Inside Cité de la Voile Éric Tabarly at Lorient
Alexandra
Lorient La Base spans 23 hectares at Keroman with roughly 1,200 meters of maritime frontage, hosting the Cité de la Voile Éric Tabarly inside the former submarine base and offering a 2,000 m² indoor exhibition, access to pontoons and an ocean racing cluster where Ultim, IMOCA and Class40 projects prepare in full sight of visitors.
What the site physically delivers to sailors and visitors
The complex functions as both a museum and an operational harbor: glass-and-metal architecture by Jacques Ferrier frames entrances and ticketing while pontoons, sheds and logistics areas remain active. The layout makes the Cité a practical information hub for organising on-site visits — you don’t just buy a ticket, you plan a day at the base.
Quick facts at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Site area | 23 hectares |
| Maritime frontage | ~1,200 m |
| Indoor exhibition | 2,000 m² |
| Children’s facility | 1,000 m², 4 levels |
| TyRoll zipline | 350 m line, platform 40 m above water |
Decide before you go: museum, technical immersion, or pontoon life?
Visitors often arrive with one of four intentions:
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- See historic boats and the Tabarly legacy;
- Get a technical immersion into foils, kites and keels;
- Walk the pontoons to watch race teams at work;
- Keep kids entertained in purpose-built maritime play areas.
Knowing which of these you want will shape whether you spend most time in the indoor exhibits, on guided tours, or on the quayside watching prep work. For people who rent a yacht or charter a boat nearby, the close visibility of rigging and deck work can be invaluable when briefing a skipper or comparing equipment.
Seeing ocean racing up close — what’s real and what’s staged
The ocean racing cluster is a working environment: permanent teams, skippers of many nationalities, and technical sheds. Walk the pontoons and you’ll spot everything from wrapped foils to fueling areas. It’s tempting to romanticize the scene, but expect practicalities — convoys, maintenance and logistics are as visible as the glamour.
Visitor takeaways from pontoon visits
- Understand team organisation and daily routines;
- Observe maintenance and pre-departure checks;
- Learn direct vocabulary: foil, keel, rig, winch and helming nuances.
Hands-on learning: foils, rigging and safety
The Cité’s displays link race tech to cruising realities. Interactive exhibits cover navigation tools, weather interpretation, GPS, and safety rituals. For the amateur sailor, these sections are a chance to formalize instincts: anticipate, prepare, check, and know when to give up. Digital planispheres, logbook displays and handling devices make abstract concepts tangible.
Family flows — keeping kids engaged without boring parents
The revamped children’s zone is practical: two motor-skill courses by age group, 48 devices and a 200 m² stopover area for toddlers. That’s maritime content that actually teaches terms like wind and balance through play, so parents can enjoy technical exhibits or pontoon walks without the endless “Are we done yet?” chorus.
Adrenaline and sensory rides: TyRoll, 4D and winch demos
The TyRoll zipline launches from the Tour des Vents with a line long enough to feel like flight — practical for a harbour overview even if it’s not sailing per se. Inside, the dynamic 4D "Ocean Ride" and hands-on winch and hoisting areas deliver a quick reminder: deck work is physical. These experiences help translate the endurance of racing into something visitors can feel in their bones.
Tabarly and the boats at the quay
The site dedicates space to Éric Tabarly with a reconstructed Pen Duick II cabin and personal artifacts. The promise of Pen Duick boats moored at the pontoons gives history a physical address. For many yacht owners and charter clients, seeing those hulls and their lines makes stories stick — a living link between past races and present-day refits.
Events, seminars and professional use
With a 132-seat auditorium and modular spaces, the Cité serves business tourism well. Nearby pontoons allow seminar participants to jump straight into guided tours, embarkations and team-building activities — useful for companies looking to combine meetings with hands-on maritime content.
Practical info & tips
| Practical | Note |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Daily during school holidays; extended hours in summer |
| Age/height for some attractions | TyRoll and sailing rides have weight/height limits |
| Guided options | Guided tours and family workshops often available |
In short, Lorient La Base is a hybrid place — part museum, part working race hub, part family attraction. For yacht owners, charterers and skippers, its value lies in seeing real prep work and technical detail; for families, in play areas and interactive learning. Whether you’re scouting a yacht charter route, planning a boat rent, or just curious about ocean racing, the site ties history, technology and activities together along the sea. In the end, it’s a handy stop for anyone involved in sailing, whether you’re a captain comparing rigs or a family dreaming of beach days, lake sails and afternoons in marinas; think Destinations, superyacht attractions, yachting displays and boating demos — it’s all about water, wind and sunseeker vibes.
