Village

START VILLAGE

OPEN May 30 to June 7, 2026 - 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

From May 30 to June 7, 2026, the Vendée Globe esplanade will be transformed into the Vendée Arctique village: a free, festive space open to all. In a summery atmosphere, immerse yourself in the polar universe and discover the world of skippers. A week of adventure awaits! On the program: IMOCA speed races in the Bay of Les Sables d'Olonne, activities for young and old, meetings with sailors, and awareness-raising about environmental issues in the Arctic, a fascinating but fragile region on the front line of climate change.

Programme 

SATURDAY 30 MAY
Opening ceremony and public opening at 10am
Skippers’ presentation at 5.30pm on stage
Skippers’ book signing at 6.30pm at the bar
Drone show at 10.30pm on the main beach at Les Sables d’Olonne

SUNDAY 31 MAY
Charity Day: discover the skippers’ charity projects

MONDAY 1 JUNE – TUESDAY 2 JUNE – WEDNESDAY 3 JUNE
School group visits

THURSDAY 4 JUNE 
Speed runs in the Bay of Les Sables: the skippers will compete on a short course off the beach and try to beat the clock! At 11.15 am 
Prize-giving ceremony for the speed runs at 6.30 pm on the stage

FRIDAY 5 JUNE
Environment Day

SATURDAY 6 JUNE

SUNDAY 7 JUNE 
Start of the Vendée Arctique Les Sables d'Olonne!

EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE VILLAGE

PLASTIC ODYSSEY
Discover the Plastic Odyssey expedition’s journey around the world to clean up coastlines!

UNDER THE POLE
Aboard their caravan, discover the ins and outs of underwater polar exploration! A guaranteed immersion in these often little-known continents…

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Meet IFREMER, the national research institute for the oceans and coastlines, or IPEV, the French Polar Institute, to discover how a polar station operates or learn about the major ecological challenges facing the ocean!​

OTHER ASSOCIATIONS
Discover Alice Milliat’s organisation, which campaigns to make sport more inclusive, or Blutopia, which is reinventing food to protect the ocean.

FLORIAN LEDOUX EXHIBITION
The exhibition follows a female polar bear, Svetlana, and explores the Arctic landscapes and the lifestyle of polar bears through her eyes.

AND ALSO...

Watch Adélie, the famous penguin from the Vendée Globe, and a giant bear wander about. Plenty of activities for children: interactive games, virtual and physical puzzles, a fishing cascade, face painting, a reading corner...