two vessels were acquired for a total cost of €5 million (US$6.12 million) "The owners wanted a new vessel that can help ensure maximum catch quality," Coprexma told Baird Maritime "since they are also involved in fish processing/canning and wholesaling in addition to fishing The vessel is therefore equipped with a 'mini assembly line' consisting of a conveyor belt the catch is hauled on board Papy Chichi by a swiveling tray and then placed in the RSW tank the fish are then transported via conveyor belt to the tween deck where the sorting and the processing are carried out in a shelterdeck to reduce the risk of the catch being exposed to impurities The processed fish is then dropped into the 50-cubic-metre fishroom in the hold deck via a dedicated chute the catch is distributed among 40 RSW tubs Coprexma said the use of the individual tubs helps facilitate the efficient pierside unloading of the processed catch to minimise transport times between the quay and the owner's cannery "La Belle Alliance also requested more comfortable accommodations for the crew of five," added Coprexma "Among the features we incorporated was the semi-inverted bow which then resulted in an increase in volume along the waterline This then meant an increase in available space in the accommodation areas to ensure better comfort and improved safety." Power for the vessel is provided by one Cummins QSK19 main diesel engine that produces 331 kW The engine drives a Masson W3350 gearbox to turn a four-bladed The fishing equipment includes three Bopp 10-tonne trawl winches the deck equipment may also be controlled from a console in the wheelhouse five months after sister Les Chignolles joined the La Belle Alliance fishing fleet Owner Jérémy Chagnolleau said the two vessels will sail as a pair to trawl for sardines for four to five months in a year while the remaining months will see them being put to work catching other species such as cuttlefish and squid in the same waters off Vendee and further out in the Bay of Biscay For more news, features and vessel reviews as part of this month's Fishing and Aquaculture Week, please click here. Hamish Southby-Tailyour and son Jacob bring their Moody 33 Equinox home almost two years after leaving her in France my 15-year-old son and I made it to France in July 2021 to start the 400-mile journey from Port Bloc at the southern entrance to the Gironne Estuary on the west coast of France we discovered a new deadline – the owner of Port Bloc was selling We now only had two days to get Equinox ready for launch We also faced the amusement of having to remove a well-established wasp nest The mast followed and Jacob spent a few sessions up it re-reaving a number of halyards and the lazy jacks We also had to jury-rig the radar reflector off the starboard spreader as it was damaged by the company tasked to prepare the mast for transport The engine was recommissioned and all was starting to take shape It took a while to remember where all the spares were stored and how certain idiosyncratic systems worked but after only a few days living on board it was beginning to feel like we had never left We left Port Bloc with the advice to be well clear of the channel 2a buoy before the ebb commenced so we slipped our lines after an early lunch three hours before highwater Coasting along the western shore of Île d’Oleron we thought of heading into either Les Sables-d’Olonne or Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie but the weather was settled enough and everything appeared to be working so we sailed into the dusk towards Île d’Yeu we anchored just south of the entrance to Port Joinville and I slept for a couple of hours Feeling refreshed and with the weather still favourable the wind was dying and we were now having to motor-sail to keep our heading and daylight ETA Jacob let the anchor go in 4m in Port Yoc’h; calm in the lee of Belle Île just after 2200 Early next morning we weighed anchor and after two minutes of motoring towards Le Palais the alternator belt snapped and now the engine was inevitably overheating We let the anchor go in 8m and within five minutes we had the belt replaced but on trying to leave we now discovered a fouled anchor with the rocky lee shore just over two cables away It took a good while but with some responsive boat handling from Jacob at the controls and with Equinox pitching heavily in the waves and myself only narrowly avoiding serious injury from the snatching chain It is in times like these that the sunken foredeck of the Moody 33 while in my opinion not that visually appealing provides real security while working forward In the height of summer everyone was enjoying the sunshine and some slow-paced island time all was calm on the social front until the next tide brought in a well-loved and used wooden boat with a large and lively young crew to moor outside but one to us And at 0230 in the morning at the height of their party a highly predictable event occurred – one of the crew fell through our sprayhood My morning therefore did not get off to good start (which is a rather polite synopsis of my feelings at the time) but with no option but to mend it allowing Jacob and I to spend a couple of hours together playing pass the needle The lock gates were opening and we were released from the sardine-like environment of the inner harbour grateful for the two days of shelter but pleased to be able to move again and headed north- west in the company of a little old blue racer-cruiser towards Île de Groix We were close-hauled with two reefs – the large Atlantic swell left over from the previous two days hinted at more wind offshore but in the sunshine we enjoyed four hours of great sailing Crossing tracks with Marie Tabarly’s schooner Pen Duick VI back lit in the afternoon sun and heading south under full sail and picked up a fore and aft mooring in the outer harbour Strong westerlies were forecast and the shelter was welcome was the little blue racer-cruiser we had passed earlier that same day We gestured that they were welcome alongside and so began a delightful 36 hours spent in the company of her owners The strong gusts and showers of the night continued the following day so we walked together across the island to see the Force 7 piling up the