On Tuesday, October 20th at noon, the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe Race Village will officially open its doors in Saint-Malo. For thirteen days, the 118 participating boats and 150 exhibitors will set up camp in over 70,000 m² to offer the public much more than just a sporting event: a true public celebration, punctuated by numerous activities, cultural, community, and family events, themed days, and the spectacular passage of the boats through the locks. And for the first time, the event will extend beyond the Village with the "Off du Rhum" program, organized in Saint-Malo and the surrounding towns.
Four years after attracting more than 1.2 million visitors, the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe returns with an intact promise: to bring the event to life as close as possible to those who write it.
Thirteen days spent close with the skippers
From the moment the village opens, the skippers and their boats will be at the heart of the event. For thirteen days, the public can meet them along the docks, at the village's main events, and on the main stage. These moments will offer the public a unique opportunity to get close to those preparing to set sail for this great ocean sprint.
Mark your calendars
On Sunday October 25th from 5pm, the 118 skippers will meet on the main stage of the village for an unmissable event: The official presentation of the Skippers. Every day, the Route du Rhum Journal: in the presence of the skippers between 5:30pm and 6:30pm, it will allow sharing the news and the latest impressions of the sailors before the Grand Départ.
The passage through the locks - Building on the success of 2022, the system will be reinforced in 2026 to accommodate up to 2,000 spectators and to further stage this emblematic moment of the Route du Rhum.
A new Village experience
This year again, the Village départ intends to offer an experience that goes far beyond the discovery of the boats with redesigned spaces and a program that combines sensations, culture, conviviality and discovery.
A new hub of activity in the village, the Rhum Park will be located near the Louis Martin entrance. This space will bring together several attractions and activities for all ages, including the Ferris wheel with its spectacular view of the docks and the city of Saint-Malo, and the giant zip line, the “Charalienne.” Culture will also take center stage in the Village with Art Explora , the first Arts & Culture partner of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe. Its museum ship and its programming will offer the public a new way to explore the maritime world and the imagery associated with the ocean.
Maison Hector will once again be at the helm of the Brasserie du Rhum, a key social and festive spot in the Village Départ on the quays of Saint-Malo. From opening to closing, Thibault and Morgan Hector's team has put together an exceptional musical program to extend the experience well into the evening, whether you're looking for a drink (in moderation) or a meal.
Finally, as with every edition, the Guadeloupe Region will be honored with its Guadeloupe Islands pavilion; this year, this space will be fully immersive and will invite visitors to discover the culture, history, and unique heritage of the arrival destination.
Mark your calendars
Saturday October 24 - 3 p.m.-7 p.m.: Red Bull - Up the Mast
Red Bull's cult attraction makes a stop at the Route du Rhum village - Destination Guadeloupe.
La Brasserie du Rhum - Open daily from 10am to 1am : food, friendly atmosphere, and live music
A new party venue: The “Off du Rhum”
A major new feature of this edition is that the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe will no longer be solely focused on the harbors. The City of Saint-Malo and Saint-Malo Agglomeration, in collaboration with the organizers, are launching the first edition of the "Off du Rhum" (Rhum Off-Race) .
The objective: to invite the celebration out of the village and into the streets and neighborhoods of Saint-Malo and the towns of the surrounding area through activities, meetings, cultural events and exhibitions.
Among the highlights, the exhibition "The Route to Victory - Models of Legendary Boats" will invite the public to discover or rediscover the sailboats that have marked the history of the race. Free to access at the Chapelle de la Victoire, within the city walls, it will be open from Tuesday, October 20th to Saturday, October 31st, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
The emphasis placed on improving the flow of people within the village
For this thirteenth edition, the organizers made it a point of honor to continue the approach taken in 2022 regarding the smooth flow of people during the 13 days of the Village Départ. The quayside areas, so popular in 2022, will be maintained, as will the entrance and exit areas that drew traffic into the city center. In addition, new exits have been created to improve access from the village to the walled city.
In 2026, it will never have been easier to prepare your visit to the village.
With the aim of further enhancing the visitor experience, the organizers have implemented a new interface for the events program. On the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe website, a new page dedicated to the events program allows users to navigate between three sections: the Village, the Off du Rhum, and Guadeloupe , with filters for interest, time, or location.
In addition to this digital system, the Saint-Malo Tourist Office will also act as a physical information point at the entrance to the village to guide visitors in search of information.
Sustainable mobility and access for all!
To accommodate the large influx of visitors expected over thirteen days, a specific mobility plan will be implemented. The public is particularly encouraged to use public transport and active travel options. For example, the SNCF group, the official supplier of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe, will add trains to its regular services to Saint-Malo from Brittany and Paris.
Particular attention has also been paid to accessibility and welcoming people with disabilities in collaboration with the city of Saint-Malo.
Two parking areas dedicated to people with reduced mobility will be created in Place de la Distillerie and Place de Rocabey, while the circulation patterns within the Village have been designed to facilitate the movement of the people concerned.
Each day, a "quiet hour" will be offered from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm to reduce the noise level in the Village. A quiet zone will also be set up near the main stage.
More broadly, inclusion will be an integral part of the program, with a dedicated themed day on October 22nd in partnership with Café Joyeux. Roundtable discussions and activities will punctuate the day to raise public awareness of the issue of inclusion.
Find the program and all the information about the village on the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe website .
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Village times
The Village will open on November 20th at noon and close on November 1st at 5 pm. In between, it will be open daily at 10 am. Exhibitor areas will be accessible until 8 pm, and until 10 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. The entertainment areas, bars, and restaurants will be open to the public until 1 am.
Passing through the locks
Entry to the locks: The Vintage Multi and Ocean Fifty will open the proceedings on Tuesday, October 20, from 12:45 to 14:45, followed by the IMOCA on Wednesday, October 21, from 14:00 to 16:00. The Class40 and Vintage Mono are expected on Friday, October 23, from 8:30 to 15:30.
The lock exits are scheduled for Friday, October 30, Saturday, October 31, and early Sunday morning, November 1. Two large grandstands, one on either side of the Naye lock, will allow the public to experience these special moments from the southern grandstand. The northern grandstand will be reserved for people with reduced mobility and accredited personnel. Several segments will also be broadcast live on France 3 Bretagne and the France TV website.
Parking
Three paid visitor car parks, representing 3,900 spaces, will also be available at Hippodrome/Féval, La Houssaye, formerly Seifel and DPC. Free shuttle buses will run to the Village every 15 minutes, from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.