En solitaire autour du monde, the Vendée Globe exhibition at the Musée de la Marine - photos

With each edition, their exploits are recounted and followed by thousands of fans around the world. The Vendée Globe sailors traverse the seas and oceans of the planet in an epic and dangerous race, arousing the curiosity and passion of spectators. To mark the tenth edition of this unique event, the Musée de la Marine takes a closer look at these exceptional races and sailors.

The exhibition En solitaire autour du monde, on view from October 16, 2024 to January 26, 2025, looks back at the history of the Vendée Globe, its great heroes, its exploits and its special features.

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Held every four years since 1989, the Vendée Globe is a truly special event in the world of yacht racing. Several dozen competitors (33 in 2020) take to the water in monohull yachts for a solo race around the world. No stopovers or assistance are allowed: it's a long and difficult journey that awaits the sailors. In fact, this epic adventure has given rise to some incredible stories, from exploits to tragedies.

In this exhibition, the Musée de la Marine has brought together almost 300 specific works and objects, which tell and explain the story of this race, its pioneers and its challenges. These include sailing objects, models, outfits, works of art, books and archive documents, as well as audiovisual programs and never-before-seen interviews with the racers.

Through this journey, we also discover the technical evolutions that have changed the work and daily lives of sailors, the know-how needed to succeed in such a race, but also the feelings that drive participants to face such an ordeal, and those they feel when the finish line finally appears, after days spent alone at sea.

Step by step, like the sailors, visitors pass through the three capes of the race, discovering along the way moving accounts of shipwrecks or victories, the little superstitions of sailors and the technical knowledge necessary for such a voyage.

The Musée de la Marine promises a thrilling exhibition that we can't wait to see!