seas on the southern coast at the aptly named Pointe de L’Enfer Matilda and Jacob cooked up a phenomenal carbonara complemented by a very pleasant bottle of red gifted to us as a small token of regret by the young man who had crashed through our sprayhood two nights previously They left our little raft the next morning and as they did gifted us a Bretton courtesy flag as a memento of our time together The next morning we were hailed by a French local who had come alongside and having seen Jacob sculling the dinghy earlier asked whether he would like to try his skills in a World Championship sculling dinghy s’il vous plait’ was the only answer and Jacob promptly received an hour’s tutorial from one of the entrants in the World Stern Sculling Championship race around the island would still be fine on the nose for a course to be laid to the Îles de Glenan to the west after an enjoyable five hours we were finalising our tack in towards Le Pie making an easy entrance to this beautiful archipelago With the wind due to blow hard from the south-west in the night The sun was trying to shine but it was cold for August so we decided to take a break from the push home and stayed a day with sunshine ‘promised’ from late morning and after a quiet night we slipped the mooring before dawn and threaded our way out of the maze of moored and anchored yachts Our course lay north-west towards the Raz de Sein and as we rounded the Pointe de Penmarc’h we were freed more and it became likely that we would hit this famous tidal gate perfectly and in the light westerly breeze of the afternoon and sitting on a spring tide we were picked up and carried all the way to Camaret where we came alongside at 1800 and strolled up to the harbour office to determine how to get to Brest by ferry and bus to buy some alternator belts since we were now cutting through our last of three spares It quickly became clear this wasn’t going to happen dodging all the early evening fisher-families their gear and dogs spread along the length of the breakwater and we were on our way again in just under two minutes there was a dying breeze and we were now feeling very cautious about using the engine So much so that I set up the lines for an alongside tow Jacob’s sculling prowess gets the recognition it deserves I was going to enter Le Chateaux marina on spec but Jacob sensibly suggested I call ahead found an easy berth for us and much to our relief it was a simple manoeuvre to come alongside so we managed to keep the engine use to an absolute minimum A moules frites and some excellent local beer did much to restore our spirits and relax us The next morning I was up early and rattling down the pontoons on the Brompton; cycling off in search of alternator belts Returning after a thankfully successful mission with the only mechanic’s total stock of two belts in my rucksack and a plan to fix the problem we were now on track to catch the ebb and subsequently the tide north And once in the Chenal du Four we were treated to a glorious sight were the two gaff-rigged superyachts we had looked at the evening before cruising in company under full sail and clearly enjoying the conditions The view got Jacob musing as to whether they were owned by the same person allowing them to enjoy both superyachts simultaneously The Îles de Glenan offer splendid sanctuary AIS obviously makes shorthanded Channel crossings easier but it really came into its own here with the spinnakers and single masthead lights of the Cherbourg-bound Fastnet fleet bearing down on us throughout the night I was confident enough to allow Jacob a couple of hour-long night watches giving me some much-needed uninterrupted sleep The Eddystone lighthouse materialised out of the morning and slowly Rame Head became ever more discernible between the grey horizon and cloud over Dartmoor Q was lowered and we were home; Brest to the Plymouth breakwater in just under 24 hours Arriving alongside at the Tamar River Sailing Club we were welcomed by the rest of the family noticing one of his sailing instructors servicing a club safety boat and realising it was Friday launched his Laser and promptly joined his training session We have never arrived on time for Friday night sailing before or since and so my wife Clara and I were left to reunite Equinox with her mooring A subscription to Yachting Monthly magazine costs around 40% less than the cover price Print and digital editions are available through Magazines Direct – where you can also find the latest deals YM is packed with information to help you get the most from your time on the water Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The June 2025 issue of Yachting Monthly is out now Best in Travel is here! Discover 2025’s destinations The 30 best countries, cities and regions to visit in 2025 Plan your trip with Elsewhere, by Lonely Planet See where a Lonely Planet Membership takes you Subscribe to our weekly newsletters to get the latest travel news, expert advice, and insider recommendations Explore the world with our detailed, insightful guidebooks Stay ahead of the curve with our guidebooks Uncover exciting new ways to explore iconic destinations Every month, we release new books into the wild Search Search Close search menu Explore Best in Travel 2024 Africa Close menu Countries Antarctica Antarctica Close menu Regions Asia Asia Close menu Countries Australia & the Pacific Australia & the Pacific Close menu Countries The Caribbean The Caribbean Close menu Countries Central America Central America Close menu Countries Europe Europe Close menu Countries Middle East Middle East Close menu Countries North America North America Close menu Countries South America South America Close menu Countries The beaches of Les Sables d’Olonne in the Vendée bask in plenty of sunshine year-round © Getty Images Travel journalist James March is not immune to the charms of France's Côte d'Azur and gets why that may be your first choice for a beach holiday in France - but here's why he thinks you should consider visiting the Vendée region instead Ah, the French Riviera Flanked on one side by the Mediterranean's glittering turquoise waters and golden arcing beaches while craggy cinematic mountains rise on the other its glamorous coastal towns in