they have been dreaming about it for 15 years and in a few months, it will be a reality for Juliette and Hubert Dolley. With their four children Bertille, 2 and a half years old, Paul 6 years old, Agathe 8 years old and Louise 11 years old, they will leave for a 3 year long sailing trip around the world.
"In the beginning, we wanted to leave in 2021 and sail for two years. It seemed like a good break, it wasn't too long and that's what many blogs and books advised. But we thought that for a full circumnavigation La Rochelle/La Rochelle, the timing was pretty tight. It required so much preparation that we wanted to make the most of it and financially it was also a good idea. So we decided to bring forward our departure by a year. And still, Hubert would like to leave for four years!" laughs Juliette.
The birth of a project
"We've been planning this trip for 15 years, but we set our departure date four years ago, seeing the age of our oldest and the age of our last." begins Juliette. As soon as they meet, these two decide that one day, they will go on a world tour as a family, a decision reinforced by the reading of many books and testimonies.
The choice of the support is also quite found for this couple native of Paris area. It will be by boat! "We've always sailed, Juliette in a liveaboard and me in a dinghy, explains Hubert. " When we met, we took sailing lessons at Les Glénans and that confirmed that we were capable of sailing together without hitting each other", hubert adds with a laugh.
Since then, every year, the couple rents boats for cruises in the Mediterranean and in Brittany. And, since a few years, they are also the owners of a Corsaire, a small monohull of 5,50 m which allows them to sail regularly.
And what do the children think?
"The kids have grown up with the project so it's not a big discovery. Some parents choose not to say anything so as not to scare, but that wasn't our intention." explains Juliette.
If the children are rather happy to travel around the world for three years, the reaction is not the same for everyone. "Louise (the oldest) has a friend who will also be going on a trip so they hope to meet up. Then she will be able to communicate with her friends freely via her phone. For Agathe, it's a little more difficult to separate from her friends. Our last two are still a bit small, but they seem happy to be leaving." adds Juliette.
The family plans to take advantage of this trip to meet many people on the water. "Of all the communities we follow, we realize that there are many people on the water and many children. So they can make a lot of friends." concludes Juliette.
What is the objective?
"We've been looking for a goal for a long time to sort of justify our trip, but we don't have a goal "explains Juliette, laughing.
"We just want to discover other places, other ways of life, but also to let the kids discover it. We're going to refocus on us, our family, and see them grow up a little bit. On a daily basis, we go out quite a bit, we have commitments. As long as our parents are healthy, and our children are not too old, it's a good time to leave." adds Juliette.
How is life on board organized?
If the family is planning, it's still hard to imagine. The morning will normally be reserved for school and the whole family will be mobilized! "If our big two are self-sufficient on the job with great content, we'll still need two on the job." is considering Juliette.
The rest of the time will be dedicated to sailing, discovering the land or anchoring. "Eventually, we'll also have to do the dishes, laundry, etc. it won't change our habits." laughs Juliette.
And to keep her four children busy, she has already planned everything! "We're going to have a hard time choosing which books to bring because it's super important. For Louise (the oldest), it's easier, she has switched to the e-reader and will be able to download many books. Otherwise, we plan to bring audio books, music, some Playmobil or Lego type toys, but also board games and something to craft, paint, etc."
