Keeping young people with a sailing school
In the 1950s, the Breton countryside was struggling to keep its young people. Henri Le Rest, elected official of La Forêt Fouesnant, who was mayor from 1965 to 1989, wanted to find a solution to keep them there. He envisages the creation of a sailing school in the commune. The local dynamic started with the installation of Henri Desjoyeaux, father of skipper Michel Desjoyeaux and co-founder of the Glénans, in 1956 when he left the school. He then founded a wintering and repair yard that grew rapidly. In 1965, the project of a sailing school is on the rails.
From sailing school to mega marina
But the local initiative is rapidly gaining momentum. There is talk of a 700 berth marina. The State and the prefecture got involved and the project became grandiose, with developments on land and 900 homes. The period is favourable for these projects carried out by the DATAR, such as the RACINE mission, which sees the ports of La Grande Motte and Cap d'Agde, among others, emerge from the ground.
A port lost in the middle of the countryside
But a local group opposed the project and filed appeals against the land-based developments. Only the port was built and at the time of the inauguration in 1972, the basin had only a few places, completed to 500 places at the end of the year. The harbour filled up, but the surroundings were a wasteland without any facilities, with only barracks.
In 1974, the FLB (Front for the Liberation of Brittany) planted a bomb.
In 1978, the administrative court finally annulled the initial project, but also the municipal port concession, with a legal vacuum on the management.
Revival and development of Port-La-Forêt with offshore racing
The laws of decentralization give the port competence to the department which takes the lead in 1985.
The CDK shipyard was established in 1986 and initiated the arrival of ocean racing on the site.
The 1987 hurricane destroyed the port and finally turned it into an opportunity.
The reconstruction was launched in 1988 with 830 berths. The onshore developments were finally launched in 1989 and the first harbour master's office was built. A 50-year public service delegation was signed in favor of the first mixed economy management company, which is still in progress.
In 1992, the port reached 1,000 boat places, making it one of the largest French ports.
Port La Forêt is evolving with ocean racing which is part of its image with many famous skippers such as Michel Desjoyeaux, Jean Le Cam, Roland Jourdain to name but a few. In the early 2000s, a pontoon was created for Orma multihulls, then in 2007/2008, a mooring was built to accommodate IMOCA boats with a deep draft.
In 2015, a heavy pontoon was added for the Ultim.
Nestled at the end of the Bay of the Forest, the port continues to welcome boaters with a view of the forest, a challenge that was not obvious given its history!
