What is the Voiles de Saint-Tropez?
We can say that they are the heirs of the Nioulargue, which was born in 1981, when a boat captain wanted to challenge another captain (a Swan 44 and a 12 Meter JI) in the bay of Saint-Tropez. It lasted for a few years until a fatal accident in 1995 that signed the suspension of the event. The Voiles de Saint-Tropez resumed in 1999 and are regattas organized in the bay between traditional and modern sailboats.
The goal is to race all together, in a good spirit of sharing, conviviality, fair play and warmth with beautiful boats. It's a regatta, but it's mostly a state of mind, there is no real stake, the main goal is to have fun on the water.
I understand wanting to win and be first, but it has to be done in a respectful way and you have to play fair and know how to lose.
Which boats are participating?
There are two categories of boats âeuros the modern sailboats and the traditional sailboats âeuros in which we have introduced gauges to be able to race together boats of different categories. In these first two categories, there are about 7 other categories. In total, we can say that there are 14 different classes of boats sailing at the Voiles de Saint-Tropez.
Modern sailboats are boats built after 1975 and which meet certain construction criteria. Traditional sailboats are boats built in wood or metal (without plastic) and built before 1975. A third category is the Wally, spectacular and very modern sailboats.
We expect about 300 boats âeuros as every year 150 modern sailboats and 150 classic sailboats. And a dozen nationalities represented.
We also have a limited capacity due to the space in the port of Saint-Tropez, because each boat registered must have a place in the port. Each year, about a hundred boats are on the waiting list.
How many regattas are organized?
Every day the boats go out and make rounds by category plus a different round for the Wallys, modern sailboats. In total, three rounds are organized every day in the Gulf of St-Tropez, with some particularities.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday are reserved for modern boats. The traditional sailing boats only go out on Tuesday and race the rest of the week, like the modern boats.
Thursday is Challenge Day. It's a sort of tribute to the origins of Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, to remember that it all started like this. The owners do what they want and challenge each other. The race committee is there to help and advise them and is only in charge of supervising the operation.
It is not only a challenge between two participants, since for example, we have the Centenaries Regatta that gathers all the traditional boats of 100 years and more for a specific regatta.
We also have several Trophies with partners' names (Rolex Trophy for the traditional yachts, BMW Trophy for the Wally and Edmond de Rothschild Trophy for the IRC C). They are awarded to the first of each category.
How do the Voiles de Saint-Tropez end?
On Sunday, cups are given to the first 3 of each category, but there is no winner of the Voiles de Saint-Tropez. It is also on this day that the trophies are awarded.
Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez is also a party on land?
Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez is a great party on land, a lot of fair play on the water and conviviality. Every evening, we organize a party for all the crews to have fun together. It's a bit like the Spanish Inn, as it was in the Nioulargue era, when it was crazy and crazy.
How do you attend the Voiles de Saint-Tropez?
Many tourists and curious people come to see the boats, but the "show" is on land, because all the traditional sailing boats are gathered in the port of Saint-Tropez. On the water, you can also make private embarkations to go closer to the regattas or admire the scene from the ground, on sites in height.
Isn't Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez also a way to show off?
The owners are proud to be there, aboard their beautiful boats, but their pleasure is first of all in sailing and not in presenting their boats. These are boats that sail all over the world and do not exist only during the Voiles.
The event marks the closing of the season ?
It is an observation, but not a will. The Voiles de Saint-Tropez closes the regattas of classic and traditional boats, but we still have nautical events organized by the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez and events organized by the city itself.