between have attracted the world's high society and artistic glitterati every summer for well over a century Running from lemon-filled Menton near the Italian border down towards the historic port city of Toulon (though there's no official boundary) the Côte d'Azur is a picturesque stretch of Mediterranean coast in the south of France populated by several well-known and well-heeled towns and cities From the blue and white parasols dotting Nice's crescent-shaped shores to the pristine beaches and sleek million-dollar yachts at Cannes and Saint-Tropez there's an unmistakable allure to this corner of France and its popularity never fades And that's also not a surprise when sunshine beams onto its 115 kilometers of coastline for 330 days of the year It's not just wide-eyed international visitors who visit either. So many Parisians love escaping the French capital every summer that the A6 highway linking Paris to the Riviera has been nicknamed the Autoroute du Soleil and the Côte d'Azur now receives around 13 million visitors annually (pre-covid) meaning its towns become crowded and hotel rooms are snapped up well in advance That glamour and popularity have also led to invariably high prices at those hotels and among its some 3000 restaurants So as seductive as this famous slice of France is there's an intriguing alternative option around 800km away on the west coast Spreading out between the cities of Nantes and La Rochelle on France's western coast, the Vendée is a small but splendid region to the south of Brittany's protruding peninsula this is a far cry from the wild North Atlantic the Vendée sits in a mild microclimate and basks in the glow of 2500 annual hours of sunshine Vast yawning sands stretch toward the horizon at Les Sables d'Olonne and Demoiselles Beach while the dramatic corniche at St Gilles Croix-de-Vie conceals some glorious hidden coves that are often entirely vacant the Corniche Vendéenne is a breezy 3km walking trail that takes in some delightful views particularly when passing by the handsome Grosse Terre lighthouse with the sweet smell of the green maritime pine trees for company and distant fishing boats trundling across the shimmering waters Those calm waters are available for exploring too, and Semvie Nautisme leads easy-going boating trips from St Gilles Croix-de-Vie's quaint harbor offering guests the chance to steer their sailboats and enjoy some fantastic panoramic views Inland behind Saint Gilles, the landscape shifts dramatically. With its tree-less scenes of neat salt ponds, lonely hay bales, old stone cottages and elegant herons gliding overhead, the 500 hectares of flat salt marshes at Marais Salant Prédevie's a fascinating switch from the classic coastal scenes nearby and tours are available The variety of landscapes only flourishes further south, where e-bike tours from Libert E Trott start at Les Sables-d'Olonne's mast-filled harbor and wind out to the expansive coast before diving into the gentle dips and climbs of the lush green Forest of Olonne the electric push of the bikes means lower stress on your legs and more time to appreciate the passing scenery For those wanting to explore the marshes further, Octopusglisse guides newcomers on a glide through those calm waters in a pirogue hawaienne (a type of outrigger canoe) And under the Vendéenne morning sun with swaying reeds and cute cottages passing by it's a tranquil and almost therapeutic way to start a day Beyond the marshes, a more familiar French scene appears with acres of rolling green vineyards in neat rows. Wines from this region are known as 'Fiefs-vendéens' and come with their character, especially those whites like chenin and chardonnay with salty notes influenced by the nearby terroir. Explore some true fiefs-vendéens at Domaine St Nicolas where tastings with gregarious owner Thierry Michon shouldn't be missed However, this coastal region's gastronomy is ruled by one product - the humble sardine. Back at Saint Gilles Croix-de-Vie, harvesting this small fish runs deep into the cultural fabric and few places are better than Le Banc de Sardines eating is limited to wooden benches outside and the sardines are caught fresh that morning and served alongside fluffy potatoes After this tantalizing taste, learn more about how fishing in St Gilles has evolved over the years with the exciting exhibits on show at the Escale Pêche Discovery Centre, while the L'Atelier de la Sardine offers more of a deep dive (no pun intended) into sardine fishing itself Though the narrow lanes and pastel shutters of Les Sables' historic l'ile Penotte neighborhood would be achingly picturesque on their own, several walls are covered in the original seashell frescos of local artist Daniele Arnaud-Aubin, who has crafted colorful depictions of cats, ships, vampires, bats and other occasionally macabre images. So while the Vendée doesn't have the glitzy status of the Cote d'Azur, its gorgeous weather twinned with some fabulous beaches, curious local quirks, fine food and a love of the outdoors makes it an enthralling alternative. Nantes Atlantique Airport is the nearest international airport, and trains from Nantes city center to St Gilles Croix-de-Vie take around 1hr 14min, while Les Sables d'Olonne is a little longer at 1hr 35min. If you're starting your journey from Paris, then direct trains run from Gare Montparnasse to Nantes in two hours, where you can change toward either coastal town. This corner of France is very popular with Parisians looking to escape the City of Light for a few days, so book ahead as early as possible. James visited the Vendée on the invitation of Atout France. Lonely Planet contributors do not accept freebies in return for positive coverage. Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker This year’s race begins in the Vendée and heads across northern France before turning south to the Alps and the Pyrénées Stage one, Noirmoutier-en-Isle-Fontenay le Comte 201kmStage 1A flat opener no doubt amid relief that the race is not crossing to the mainland via the tidal causeway of Le Passage du Gois although with long stretches on exposed coastal roads if the wind blows the race could splinter as it did in Holland in 2015 a sprint from a reduced bunch is a near-certainty with a single fourth-cat climb: another day for Mark Cavendish and company Time to explain a minor change to the format intended to liven up the the first nine stages; as well as time bonuses at the finish a few seconds are on offer at a sprint close to the finish; today’s is 14km out and should make the finale even more hectic For the GC men days one and two are about staying upright and in touch This is the first chance for gaps to open – particularly if it’s breezy or wet – and all eyes will be on Team Sky who have yet to win a Tour team time trial peppered with corners and with two little hills after halfway to put any strugglers under pressure Into the cycling heartland of Brittany for a third sprint day - no wonder the young Australian fastman Caleb Ewan was devastated to be left out The race should have a more controlled pattern now – breakaway sprint – where it is to be hoped that Peter Sagan will stay in a straight line avoiding last year’s controversy and a final 100 kilometres with five climbs with the bonus sprint on a further short ascent near the finish A good day for a break as the finale will be hard to control or for a sprinter who can climb like Sagan or Arnaud Démare A classic tense stage when the Tour won’t be won but it could be lost dead straight Breton Alpe d’Huez in the final 16 kilometres: the first true test for the overall contenders The run-in to the climb the first time will be hectic as the riders fight for position; a crash or a puncture could be ruinous this climb favours riders such as Spain’s Alejandro Valverde or Chris Froome probably with the wind on the riders’ backs on the rolling roads of Normandy; this will be fast and it is destined for a sprint although if the breeze is north-westerly and teams feel enterprising the race could split up in the finale One for the usual suspects: Mark Cavendish André Greipel and new kid on the block Fernando Gaviria The fifth flat day out of the first eight; let’s hope the sprints haven’t all gone to Marcel Kittel and that the shenanigans have been relatively restrained repeated small climbs and descents which look innocuous on the profile the wind could make life interesting; again Lots of cobbles on a potentially key stage: the final 109km includes 15 pavé sectors but offering little respite - the longest tarmac stretch is 12km - leaving little chance to regroup after a puncture or crash Toughest section is Camphin-en-Pévèle at 18km to go this could be carnage; Geraint Thomas will fancy his chances but Vincenzo Nibali won the 2014 race on a similar stage A lengthy transfer to the Alps for more off-roading two kilometres of unpaved road on the hors-catégorie Col de Glières; three other climbs will provide a rude awakening after nine stages on the flat With a descent to the finish after the brutal double of the Cols de Romme and Colombière the script is an attack from Romain Bardet Following the recent trend for short mountain stages this has three major ascents including a summit finish; La Rosière is draggy rather than steep so the main selection will come over the Cormet de Roselend tackled mid-stage after 38 mainly uphill kilometres One for a specialist climber with a sprint so ideal for a Movistar rider such as Mikel Landa or Alejandro Valverde a very traditional climbing stage: the Cols de Madeleine and Croix-de-Fer – 25km and 29km long respectively – followed by the Tour’s toughest summit finish With masses of points on offer in the King of the Mountains someone will take an option on that jersey here with the the overall distilled to half-a-dozen contenders at most The overall battle will go back on hold for a typical contest between a break and the sprinters teams depending on what they have in their legs after surviving the Alps rolling roads in the middle as the route skirts the Vercors The sprinters teams should handle it but it could be tight One of the few days when the break is highly likely to stay away so the tussle to get in it will be intense and the steep finish climb up to the airport is made for Julian Alaphilippe although British fans remember this as where Wirral’s finest Steve Cummings outwitted Romain Bardet and Thibaut Pinot for a tactically perfect win back in 2015 this includes the first-category Pic de Nore 40km from the finish with an elite selection of overall contenders behind them But these are roads eminently suited to a surprise attack from an all rounder such as Nibali the final week opens with a lengthy run in to the Pyrénées and three short steep climbs The winner should come from the early escape - a climber such as David Gaudu or Pello Bilbao - while the elite group of overall contenders are liable to watch and wait with tomorrow in mind this short stage will see the favourites “gridded” at the start as the battle for position will be intense with the race heading straight up the Col de Peyresourde before a summit finish made for Rafal Majka or Nairo Quintana – 2,215m above sea level after a 16km climb it should at least whittle the overall contenders down to two or three An abrupt transition to flat roads could offer an intriguing diversion from the main plot; a similar stage in 2012 witnessed a desperate contest to get in the early break This is the last chance for any non-climbers to try for the stage win – Edvard Boasson Hagen for example – and the sprinters’ teams may not be in sufficient shape to pull a group back A final day of classic Pyrenean climbing: the triptych of Aspin Aubisque – climbed via the little known Col des Bordères – before a descent to the finish A holding operation before the next day’s time trial for whoever is in yellow with a break going all the way – someone such as the Pole Rafal Majka for the win – and perhaps a final fight for the King of the Mountains jersey over a distance that would have been termed short in the 1980s or 1990s the final contre-la-montre witnessed a fraught battle for the podium The Basque country course is far from flat so Chris Froome will start favourite rather than Tom Dumoulin although the ups and downs will also suit Richie Porte the now-traditional evening stage in the heart of Paris and again using the full circuit around the Arc de Triomphe It’s 15 years since this was won from a break so the sprint seems inevitable: