Paul Meilhat, skipper of Biotherm, remembers his first memories of reading on the Vendée Globe in 1989, when he was just 7 years old: ‘my parents would find me late at night with my pocket light, reading the technical data sheets of the Vendée Globe boats’. The Vendée Globe inspires vocations from a very young age and that's why the organisation, the Vendée Département and the French Sailing Federation are coordinating a number of projects for children.
The Vendée Globe adventure for kids
The mythical non-stop, non-assisted, single-handed round-the-world race continues to fascinate all generations. And this year, youngsters are not left out! The Vendée Globe Junior, an educational program run by the Département of Vendée, is back for its 10th edition with a number of new features. The French Sailing Federation is also continuing its partnership with Virtual Regatta, while other new projects are emerging, such as the Panini album dedicated to the race and the mascot Adélie, who accompanies children in their discovery of this universe.
Un enfant sur le village du Vendée Globe
© Yvan Zedda/Alea/Vendée Globe
Vendée Globe Junior, for future young sailors
On Wednesday, the Vendée department presented its Vendée Globe Junior 2024-2025 programme, an immersive educational experience designed for children from cycle 1 to cycle 4. Free of charge and focusing on the world of ocean racing but also on protecting the oceans, the Vendée Globe Junior provides teachers and families with a rich collection of 72 digital educational sheets offering information on the history of the race, careers at sea and the marine environment. In addition, scientific events, web series, games and activities are available for the whole family, enabling them to follow the race at home and experience the adventure together.
For the first time, some of this content will be available in English, to reach children around the world. The programme will also be relayed on the United Nations World Oceans Day website.
New features include fact sheets for pre-schoolers with three learning levels: ship's mate, sailor and skipper. The thematic sheets for cycles 3 and 4, classified by school subject (science, geography, history, etc.), are all linked to the world of sailing and the protection of the oceans. An original song recorded with the École Intercommunale de Musique Vendée Sèvre Autise and children from the Saint-Pient school in Maillé, provides an opportunity to learn maritime expressions through music. There is also original content such as kamishibaïs ‘Le Vendée Globe, the emotional race’ for cycles 1 and 2, as well as a web series to follow the key stages of the Vendée Globe and understand the challenges of ocean racing.
Des enfants, supporters de Boris Herrmann sur le village de course.
© Jean-Louis Carli/Alea/Vendée Globe
The ‘Virtual Vendée Globe in Class’ with the French Sailing Federation (FFV) and Virtual Regatta
The French Sailing Federation, in partnership with Virtual Regatta, is offering pupils from primary school to university the chance to take part in the ‘Virtual Vendée Globe in Class’. This operation, supported by the French Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Sport and the Ministry of Agriculture, enables pupils to virtually sail the race alongside the skippers of the real Vendée Globe. By 2020, over 70,000 pupils had taken part!
Virtual Regatta offers all registered classes ‘all options’ packs to optimise the performance of their virtual boat, which will be flying the colours of the French Sailing Federation. Specific rankings will be established and the French Sailing Federation will offer interested classes the opportunity to go ‘from the virtual to the real’, by offering three sailing cycles drawn at random from among the participants. Registration opens on 14 October on the FFV website.
Radio workshops in the village
In the village, franceinfo, the official radio of the Vendée Globe, is offering workshops dedicated to media and information education. These ‘discovery and introduction to the jobs of journalists and sound engineers’ sessions allow participants to immerse themselves in the world of radio. For 45 minutes, each participant prepares for his or her role - presenter, columnist, interviewer or weatherman - while learning about good journalistic practice. The workshop ends with the recording of a 10-minute news report, followed by a debriefing with a franceinfo journalist. The workshops target a young audience, but not only! Timetables can be found on the race website.
