Following the national confinement measures decided by the President of the French Republic as part of the fight against Covid-19, the Vendée Globe Village will be closed to the public as from Friday October 30.

The start of the Vendée Globe will take place as planned on Sunday November 8 at 1:02 p.m. local time but behind closed doors without local spectators. It will be broadcast live on vendeeglobe.org and on many television channels.

The Vendée Globe 2020-2021 will remain as a symbol of our desire to continue life, despite the difficulties our country is going through and in meticulous respect for the health rules set by the State.

Mr Yves Auvinet
President of SAEM Vendée and of the Department of Vendée

Ms. Christelle Morançais
President of the Pays de la Loire Region

Ms. Patricia Brochard
Co-President of SODEBO

Mr Yannick Moreau
Mayor of Sables d'Olonne

Message from the IMOCA Class

The Vendée Globe village closes their doors this evening after two weeks of beautiful moments shared with the public, who remain as passionate as ever despite this difficult context.

The skippers of the IMOCA Class have enjoyed these moments and express their thanks in the media or on their social networks to those who came to live a little of this dream with them.

Many thanks to the teams, to their partners, and to the organisers of the Vendée Globe, to the town of Les Sables d'Olonne, to the Département de la Vendée, to the Région Pays de la Loire and to Sodebo for having moved mountains and enabled these two weeks to take place and in compliance with a demanding protocol.

The start will take place behind closed doors on Sunday 8th November but the skippers know that they will not be alone.