Grand Pavois de La Rochelle
Europe's largest on-water boat show
2026
About Grand Pavois
Grand Pavois — edition 2026
The 54th edition of the Grand Pavois La Rochelle will take place from Tuesday, September 22nd to Sunday, September 27th, 2026, at the Port des Minimes. This year, Japan is the guest of honor, and all four of Éric Tabarly's Pen Duick yachts will be moored at pontoon 7. Approximately 700 boats will be on display, including 300 in the water, with 70,000 visitors expected over the six-day event.
2026 Edition: Japan as Guest of Honor
For its 54th edition, the Grand Pavois La Rochelle is proud to welcome Japan as its guest of honor—a first for the archipelago. YCK Culture & Events is setting up a 600 m² Japanese village featuring craft stalls, a restaurant and specialty food stands, as well as cultural demonstrations and performances, with a special focus on maritime regions and tourism.
Three New Zones This Year
- Get Out on the Water (Sortez en mer): Introductory sailing and motorboat sessions, with excursions in the Pertuis, the Old Port, and around the Phare du Bout du Monde.
- Dare to Boat (Osez le bateau): A selection of boats priced under €35,000 (incl. tax) displayed on land along a pontoon, alongside information on access solutions: co-ownership, shared ownership, rent-to-own, boat clubs, charter management, training, financing, insurance, dry storage, and mooring spots.
- Tourism: Coastal regions from France and abroad, islands, marinas, tourist offices, sustainable tourism stakeholders, and nautical activity providers.
Guest Boats
Four of Éric Tabarly's sailboats will be moored at the end of pontoon 7 throughout the six days, in partnership with the Association Éric Tabarly: Pen Duick, Pen Duick II, Pen Duick III, and Pen Duick V. Seven event boats will be gathered at pontoon 2, including the Figaro 1 Gallinago, which has been sailing around the world for over two years, and Ian Lipinski's Class40 Crédit Mutuel, winner of the Globe 40.
The Show
Established in 1973, the Grand Pavois covers 100,000 m² at the Port des Minimes, featuring both afloat and on-land exhibitions, 12 themed zones, and approximately 800 brands from 35 countries.
Highlights Grand Pavois 2026
- Éric Tabarly's four Pen Duick yachts gathered at the end of pontoon 7
- Japan as guest of honor, featuring a 600 m² Japanese village
- Approximately 700 boats on display, including 300 afloat
- "Sortez en mer," a new zone for sailing and motorboat initiations in the Pertuis
- "Osez le bateau," a new zone featuring boats under €35,000
- Grand Pavois Fishing on September 25th and 27th, with 37 industry boats participating
Programme Grand Pavois 2026
The hour-by-hour schedule of events is not yet online. By mid-August 2026, the show's "Program" page will be updated, and the organizers will release their press kit. Here is what is already scheduled.
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026
- 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM — Show opens at Port des Minimes. There are no professional-only days and no late-night openings.
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2026
- 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM — Show open.
Thursday, September 24th, 2026
- 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM — Show open.
- 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM — Grand Pavois Beach opens on the Minimes beach: board sports, light sailing, water sports, and new disciplines like skateboarding, featuring the Le Spot activity tent.
Friday, September 25th, 2026
- 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM — Show and Grand Pavois Beach open.
- First leg of the Grand Pavois Fishing in La Rochelle waters: 37 boats at the start, 35 registered teams, and 2 guest crews, all representing brands from the nautical industry (Suzuki Marine France, Yamaha Motor Europe, Honda Marine, Mercury, Garmin, Furuno, Lowrance, Navicom, Zeppelin, Pescavel, etc.). Yamaha Motor Europe is fielding three teams to defend their title.
Saturday, September 26th, 2026
- 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM — Show and Grand Pavois Beach open.
Sunday, September 27th, 2026
- 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM — Final day, show and Grand Pavois Beach open.
- Second leg of the Grand Pavois Fishing.
Ongoing, September 22nd - 27th
- Afloat and On-land Exhibition — Approximately 700 boats, with 300 afloat on pontoons 1 to 7. Other port pontoons remain accessible to boaters.
- Japanese Village, 600 m², guest of honor — craft stalls, restaurant and Japanese specialty stands, cultural demonstrations, and maritime tourism. Organized by YCK Culture & Events.
- Éric Tabarly's Four Pen Duick Yachts — Pen Duick, Pen Duick II, Pen Duick III, and Pen Duick V, at the end of pontoon 7 in the Heritage & Know-how zone, with the Association Éric Tabarly.
- Event Boats, Pontoon 2:
- Gallinago, a 9-meter Figaro 1 owned by brothers Maxence and Victor Ansquer, having sailed around the world for over two years. A film screening and meet-and-greet are planned at the Le Spot tent (times to be announced).
- Class40 No. 185 FPFP-TP by Matéo Le Calvic and Pierre Boulbin, available for viewing before their departure for the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe (Sortez en mer zone).
- Class40 Crédit Mutuel by Ian Lipinski, winner of the Globe 40, the first round-the-world race with stopovers for this class.
- Uno Mondo, formerly Northabout, a monohull designed by Tobias Carter for ice navigation, featuring comics from an Arctic expedition on board.
- Magie Bleue, a 21-meter schooner from the Icape Planète Bleue foundation, formerly Magie Noire, saved from destruction in 2021.
- Le Super Arlequin de Voile Magazine, restored with the Passe-Coque association and the Voile Magazine Club.
- Kate Kata, a Gin Fizz owned by Patrick Benoiton, relaunched by the Passe-Coque association for solidarity and therapeutic sailing.
- Sortez en mer Zone (new) — introductory sailing and motorboat sessions, excursions in the Pertuis, the Old Port, and around the Phare du Bout du Monde.
- Osez le bateau Zone (new) — boats under €35,000 (incl. tax) displayed on land, with manufacturers, training organizations, boat clubs, financing, insurance, dry storage, and mooring managers.
- Tourism Zone (new) — coastal regions from France and abroad, islands, marinas, tourist offices, sustainable tourism stakeholders, and nautical activity providers.
- Eco-navigation & Sustainable Innovation Zone with EDF — real-world charging station demonstrations, electric boats on display and available for trials.
- Fishing & Grand Pavois Fishing Zone — fishing village, fishing boat gallery, and event stage with a demonstration pool.
- Other Themed Zones: On-land and afloat boats, Multihulls, Equipment, Services, Charter & Cruising, Heritage & Know-how, Boat Trials, Guest of Honor.
- Sea Trials — by appointment with exhibitors, who are the only ones authorized to accept visits and trials of their boats.
Most activities are free and included in the entry ticket; some excursions, particularly on speedboats, require a fee, and some conferences are private. The official website's program section is updated daily during the show.
Prices Grand Pavois 2026
Duo rate (2 people): 25 € until September 21, 30 € from September 22
Permanent Pass (for the entire duration of the show): 35 €
Reduced rate (groups 10+, students, 16-18 years old, job seekers): 10 €
Free for accompanied children under 15
Exclusive Card (VIP): 110 € for 1 person, 190 € for 2 people
Free upon presentation of a valid FFV license
Ticketing: grand-pavois.com
Practical information — Grand Pavois
Practical Information
Location
Port des Minimes, avenue du Lazaret, 17042 La Rochelle Cedex 01. The floating exhibition is located on pontoons 1 to 7; the other pontoons remain accessible to boaters.
2026 Dates and Opening Hours
From Tuesday, September 22nd to Saturday, September 26th, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and on Sunday, September 27th, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. There are no trade-only days or late-night openings. Grand Pavois Beach is open from Thursday, September 24th to Saturday, September 26th, from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and on Sunday, September 27th, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Getting There
By car: Park at the Les Salines paid car park, then take the free shuttle service to the show, running every 10 minutes from 9:30 AM to 7:30 PM. The five P+R park-and-ride facilities in the urban area are another option.
By train: Arrive at La Rochelle station, then use the same free shuttles from the Les Salines car park. From the six stations in the urban area, the TER train costs the Yélo fare of €1.50, which is included in the Yélo subscription.
By bus: Take the Illico 4 line (Plage des Minimes stop) from Monday to Saturday, the D4 line on Sundays, or the Illico 3 line (Europe stop). The Yélo Tribu Pass offers unlimited travel for 1 to 5 people traveling together: €5 for one day, €12 for three days.
By coach: The 10 regional Nouvelle-Aquitaine lines connect to the bus station from Royan, the île d'Oléron, Surgères, Courçon, Marans, Rochefort, the île de Ré, and Niort, at €2.50 per trip or €4.50 for a round trip.
By sea: The Bus de Mer connects the Vieux-Port to the Port des Minimes (pontoon 46), with departures every 20 minutes from 8:30 AM to 7:45 PM from the Vieux-Port and from 9:00 AM to 8:15 PM from the Minimes. The crossing costs €3.
By bike: Bike racks are available near the show entrance, along with Yélo self-service bike stations. Bicycles and scooters are prohibited inside the show grounds.
On-site
The show is accessible to people with reduced mobility: three wheelchairs are available for loan from Yélo at the entrances, and there is a mobile ramp and an assistance number displayed on-site. Dogs are allowed on a leash, though they are not recommended on the pontoons. Strollers are permitted but must be left empty at the top of the pontoons. Sea trials can be booked directly with the exhibitors.
Contact
Grand Pavois Organisation — Phone: 05 46 44 46 39 — Email: [email protected] — Website: grand-pavois.com
The benchmark European boat show
Created in 1973, the Grand Pavois de La Rochelle has established itself as one of the largest on-water boat shows in Europe. Every year in September, the Port des Minimes hosts over 700 boats and hundreds of exhibitors to present the latest innovations in pleasure boating.
A major boating event
The show brings together all players in pleasure boating: shipyards, equipment manufacturers, accessory suppliers, insurers, and nautical services. It's a unique opportunity to discover and test the latest models of sailboats, motorboats, and catamarans.
For professionals and the general public
The Grand Pavois welcomes both industry professionals during dedicated days and the general public passionate about sailing. The show also offers activities, conferences, and demonstrations on the water.
Where does it take place — Grand Pavois
Grand Pavois in brief
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