last year victory went to Dylan Groenewegen and this finish has also smiled on Mark Cavendish and André Greipel – but who will be in yellow This article was amended on 5 July 2018 to correct the name of Dylan Groenewegen from Tom Groenewegen as an earlier version said The French boat building giant has announced it is producing hulls and decks for the Figaro 3 foiling monohull Beneteau's new Figaro 3 prototype during sail trials off France Credit: Jean-Baptiste d'Enquin/Beneteau Production has started on the hulls and decks of the first Bénéteau Figaro 3 foiling monohulls It follows successful sea trials of the boat yard’s prototype at Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie on France’s Atlantic coast between July and mid September owners will have to wait until the end of 2018 to get their hands on the first one-design production foiling monohulls “We’re beginning to produce hulls and decks from mid-September,” confirmed the head of the Figaro 3 programme at Bénéteau which are manufactured between September 2017 and December 2018 will only be delivered to their owners at the end of 2018 in the name of sporting equity with a view to participation in La Solitaire-URGO Le Figaro,” he added The 50th edition of the famous La Solitaire-URGO Le Figaro singlehanded race in the summer of 2019 will be the first race to feature the 9.75-metre VPLP design Figaro 3 Groupama 3 broke the West-East Transatlantic record YM’s Chris Beeson and Graham Snook were… BBC 2 to air six-part documentary Britain Afloat – A history of the British people told through six of its Lalou Multi and the Arkema Chemical Group collaborated to come up with a race boat packed with innovation Lively Lady is to undergo a major refit with the Hayling Yacht Company as preparations get underway to mark the… Ingouf said the sea trials of the prototype have been successful and the feedback “is very positive” “The results are in line with what the naval architect envisaged: the foils provide both additional stability and a phenomenon of lift which makes the boat very balanced,” he explained “The gentleness and precision of the helm took everyone by surprise and it’s a very important element with a view to not overloading the autopilots,” noted Ingouf Bénéteau is now building a second Figaro 3 which will be used as the ‘yardstick’ for the production boat ahead of the start of mass production at Bénéteau’s Cheviré site Beneteau’s new Figaro 3 prototype during sail trials off France Having announced late last year that it was building a foiling monohull Bénéteau has now launched the prototype and is trialling her off the West coast of France Bénéteau announces production foiling monohull the French singlehanded coastal and offshore series will celebrate its 50th anniversary by racing a new fleet of foiling monohulls built by the French giant The announcement concludes much speculation about the replacement for the Figaro 2 that was introduced in 2003 but many expected the replacement to follow the vogue for foiling multihulls A CGI image of Bénéteau’s new Figaro 3 The Figaro 3 is the result of collaboration between the Bénéteau Racing Division Group Le Figaro group and foiling design experts Van Peteghem-Lauriot-Prévost (VPLP) VPLP has designed the IMOCA 60s leading the current Vendee Globe fleet and the last two winners of the solo The introduction of the Figaro 3 in 2019 will add even more excitement to the race’s 50th anniversary The prototype is already in production and will undergo sea trials in 2017 The ‘horseshoe’ foils will emerge a deck level like an upside-down version of the ‘Dali’ foils seen on the current crop of IMOCA 60s and the righting moment generated means water ballast is no longer needed The mast is stepped further aft to allow for bigger foresails including a gennaker flown from a fixed bowsprit rather than the conventional spinnaker pole on the Figaro 2 How likely is it that cruisers will be fitted with foils like these in future Vincent Lauriot-Prévost explained ‘The challenge of the brief we were given was to create a boat that performs well and is as reliable as the Figaro Bénéteau 2 We worked extensively with the specialists from Bénéteau Group to design a hi-tech boat in terms of both manufacturing materials and processes.’ ‘The versatile foil we’ve created provides more than just the dynamic power and vertical lift that is sought after in IMOCA We’ve designed it in such a way that it creates as little resistance as possible in the light airs and reduces leeway at full speed.’ Find out more here. Brendan Cole is a Newsweek Senior News Reporter based in London He also covers other areas of geopolitics including China Brendan joined Newsweek in 2018 from the International Business Times and well as English You can get in touch with Brendan by emailing b.cole@newsweek.com or follow on him on his X account @brendanmarkcole either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content A man in northwestern France has died after he buried himself in the sand and was unable to escape before the tide came in The 21-year-old from Grenoble was on vacation with his grandparents who live on the island of Noirmoutier in the Bay of Biscay. He dug himself a hole at the high tide line on Babatre beach, Ouest France reported. the tide came in suddenly and the water rushed into the hole causing its walls to collapse and trapping the man in a mixture of water and sand Staff from water rescue centers in Beauvoir-sur-Mer Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie and Saint-Jean-de-Mont rushed to the scene but were unable to rescue the man His body was finally retrieved around three hours later A source told Agence France Presse: "On his own initiative the young man decided to dig a hole deep enough to cover himself He was unable to get himself out with outside help from a family member who was present." The mayor of Noirmoutier said that the town was in shock at the news especially as there were a lot of people on the beach at the time of the incident Louis Gibier told France Info: "People both young and old saw what happened so it was traumatic for some especially when they felt powerless to do anything The sea is stronger and moves very quickly A similar incident occurred nearby