The Solitaire du Figaro Paprec 2026 is revealing itself a little more to the sailors with a finish in Normandy.
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Less than three months before the start of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec 2026, OC Sport Pen Duick brought together in Lorient the sailors who will be competing in the 57th edition, which will set sail from Perros-Guirec on May 17th. From favorites like Hugo Dhallenne (Skipper Macif 2025) and Arno Biston (Article.1), to rookies Marie Gendron (KEREIS SNCF Voyageurs) and Paul Loiseau (Région Bretagne - CMB Espoir), and including those making their grand return, Yoann Richomme (Paprec) and Nicolas Lunven (PRB), all gathered at the invitation of the organizing company of the one-design race. The candidates for the 2026 edition had the opportunity to speak with Yann Chateau, race director of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec, and begin to envision the course that will see them compete from May 17th to June 7th between the northern coasts of Brittany and Normandy, via Vigo (Spain) and Pornichet. A productive morning that also allowed them to discover the poster for this new edition.
Route: the route is becoming clearer with a final finish in Normandy
Announced last December , Perros-Guirec will be the starting point for the 2026 Solitaire du Figaro Paprec. After final preparations on the Pink Granite Coast, the Figaro sailors will set off for Spain, specifically Vigo, for a start tailored by the Race Director. “Leg 1, departing from Perros-Guirec, will begin with a crossing of the English Channel towards the Wolf Rock lighthouse, located between the southwest tip of England and the Isles of Scilly,” explains Yann Château. “This will be followed by a long offshore leg of almost 500 nautical miles across the Bay of Biscay, finishing in Vigo.” After a few days' stopover in the Galician port, the second leg will take them to Pornichet. “For leg 2, the Figaro sailors will return to a shorter 450-nautical-mile leg that will directly link Vigo to Pornichet. The start will be particularly coastal, with the exit from the Pontevedra estuary, navigating the various islands of Spanish Galicia, and rounding Cape Finisterre.” Finally, after Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue last year, Normandy will once again host the finale of the 2026 Solitaire du Figaro Paprec. While the exact location will be confirmed very soon, the main outlines of this final chapter have already been established. “In conclusion, leg 3 will be more technical with several course marks, offering varied segments and the opportunity for several options on each leg of the course,” announces Yann Château. “First, the skippers will reach the “BXA” mark at the mouth of the Gironde estuary, before heading towards the Iroise Sea where they will have to round the western shore of Sein. The rest of the course will take them to the Eddystone lighthouse in Cornwall, England, where they will prepare for a final, very open leg towards Normandy, either by following the English coast or by joining the French coast at the tip of the Cotentin peninsula.”
A course that's sure to delight sailors, who will find all the elements that make the Solitaire du Figaro Paprec so challenging and demanding, as confirmed by Yoann Richomme (Paprec), who is making his grand return this year: “A Solitaire du Figaro Paprec course that goes abroad is definitely one that suits me well! The crossings of the Bay of Biscay are the sections most likely to create gaps, the most conducive to weather-related options. It's always the most interesting part, and I like it when the course sections are open. We finish with a short foray into the English Channel, which is always so enjoyable. There's so much to do in this geographical area, between the lighthouses, the rocks, the TSS (Traffic Separation Scheme), and the currents. I think it's a great course for having fun!”
The sailors already have the open sea in mind.
For the past few weeks, the Figaro sailors have been back in the water with their one-design boats and back to training. This weekend, the first event of the season, the Solo Guy Cotten , held in Concarneau, marked the start of full-scale preparations for La Solitaire au Figaro Paprec. This major event in 2026 is already known to attract both established stars of the circuit and newcomers. For her first participation, Marie Gendron doesn't hide her excitement: “I feel a bit like I'm in the big leagues. I come from the Mini 6.50 class, where it's a mix of amateur, semi-amateur, and semi-pro. Now I'm 100% with the pros. For me, it's already a huge privilege and a great source of pride to be here. It's also a new experience. I'm letting go of some of my apprehension because I tell myself that as a rookie, I'm allowed to make mistakes. But I know that many here are capable of keeping a spinnaker up in strong winds. I hope I can maintain that pace on the water and be like them!” Hugo Dhallenne shares this enthusiasm, and we know he has the stature and ambition to add his name to the list of winners of the event: “With two crossings of the Bay of Biscay on the program, it's going to be interesting strategically, followed by a short section in the English Channel which will also be very enjoyable tactically. I hope we'll have some coastal sailing, some upwind sailing to get our hands dirty. The goal will be to do well and have fun. The winter went well, the boats are fast, we're in good shape. Let's go, let's do it!”
A strong visual identity for the 2026 poster
It's the visual signature of a race, the one that greets the eye before the photos of a fleet gathered on the starting line, before the first images of the solo sailors in the last light of evening, before the snapshots shared from onboard. The official poster for La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec was unveiled this Friday morning to the sailors and partners of the race. The warm colors of summer, solo sailors, a choppy sea illustrating the physical and mental demands of the race—nothing is missing from this illustration by OC Sport Pen Duick, which will accompany the race, the competitors, and the partners for the coming weeks. “We are delighted to unveil this poster today, officially launching the countdown, less than three months before the start from Perros-Guirec on May 17,” says Julie Coutts, Managing Director of OC Sport Pen Duick. “This 2026 edition, which will run until June 7, promises to be exciting and challenging, with an ambitious course combining offshore sailing and technical navigation. We are thrilled to welcome back this very promising new cohort of sailors for La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec, comprised of both established favorites and rising stars who will bring this race to life at its highest level.”
