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A few months after the Tall Ships arrive, you?ll be overseeing the start of the 2025 Transat Café l?Or. How will that affect the port?
The port is involved at various levels in the organization of the Transat Café l'Or?formerly the Transat Jacques-Vabre?which sets sail on October 26, 2025. We?re working on the groundwork?specifically on all aspects of nautical equipment?including mooring plans and the installation of pontoons and gangways. This part is managed by Franck Millet, the technical manager. On the water, we will also handle the reception, boarding, and disembarkation of passenger boats, support RIBs, and the vessels used to transport people who wish to watch the start from the water.
Before the event, and throughout the duration of the village, we have someone on call to ensure the area?s safety. This year, we faced some challenging weather conditions. The harbor master?s office is responsible for the docks and mooring. We?ll secure the docks with the help of the sailing club. We?ll put additional measures in place if we need to reinforce safety on the boats...
At the same time, life at the marina goes on as usual. We continue to welcome recreational boaters, some of whom aren?t even aware that an event is taking place! The race?s start keeps nearly all of our teams busy on Sunday.
In terms of numbers, how many boats are in the harbor?
In terms of numbers, this year we had 12 passenger boats carrying about 100 people each. That comes to roughly 1,200 people at the harbor on Sunday for the passenger boats. There were also about 60 support and passenger RIBs?large RIBs ranging from 8 to 10 meters in length. We made use of both visitor piers.
In terms of volume, this doubles our visitor traffic in October compared to a year when there is no transatlantic cruise.
It also attracts boaters from nearby ports?we have people from Fécamp, Ouistreham, and Deauville who want to come here during the village festival week to enjoy the festivities. During the week, visitors come by sailboat to take advantage of the facilities. We also have people coming from a bit farther away to watch the start. This year we had a 22-meter sailboat that came from Lorient, just to spend the night from Saturday to Sunday and be out on the water on Sunday to watch the start. There are quite a few people, after all.
The weather conditions this year were very, very good before the village opened. A high-pressure system and easterly winds created favorable conditions for visitors. As soon as the village opened, we shifted to a fairly strong, unsettled westerly pattern with rain. That limited the number of visitors, but it?s an event that still draws huge crowds.
What does it mean to you and your teams to host events like this?
We?re happy to host an event like this in Le Havre. We all have a bit of a sailor and boater in us. So, of course, we?re incredibly proud to see these boats in the docks, to welcome them, and to watch them pass by the office?right beneath our windows?as they enter the docks and then as they set out on Sunday for the race. We?re also happy to see projects from Normandy.
This year, there were several Class40s based at the Le Havre marina, along with a training center that?s starting to find its footing. It?s always really nice to see people we know?people we see every day?set off.
I was out on the water directing traffic at the harbor entrance on Sunday, and every time a Class40 from Le Havre passed by, I?d go over to give them a little message, telling them how proud we were of them and that everyone was wishing them a great transatlantic race.