in 2016 when a 12-year-old boy was saved on the beach of Guérinière. But last month, a 20-year-old man from Tarn-et-Garronne also died while digging a hole on the beach at Lit-et-Mixe, in Landes, when the sand fell on him, Ladepeche.fr reported. There have been a number of drownings in France over the summer including a German tourist in July dying in the ocean off the Medoc coast in an area supervised by lifeguards Government statistics show that there were 251 deaths by drowning in France in June and July, which is more than four a day. In 2018, the number of accidental drownings in the country had increased among children under six, Paris Match reported. the French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe requested a government plan to tackle drownings by promoting water safety programs at school Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsletters in your inbox See all the Puy du Fou theme park and the world’s most expensive potato are just some of the highlights on a family camping trip to western France The beautiful golden sandy beach at Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie Salt harvesting in the 'marais salants' Orla NeliganSat 30 Jul 2022 at 03:30I was five when my parents packed all four of us into their campervan and drove to the ferry to France singing songs the entire way (God bless their patience) I remember tyres melting from the incredible heat and the smell of cheese when my father unwrapped it for breakfast to eat with a hunk of bread I decided to return to France with my own family with a childish enthusiasm to recapture that experience — without the campervan but with a renewed enthusiasm for French cheese a region between Nantes and La Rochelle known for its golden sandy beaches We arrived at Le Bois Dormant campsite to a fantastic electrical storm that lit up our mobile and sent the kids screaming into their bedrooms Guests of the campsite have access to sister site Le Bois Masson across the road and both are well located near Saint-Jean-de-Monts village Our three-bed cabin was one of the roomier options although moving around the ‘cosy’ bedrooms often required deft precision and a few bruises It was well equipped with mod-cons and a good-size covered terrace The shady site is hugged by dappled woodland and has two big swimming pools with slides which kept the kids busy while we decompressed There was a distinct air of sleepiness about the place; a snack bar remained shut for the week and the usual nightly entertainment was reserved for weekends only — a hangover from Covid as the region claws its way back to normality The Vendée has the largest network of cycle tracks in France We rode through forests and across salt marshes where salt is still harvested in little white mounds on the banks and between shacks on oyster farms where we tried to convince the kids they tasted “like chicken” We felt quite French until they spat them out We moved on to the food market in the pretty town of Saint-Jean-de-Monts where we loaded up on pastries and pastramis and mouth-watering rotisserie chicken from Volailles Pineau which they serve with the region’s best delicacy: potatoes with salted butter is considered to be the world’s most expensive potato and the island’s claim to fame the humble road linking to the mainland was the only access point cursed by plenty who mistimed the tides and were left stranded a rather swanky bridge offers a quick (though much less interesting) route across We managed to just make it across the road as the tide was turning eagerly watching as a couple hightailed it to their car on the nearby strand as the water licked its tyres Noirmoutier is the Hamptons to the mainland’s New York City home to a castle and the remains of a monastery and the rest of France feels far away (islanders even refer to the mainland as ‘Le Continent’) so many you could visit a different one every day for weeks fringed by a string of charming white huts with a long pier and a forest thick with oak trees It also has a glut of good food options: lunch was a delicious lobster roll from a small food truck crêpes and some crevettes at La Potinière restaurant The long avenue to the beach is like a stroll through Millionaires’ Row shuttered mini châteaux leaving you wistful for a French holiday home we took in the arty village of Sallertaine walking past artists painting in open windows and I shopped for more smelly cheese at a local market Further south are Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie and Les Sables-d’Olonne both port towns where you can watch boats sail in and out dubbed “the world’s best theme park” but without a rollercoaster in sight Nothing prepared me for an experience that lies somewhere between a Renaissance fair and a Las Vegas spectacle which takes visitors back in time through the history of the region told through a series of live 30-minute shows in various arenas a full-scale coliseum with gladiators and live animals including 200 very well-behaved geese parading behind chariots When a full-sized longship emerged from a river with Vikings on board performed by over 3,000 volunteers all set on a lake with villages and a château The dramatic 1.5-hour show had horses and boats coming to a close with a remarkable fireworks display we meandered back to our hotel for a short sleep before our early flight home as I sat bleary-eyed at the breakfast table feeling just like my father — and just a little bit French The Fiefs Vendéens wine-growing region is known for its lovely rosé and white wine as well as some unusual single-grape-variety reds The vineyards are grouped together around the southern Vendée often in beautiful châteaux or rural barns Ryanair flies to Nantes from Dublin year round; Aer Lingus flies in summer; ryanair.com Irish Ferries has return sailings with a cabin for a family of four in October from €504; irishferries.com Orla was a guest of Siblu’s Le Bois Dormant holiday village where seven nights from September 17 costs from €308 with up to six sharing an Élégance holiday home with terrace; siblu.ie Join the Irish Independent WhatsApp channel You are in: Jersey > People > Your island > Jaunt for Gib - Part 5 Follow the exploits of two Jerseymen trying to sail to Gibraltar in a