Route du Rhum readies 13th edition for Saint-Malo to Guadeloupe start

The Route-du-Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe will launch its 13th edition from Saint-Malo on 1 November 2026, with an expected 118 solo sailors from 12 nations racing more than 3,542 nautical miles to Pointe-à-Pitre. A two-week village in Brittany will showcase Guadeloupe’s businesses, culture and tourism to an expected 2 million visitors.

Why it matters: - The Route-du-Rhum remains the world’s leading solo transatlantic sailing race, with reach far beyond sport. - The event links Saint-Malo and Guadeloupe through tourism, culture, trade and maritime heritage. - Guadeloupean businesses and rum producers use the village to reach French and wider European buyers.

What happened: - The 13th Route-du-Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe is preparing to depart from Saint-Malo, Brittany, France. - The race starts on Sunday, 1 November 2026, at 1:02 p.m. CET. - An expected 118 competitors representing 12 nationalities will leave Saint-Malo for Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe. - The event runs every four years and has been held since 1978. - The race is open to six classes of monohull and multihull boats, including the IMOCA 60 class. - Sailing alone across the Atlantic, competitors may spend up to a month at sea.

The details: - The theoretical straight-line course from Saint-Malo to Pointe-à-Pitre is more than 3,542 nautical miles, or 6,560 km. - The practical route will be longer because sailors must navigate shifting winds, currents and weather systems. - The Route-du-Rhum Village runs from 20 October to 1 November in Saint-Malo. - The village covers 950 square metres, or more than 10,000 square feet, on the main quay. - Around 2 million visitors are expected over the two-week period. - The Guadeloupe pavilion includes nearly 50 companies from the archipelago and a stand from the Regional Council of Guadeloupe focused on culture, gastronomy and tourism. - The pavilion highlights local craftsmanship, gastronomy, heritage, entrepreneurship and innovation. - Visitors can browse a Creole market with processed agrifood products, art and handicrafts. - Food offerings include bokits, accras and coconut sorbet. - Rum and spirits producers from across the Islands of Guadeloupe will take part, including the Bologne distillery, the race’s main rum partner. - Tourist offices and Corsair will provide information for prospective visitors. - The program includes cooking demonstrations by chef Jean-Rony Leriche, live concerts, cultural performances, exhibitions, documentary screenings and tourism conferences on the blue economy and culture. - Cultural groups including Le Saint-Félix, Daddy Yod and Leïla Chicot will perform. - Donzèl and the carnival group Maskaklé are part of the main-stage program. - Maskaklé will present a photographic exhibition at the Bidouane Tower. - A kids’ area is part of the family program.

Between the lines: - The race functions as a commercial platform, not only a sporting contest. - Exhibitors from Guadeloupe can use the village to make sales and build distributor relationships in France and Europe. - Some exhibitors are seasoned event participants, while others are attending for the first time. - Participating businesses include Caraïbe Fumé, Nautique Blue Caraïb and artisan ice-cream maker Eddy William. - Guadeloupe’s rum producers can use the event to reinforce distribution agreements for Rhum Agricole exports, including sales as far as Japan. - The event also reinforces a long-running partnership between Guadeloupe and Saint-Malo rooted in cultural and economic exchange. - The village serves as a gathering point for Guadeloupeans in Paris and mainland France, plus families of Guadeloupean skippers and archipelago institutions traveling for the start. - Seven Guadeloupean sailors will carry the islands’ colors across the Atlantic.

What's next: - The village opens in Saint-Malo on 20 October 2026. - The fleet departs on 1 November 2026 for Guadeloupe. - Guadeloupe will host the finish and welcome sailors, visitors and supporters at Pointe-à-Pitre. - Organizers and exhibitors will use the lead-up to the start to showcase the islands and build business ties.

The bottom line: - The Route-du-Rhum is both a premier ocean race and a high-profile showcase for Guadeloupe’s culture, tourism and export economy.