The village is almost finished and ready to welcome the public, who will come in large numbers to the pontoons to take part in this mythical event that only takes place every four years. Already five competitors have arrived on the pontoons of Port Olona and all of them will have to reach Les Sables-d'Olonne by Friday, October 14, 2016, the day before the opening of the village.
For three weeks, the Vendée Globe Village will be buzzing with activity as it welcomes the 29 skippers and their teams, as well as the media, partners and of course a large number of visitors. For three weeks, everyone will be able to meet and talk to each other, so that the public can discover the event and those involved. An exceptional system has been put in place.
"The inauguration of the village on Saturday 15th October will be a key event. It will mark the real start of the Vendée Globe as the boats will be present and moored at the pontoon. The Village will be bigger this year, with a total area of 25,000 m2 to discover the world of ocean racing and the marine world. As always, SAEM Vendée's aim has been to open it up as widely as possible to the general public, who will have free access to almost all the areas explained Yves Auvinet, President of SAEM Vendée.
The 2016 Vendée Globe Village will have four functions:
- Discover the boats of the race
- Knowing the history and the Vendée Globe 2016-2017
- Give priority to activities for young people and promote the know-how of the Vendée
Discover the Vendée Globe boats
The pontoon where the 29 IMOCA boats of this 2016 edition will be moored will be the nerve center of the village. Visitors will be able to admire the racing beasts up close, all different since they were built between 1997 and 2015. Older generation boats with several round-the-world races under their belt will rub shoulders with brand new boats ready to prove themselves on such a long course. Visitors will also be able to admire the 7 IMOCA boats equipped with foils.
The Vendée Globe pontoon will be accessible every day from Saturday 15th October to Friday 4th November, from 10 am to 8 pm. On Saturday 5th November, it will be reserved mainly for the skippers and their teams in order to prepare for the start.
Discover the Vendée Globe race
The Vendée Department has set up a 1200 m2 of space to discover the race and the skippers in an original and interactive way: large format photographs, videos, optical theaters, 360° immersive space.
A illuminated and soundproofed podium installed in the "mixed zone" will allow the teams and partners to discuss the Vendée Globe. Testimonies, sharing of experiences, exchanges with the public will allow the different facets of the project to be presented. The public will be able to discover the jobs, the ecology, the meteorological data and the commitments of the teams
New in 2016, the public will be able to visit an IMOCA in solo configuration to discover the living conditions that await the skippers. The former IMOCA Aquitaine Innovations, with which Yves Parlier completed the 2000-2001 edition under jury rig, will be the demonstrator.
The Gitana Team euros ocean racing team founded by the Baron de Rothschild family in 1876 is celebrating its 140th anniversary this year. For the occasion, the team has installed a exhibition called "Gitana, enter the legend . In a 200 m2 installation, accessible to both adults and children, the stable will present the epic of the Gitana, the backstage of sailing and competition, from the 19th century to today. It is an opportunity to discover period objects, architectural pieces, old and contemporary photographs, as well as numerous multimedia contents.
Activities in the heart of the village
Sodebo euros, a partner of the Vendée Globe since 2004, will make available to the public a " dream box" . This 18 min 2 s container will welcome the public equipped with 360° immersion helmets, who will come to "dream" through 5 immersive videos on the following themes: "Flying", "Exploring", "Navigating", "Gliding" and "Surfing".
The "VOG" euros bar for the general public of the Vendée Globe euros will be the place where crews, skippers, partners and the public can meet and exchange ideas. Open every day from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m., the VOG offers a restaurant, relaxation areas and a lounge for children.
Finally, some hundreds of exhibitors will take advantage of the media attention of the show to present their products and new products. A 2500 m2 area reserved for the race partners and sponsors will also be open to the general public and will host the official Vendée Globe store.
photo credits : Eric Hamon