tiny wooden boat Our previous blog to the BBC found us in La Baule having been away from Jersey for 10 days and having just met up with our friends James and Roz Varrie and Clive and Liza Coutanche who had flown down to La Baule to meet up with us James arranged to fly over us as we left La Baule so that Clive could take pictures of us sailing out Gilles Croix de Vie with the usual problem of the wind right astern and a following sea which made life uncomfortable the outboard was started as we passed a 30 ft sailing boat which was most put out that two very tiny insignificant English boats were overtaking him During the night it rained very heavily and in the morning our fears of a poor weather forecast were realised and after a very short discussion it was decided that to venture out would be foolhardy The following morning the forecast was giving Force 4 wind and although it was pouring with rain the decision to go onto La Rochelle was made The predicted Force 4 managed to go to the top end of a force 5 and the sea was right astern of us We plodded on until we entered the sound between the mainland and the Île de Ré where we encountered a regatta with probably 30 – 40 boats coming across our course many letting their mainsails spill due to the high winds waving politely and acknowledging their looks which basically indicated a view that we were two eccentric Englishmen with a death wish I reefed the jib but couldn’t reef the main as it was too dangerous to stand up in the boat As we lined up for our passage into La Rochelle a large wave caught Rozelle and she swung round violently and began to turn on her side It is the closest I have ever been to capsizing a Drascombe We survived this close call but it taught me a big lesson – don’t ever forget the mizzen Our final run into La Rochelle was miserable last updated: 03/08/2009 at 15:54created: 03/08/2009 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites Today's schedule Help with BBC iPlayer We catch up with five islanders working in the theatre Combining the sunny Vendee with the joys of Disneyland Paris, Vickie Maye took the family on an ambitious 3,000km road trip through France. When we decided on a driving holiday to France Flights to Portugal and guaranteed sun had been our holidays of choice up to now so we decided to play it safe with the weather and spend a few extra hours in the car to make it south to the Vendee We arrived in a rain-sodden Roscoff — and five hours later we were in sun-soaked St Jean de Monts That’s not to say the driving was a breeze two-year-old and six-month-old in the back seat will never be plain sailing But the French motorways are nothing like their Irish counterparts Their service areas aren’t just about filling the tank with petrol and picking up a coffee They have microwaves (a necessity for feeding a baby) picnic tables — and some even had play areas though — make sure you check the requirements for driving in France before you travel and watch their tolls Our plan was to spend nine nights at Le Clarys Plage resort in St Jean de Monts in the Vendee with Keycamp (now operating as Eurocamp) and then drive another five hours to La Croix du Vieux Pont in Berny Rivere Our Eurocamp operator was hesitant — did we realise it would be another eight-hour drive back to ferry from Paris She feared we would spend most of our holiday in the car there was a lot of driving — over 3,000km in two weeks — but would we change anything about our holiday The eight-year-old is still yearning to return to Le Clarys Plage with its five-slide swimming pool and the friends she made in the adjoining cabins They played every evening until dusk on the leafy roadside just outside our door We watched from our deck and soaked up the cosy who held our hands through the whole booking (road maps and a personalised itinerary were all part of the service) had given us a few words of warning about this resort It would be busy and noisy because it was August she told us with queues for the pool every morning (towels on deck chairs were the order of the day) and theme parties at night in the resort bar that could be heard from our cabin until midnight None of that bothered us really — we didn’t want to spend the day by the pool with young children in searing temperatures And once the kids slept through the night time noise (they did) we didn’t mind nearby restaurants to stroll to in the evenings The beach was a five minute walk — but there were few appealing eateries and ice cream parlours en route we probably wouldn’t have tried them — not when my daughter was charged €20 for a hairbraid around the corner from Le Clarys Plage We were happy to base ourselves at our chalet Our BBQ was used every night as we sat out on the deck Our family dinners were by far the nicest part of our holiday The kids clubs were an option to keep the children entertained Puy du Foy — a historical theme park complete with full reenactments and shows — was an interesting day trip And the little town of St Gilles Croix de Vie Then it was back in the car for the five-hour drive to Paris We arrived at La Croix du Vieux Pont and fast realised we could have spent our entire two weeks here there’s no beach or sea breeze — but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any sand Around the corner from our cabin the camping site had its very own man-made beach we had our own deck and BBQ (the decking gate was worth the extra charge to keep the two-year-old with us still had a slide big enough to thrill the kids Not that there was much time for them to splash around in it We arrived at opening time at 10am — and stayed right through until closing time at 11pm with its spectacular fireworks display and very affordable way to experience the House of Mouse We picked up 25th anniversary tickets which saw all of us pay just €150 for day passes Compare that to two and three-day deals with hotel accommodation and it was a bargain We paced ourselves for the long day ahead by making good use of the Fastpass option Lunch was at Café Mickey in Disney Village — it’s a good way to meet the characters and get autographs and saves you queuing later in the hot sun to meet the characters (booking recommended) Watching our two year old’s enchanted reaction to a