Tour du Roc à la Nage

Tour du Roc à la Nage: 60 years of open sea swimming in Granville

Since 1963, the Tour du Roc à la Nage has been one of the most emblematic sporting events in Granville and on the Manche coast. This open water swimming competition, which goes around the spectacular Pointe du Roc, has become a national benchmark for the discipline and a must-attend event for swimmers of all levels.

A legendary course in the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel

The main event of the Tour du Roc is a 5-kilometer open sea course. Swimmers start from the slipway of Granville's outer harbor, circumnavigate the Pointe du Roc—this granite promontory overlooking the upper town—and reach the Plat Gousset beach in an exceptional natural setting. The Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, with its currents and tides, among the strongest in Europe, offers a challenging and spectacular competition ground.

Events for all levels

The Tour du Roc takes place over a weekend and offers several distances accessible to different levels:

• 5 km (Saturday): the flagship event, a stage of the FFN open water swimming French Cup. Approximately 180 swimmers.
• 1,000 m (Sunday): race open from the Benjamin category.
• 500 m (Sunday): race accessible from the Avenir category.
• 4x1,000 m relay (Sunday): event for club teams.

A Granville sporting heritage

The Tour du Roc was created in 1963 by Max Avenel and Jean Fichepoil, two swimming enthusiasts who wanted to offer Granville an event worthy of its maritime heritage. Since then, the event has been organized annually by the Espérance Vaillante de Granville Natation (EVG), the city's historic club. In 2001, the Tour du Roc became an official stage of the French Swimming Federation's open water swimming French Cup, cementing its national reach.

A sporting and festive event

Beyond the competition, the Tour du Roc is a festive and friendly moment that brings together swimmers, families, and spectators on Granville's harbor and beaches. The event contributes to the sporting and tourist influence of this historic port city and is part of a weekend rich in activities.