La Route des Princes

For what seems like forever, the exchanges between sea and land have maintained the richness of the different territories, yet the events likely to show them to advantage are few and far between. Committed to promoting their skills and their culture through a strong and long-lasting presence in the world of offshore racing, the producers at “Prince de Bretagne” were keen to create a race that truly reflected their values. Aimed at all manner of multihulls, from 40-footers to the giant record hunters, MOD70s as well as Multi50s, today the Route des Princes is the only meeting geared exclusively around such craft. On two or three hulls, the top names will race alongside enthusiastic amateurs as they come together to write the opening lines of an epic that will set sail from Valencia on 9 June 2013. With around twenty boats expected on a shared start line, the stage for what promises to be an unprecedented standard of competition will be set the moment the starting gun sounds. Punctuated by a series of authentic stopovers, this event won’t simply pitch up in towns across Europe with great fanfare. It will impact the locals and their lives, by revealing the true fabric of Europe woven by those at sea and those working the land. In the process, both the skippers and their partners will benefit from a warm welcome wherever they go, snapping up the opportunity to let others explore their boats and all the riches of European marine technology. From the Mediterranean to the North Sea, from Spain to Brittany via Portugal, Ireland and England, alternating between long courses and genuine sprints, the Route des Princes promises to be resolutely geared towards diversity.

The maritime and competitive aspect of this event will be further boosted by a very strong emphasis on Europe’s region. In this way, each host town and city will have the chance to show off its riches, be they agricultural, gastronomic, traditional or cultural. The Route des Princes’ ports will enable the public to rediscover the magic of major oceanic meetings and get up close to the sailors and their boats. Each stopover will correspond with an already existing, well-established event for the people: the giant paëllas and grand chef competition in Valencia, the City Festival in Lisbon, the concerts in Cork, the Barbican festival in Plymouth and France’s grand finale, the “Entre Terre et Mer” (‘Twixt Land and Sea) festival, the second edition of which will transform the bay of Morlaix into a communion of sailors, fishermen and farmers. Steadfastly open, the race village will be at the very hub of the entertainments programme. A totally innovative festival, the Route des Princes will satisfy the needs and aspirations of Europe’s regions, the public and sportsmen and women everywhere.

Jean-François Jacob, Secretary-General of the St Pol Sica, Manager of Prince de Bretagne: “We felt that it was in the interest of all the owners and skippers of multihulls to have an extra event to support their programmes. We were keen to have an event, which gathers us all together and highlights our very strong link with the sailors. Like them, we’re subject to the vagaries of the weather on a daily basis and if we manage to grow vegetables year round in northern Brittany it’s thanks to the influence of the sea and the Gulf Stream. Through the Route des Princes, we want to show that the land-based world is a source of dynamism in a number of regions across Europe. This notion is something Prince de Bretagne’s producers hold dear and they want to share this with others. Our aim is to enhance the prestige of the different territories and to enable the greatest possible number of people to discover them thanks to an event for the people, which will be a celebration of all the different trades at sea and on land”.

Valencia
Start Sunday 9 June 2013

Lisbon
ETA Wednesday 12 June
Departure Saturday 15 June

Cork
ETA Wednesday 19 June
Departure Saturday 22 June

Plymouth
ETA Thursday 27 June
Departure Friday 28 June

Baie de Morlaix
ETA Saturday 29 June

Situated in northern Brittany, in traditional vegetable producing country, Prince de Bretagne, which exports to over 30 countries, is the standard bearer for a whole network of services related to producing fruit and vegetables: research, production, commercialisation-shipping, communication and a training college. Brand leader in the world of fresh fruit and vegetables, with a range of 87 species and 2,350 producers, Prince de Bretagne is at the service of the consumer in providing the best possible standard in terms of safety, health and taste.