real-life Minnie Mouse is a memory we will never forget Including the three-hour return journey from the resort even with three kids in tow (including a baby) The next day we set off to Paris to give a very curious eight year old her first introduction to the Eiffel Tower And we were left with more precious moments we will treasure forever The next day we said goodbye to the Eurocamp cabin that had been a home from home for us The drive to the ferry was undeniably long (there was a stop en route for wine) — but Paris and Disney made it worth every minute Brittany Ferries have great sailing times with children in tow — both journeys see you travel by night and the cabins cosily slept the five of us with four bunk beds and cot in the centre of the floor (again discos and even a cinema and swimming pool kept the children entertained until bedtime Portugal and a three hour direct flight from Cork might be the more straightforward option — but our ambitious 3,000km roadtrip through France was an adventure we’ll be embarking on again A seven-night stay at Le Clarys Plage in North Vendee on June 6 is €400 rising to €606 on June 25 and €966 on July 15 (Prices are based on Esprit range 2 bedrooms 1 bathroom with decking.) A seven-night stay at La Croix du Vieux Pont on June 6 is €400 rising to €606 on June 25 and €930 on July 15 ¦ A family of four can travel with Brittany Ferries with their car in a 4 berth cabin from €66 per person each way The new sailing season is due to commence on Saturday From as little as €1 a week with our digital introductory offer Already a subscriber? Sign in more courts articles just teething issues which are sorted by optimization and a little time in the yard” “Most of the skippers at the Pole had their boat scanned and did not notice any major differences in the alignments of the appendages for example because some people will have a hard time believing thier hull is less efficient you have to get the flow attached over the foils it is an acquired skill we will have to learn.” Delahaye adds: “We can get to 20 knots in 25-30 knots of wind and angles of 120-125 without feeling in any danger We did not see such speeds like that on the Figaro 2 but the foil helps lift the boat and that there is generally more volume and lift.” These impressions are confirmed by Christian Le Pape: “Reaching at 16-17 knots the boat is quiet and stable under spinnaker you really have to go some to make it broach because there is a lot of vibration” Adrien Hardy is a bit more reserved: “I do find that the performance of the boat and the sensations are a little disappointing compared to what you can feel on other boats Hardy goes on: “The foils don’t feel like they do an awful lot you try to ignore them at times trying to make sure that don’t hinder us rather than trying to make them them help us In fact they really work above 25 knots of wind conditions which don’t happen very often and of course the average windspeed on La Solitaire is 15 knots.” For Etienne Saïz one of the challenges is to learn how to use these foils in a mode other than providing lift: “As long as we are below 10 knots We realize that they are very important in terms of drag versus achieving height in particular conditions which we are still to learn.” Also new to the Figaro 3 compared to its predecessor are the sails The symmetrical spinnaker of the Figaro 2 has been replaced by a larger asymmetric (up to 121 m2 from 85m2 for the big spinnaker) and the addition of a gennaker should open up the game especially as it appears already that the various sailmakers and designers have opted for quite specific choices between dedicated This has pleased Adrien Hardy: “The gennaker and the small spinnaker which we did not use much on the Figaro 2 – are real advances that will promote more different choices and strategies on the race course much more so than on the Figaro 2 where the course were always close and straight And so there are interesting choices to me made in the future according to Nicolas Lunven: ” On the asymmetric spinnaker you can not soak very low low in light winds before a jibe did not create more than 30 or 40 degrees difference on opposite gybes on the Figaro 2 now it is much more like 60 or 80 degrees and so it will be a bigger decision to go or not.”  Etienne Saïz is also more cautious about the effects of the new sail configurations: “The gennaker opens things up but I do not believe the technical gains will stand for long As soon as they see that a guy has a range where he gains everyone will jump on it and do the same it will no longer be down to the fine tuning The choice of sails will be important and the performance of the Figaro 3 is said by all already to be “more subtile and more technical” it will initially be at least about finding the right settings and that means a lot of time tuning “The boat requires a lot of precision and concentration because it wanders easily it will take hours at the helm,” confirms Adrien Hardy Fabien Delahaye emphasizes: “It’s a very light on the helm and the lack of feel makes driving difficult it’s hard to feel if you are in the groove or not” Tanguy Leglatin concludes “It is a boat that will reward good trimmers and good helmsmen“ But it will also reward the sailors who will lose the least time in their maneuvers an aspect which will also have its importance on a boat which skippers are already saying is physically hard Tanguy Leglatin says: “I think that unfortunately for the solo girls it is going to be pretty hard between the handling of the genoa which is quite heavy there is a bit of friction in the halyards and hoisting and dropping the big kite creates a lot of risks “ Loïck Peyron confirms: “It’s going to be complicated when the asymmetrical spinnakers are on the deck we’ve already seen quite a lot of them sucked in the foils on the slightest mistake It might justify having spinnaker snuffers or socks which we have never seen in the Figaro “ “Maneuvering the boat is not going to be that simple it will also be one of skills to be honed and low risk options to be used maybe on this first year.” says Tanguy Leglatin “Botching up a maneuver will be costly 🇬🇧 Want to join the international version? 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