Two months before the start of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe 2026, the City of Saint-Malo and OC Sport Pen Duick are taking another step in the transformation of the Race Village. Driven by the City of Saint-Malo's sustainable urban development policy, the Sustainable Pact, and the event's environmental roadmap, this initiative aims to eliminate the use of fossil fuels for the event. It is now a reality thanks to infrastructure investments made by the City of Saint-Malo, which will allow the Race Village for the 2026 edition to be powered by the public electricity grid. EDF is supporting this electrification effort by becoming the Official Supplier of the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe.

The Sustainable Pact takes shape at the starting village
Committed to reducing its impact for several editions, OC Sport Pen Duick is evolving the organization of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe in order to progressively reduce the environmental impact of the event.
The Sustainable Pact now forms part of the event's environmental roadmap and defines a trajectory of continuous improvement, resulting in concrete actions implemented in the Start Village and surrounding areas. Its aims include promoting more sustainable modes of transport, better managing energy and water consumption, reducing and recycling waste, encouraging the circular economy, and phasing out the use of fossil fuels. It also includes awareness campaigns targeting the event's various audiences.
The 2026 edition marks a new stage in this trajectory with the Village being powered by a 100% electric network. Made possible thanks to investments from the City of Saint-Malo, this development illustrates the shared commitment of OC Sport Pen Duick and its partners to continue, edition after edition, improving the environmental performance of the event through concrete and sustainable achievements.
“The electrification of uses is a major challenge of the energy transition necessary to meet climate commitments. We are very pleased to be able to offer, thanks to the work carried out by the City of Saint-Malo, a 100% electric village. This concrete achievement is fully in line with our CSR strategy and illustrates the commitments made by the Sustainable Pact.” Stéphane Bourrut Lacouture, CSR manager of OC Sport Pen Duick
The City of Saint-Malo is sustainably strengthening the infrastructure of the Village
For the 13th edition of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe, the entire starting village will be powered by the public electricity network, without the use of generators running on fossil fuels (fuel and gas) for the installations.
This development is based in particular on the work undertaken by the City of Saint-Malo to sustainably strengthen the site's electrical capacity. Designed to meet the needs of the event, these improvements are part of a broader approach aimed at supporting the growth of electrical use in the region, driven in particular by urban development, the rise of electric mobility, new energy and port facilities, and the increasing number of major events hosted.
The latest edition of the world's largest ocean race has accelerated certain investments, notably the creation and reinforcement of three transformer substations to increase the available power in the Village area from 2,500 kVA to 4,000 kVA. This new equipment will allow all facilities to be powered via the public electricity grid and eliminate the need for fossil fuel-powered generators.
"By powering an event village of this scale without any generators, the City of Saint-Malo intends to be a demonstrator of what a modernized urban network makes concretely possible , " emphasizes Gilles Lurton, mayor of Saint-Malo.
This dynamic reflects a shared ambition on both sides of the Atlantic. In Guadeloupe, the race's finish line, the environmental transition is also a major challenge in order to preserve an exceptional natural heritage that is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
“The electrification of the race village in Saint-Malo reflects the innovative spirit of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe 2026. For the Guadeloupe Region, this initiative has particular significance: our archipelago is an exceptional territory, rich in natural heritage, but also particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Aware of both these strengths and this fragility, we support every concrete initiative that reduces the race's environmental footprint. From one side of the Atlantic to the other, we must make this event a showcase for the transition and preservation of our territories,” said Ary Chalus, President of the Guadeloupe Region.
EDF, official supplier of the event
For the 2026 edition, EDF is becoming an Official Supplier of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe for the first time. The group is thus joining an iconic event that reflects its commitment to the energy transition and maritime innovation, while reaffirming its long-standing commitment to serving local communities, both in Brittany and Guadeloupe.
With nearly 70,000 m² of surface area, including 10,000 m² of temporary structures, the Village départ constitutes a veritable ephemeral city whose energy needs require a reliable and appropriately sized system for the entire duration of the event.
In Saint-Malo, as in Pointe-à-Pitre, where EDF will be supporting the event's Villages, the group is leveraging its expertise for the operational deployment of electrical systems. In Saint-Malo, thanks to investments made in the grid by the city (see above) and the village's electricity supply from EDF, there will be no need for fossil fuel-powered generators. This provides a concrete example of the solutions now available for electrifying various uses.
Through this partnership, EDF also wishes to highlight the role of electricity in the decarbonization of major events, in the evolution of mobility as well as maritime and port activities.
“The Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe perfectly illustrates the major challenges of our time: decarbonizing energy consumption, supporting the electrification of transportation, industry, ports, and more broadly, all sectors of the economy. Alongside local stakeholders, EDF is making electrification a lever for sovereignty, competitiveness, and the reduction of fossil fuels.” – Jean-Philippe Berton, Director of Regional Operations for the EDF Group in Brittany
“Every four years, the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe electrifies the entire island of Guadeloupe and captures the world’s attention. We are proud to be associated with this unique energy to promote the archipelago and contribute to accelerating its energy transition,” said Marie -Line Bassette, Regional Director of EDF Archipel Guadeloupe.
Suzuki is supporting this momentum by deploying a 100% electric fleet
Partner of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe, Suzuki Automobile will provide a fleet of 12 e VITARA electric vehicles for the entire duration of the Village.
Intended for the organizing teams, partners, skippers, and media, these vehicles will contribute to the gradual electrification of activities related to the event. The operational management of the fleet will be handled with the support of SNBSM volunteers.
Through this initiative, Suzuki and the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe wish to demonstrate concretely the growing role of electric mobility in major events.
"As a partner of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe, Suzuki Automotive is taking a new step by providing the organization with a 100% electric fleet for the first time. With the e-Vitara, we are making a long-term commitment to this legendary race by offering reliable and efficient logistical support, while reaffirming our commitment to more environmentally friendly mobility," said Stéphane Magnin, Director of Automotive Business, Suzuki France.
Key figures for the Route du Rhum Village - Destination Guadeloupe
70,000 m² of Village powered by a 100% electric system
Nearly 10,000 m² of temporary structures
13 days of operation
12 Suzuki e-Vitara 100% electric vehicles made available for the teams and the organization of the event

