Route du Rhum start 2026: 115 boats set off at 1.02pm on Sunday, where to watch and how to follow the race

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The Route du Rhum start takes place on Sunday 1 November 2026 at 1.02pm, off Saint-Malo in Brittany. In total, 115 solo sailors are heading for Pointe-à-Pitre, in the French Caribbean region of Guadeloupe. Moreover, six classes of boat share a single start line, from giant Ultim trimarans to older Vintage yachts. Here are the timing, the best viewpoints on land, the forecast and the ways to follow the race across the Atlantic.

What time is the Route du Rhum start?

First, the starting gun is due at 1.02pm (French time) this Sunday, off Saint-Malo, near the Pointe du Grouin headland. The organisers have confirmed this on the official race website. In fact, the only fixed deadline for the sailors is to be on the line at that exact time.

The rules are strict, too: each skipper must be alone on board four minutes before the start. Then the fleet sails west along the coast, before setting course for Guadeloupe.

This is also the 13th edition of the single-handed transatlantic race. It links the old privateer port of Saint-Malo with Pointe-à-Pitre, a distance of around 6,542 kilometres according to Le Figaro Nautisme.

How many boats are racing, and in which classes?

According to the organisers, 115 sailors are taking part. Specifically, they are split into six classes that share one start line:

• Ultim, the largest and fastest multihulls;
• IMOCA, the monohulls of the Vendée Globe;
• Ocean Fifty, 50-foot trimarans;
• Class40, 40-foot monohulls;
• Vintage Multi and Vintage Mono, for older boats.

However, one difference matters when you follow the race. Weather routing, meaning help from a shore team, is banned for monohulls. By contrast, it is allowed for multihulls, under the rules recalled by the organisers.

Where can you watch the Route du Rhum start from land?

In practice, the headlands overlooking the sea give the best views. At the previous edition, in 2022, the Saint-Malo tourist office (the local visitor information service) listed several spots:

• the Pointe du Grouin, in Cancale, closest to the line;
• the Pointe du Meinga and Pointe du Grand Nez, in Saint-Coulomb;
• the Pointe de la Varde, in Saint-Malo;
• the Pointe du Décollé, in Saint-Lunaire, and the Pointe de la Garde Guérin, in Saint-Briac;
• Cap Fréhel, where the boats round a buoy after the start.

Be careful with access, though. In 2022, only emergency services could use the road to the Pointe du Grouin. Visitors therefore had to walk about 5 kilometres from the edge of town. Similarly, shuttles served Cap Fréhel from car parks in Plévenon and Fréhel. The 2026 arrangements may differ, so check with the local councils before you set off.

What can you see in Saint-Malo on race day?

Before the race, the boats left the harbour basins through the locks, class by class. Thus the Ultims left on Friday evening, followed by the IMOCAs, Ocean Fiftys and Vintage boats on Saturday. Finally, the Class40s pass through the locks early on Sunday morning. In addition, grandstands surround the locks, according to the organisers.

The free race village covers nearly 70,000 m² along the quays and has been open since 20 October, according to the IMOCA class. French readers will find more detail in our article on the Saint-Malo village.

What is the weather forecast for the Route du Rhum start?

The forecast published on 29 October by Le Figaro Nautisme points to a moderate north-easterly wind of 8 to 10 knots. It should be dry, around 13°C, with a fairly calm sea at the start. Further out, in the western Channel, waves could reach 1 to 1.5 metres.

This steady breeze should therefore allow a clean start. Nevertheless, forecasts can change, so check the marine weather on the morning itself before heading to the coast.

How can you follow the race to Guadeloupe?

France Télévisions, the French public broadcaster, is covering the start, according to the official Route du Rhum website. After that, the organisers publish the tracker and rankings online throughout the crossing.

How long will it take? The race record belongs to Charles Caudrelier. In 2022, aboard the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, he reached Pointe-à-Pitre in 6 days, 19 hours, 47 minutes and 25 seconds. So the first Ultims could arrive towards the end of next week, weather permitting. The smaller boats, on the other hand, will take much longer.

What does the race bring to local areas?

Finally, the race involves both sides of the Atlantic. In 2022, more than 300,000 people visited the three finish villages in Guadeloupe, according to Le Figaro Nautisme. As for Saint-Malo, the start village draws large crowds for almost two weeks at every edition. If you are driving home today, see our guide to the hours to avoid on French roads.

Route du Rhum start: key takeaways

• The start is on Sunday 1 November 2026 at 1.02pm, off Saint-Malo;
• 115 solo sailors in six classes are racing to Pointe-à-Pitre;
• Headlands from the Pointe du Grouin to Cap Fréhel offer the best views;
• A moderate north-easterly wind of 8 to 10 knots is forecast;
• France Télévisions is broadcasting the start;
• The race record is 6 days and 19 hours (2022).

Sources: Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe, « Tout ce qu’il faut savoir sur le départ »; IMOCA class; Le Figaro Nautisme (forecast of 29 October 2026 and 2022 review); Saint-Malo tourist office (2022 spectator guide). Sources consulted on 1 November 2026. Featured photo: Olivier Rouge / Unsplash.