To launch the summer season, the festivities will begin on Friday 3rd June 2022 with the Grand Parade of the 2020 Vendée Globe Skippers, to celebrate these men and women of the sea.

This parade will take place on the Remblai in Les Sables d'Olonne. It will begin from Place de Strasbourg from 9.30pm to Casino des Atlantes and will be punctuated by a firework display visible from the Grande Plage.   

A privileged moment of sharing between the public and the skippers who have made them dream of the open sea during this time of pandemic and confinement.  

The Grand Parade of the Vendée Globe Skippers « The challenge of the 4 elements »  

The Grand Parade, staged by the Maindron Production teams, who are well known for organising the Poupet Festival, will featur who are well known for organising the Poupet Festival, will feature a parade of street companies and floats on the theme of the four elements:  

• Land. Our skippers have left and found the almost alien land after more than 80 days at sea. Solid, sturdy. His float will be accompanied by huge stilt walkers performing acrobatic dances.  
• Water. Great, beautiful, but also often fiery, indomitable and uncompromising for its lovers, the sea will of course have its place in the parade. This tableau will be composed of a procession of marine animals and sparkling stars.  
• Fire. Close to the roaring 40s, lightning and the storm in the night... Flames and special effects will impress young and old. The levitating musicians will give off an atmosphere of metal, smoke and flames.  
• Air. The air of the gusts, the air that pushes towards the finish. His float will be in second place, topped with sails that catch the winds. Percussionists, singers and dancers will transmit a generosity and a communicative energy that will not leave the public indifferent!  

The Grand Parade will end with the assembly of a multicoloured finale, a monumental, surreal and magical light installation... inviting the public to come down to the Grande Plage in Les Sables d'Olonne for the fireworks display that will close the event.  

The "Around the world in 80 days" fireworks  

The pyromusical show, an original creation by the Jacques Couturier Organisation fireworks teams, will be a magical retracing of the key moments of the 2020 Vendée Globe, and will be visible from the Grande Plage in Les Sables d'Olonne.  

The spectator will be transported by the moving fireworks, along the entire length of the pier. A visual and sound experience that will make the skies over Les Sables d'Olonne, the city of the Vendée Globe, a sanctuary.  

Want a sneak preview? Here is the Best-Of video of the Closing Parade of the VG2016: