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Tour des Yoles

Tour des Yoles 2023

Passion, tradition and 
competition

The Tour des Yoles, or Tour des Yoles Rondes, is one of Martinique’s best-loved sporting events. Every year, for the last almost 40 years, the island’s best sailors have competed in this highly anticipated sporting competition, offering spectators a spectacular display and a euphoric atmosphere to add!

Who will cross the finish line first and succeed the 2023 winners, the URF-Chanflor crew, as champions?

What is a
Yole?

The yole ronde (literally meaning “round skiff” in English) is an iconic Martinican boat that originated in the 1940s.

Unlike other sailing vessels, the yole ronde has no keel or rudder.

To balance the nearly 10-meter long boat, crew members must perch off the hull on long movable wooden poles (known as Bwa dressés).  

Yole

Not Merely a Boat, A Sailing Masterpiece 

The Yole Ronde, A Precious Cultural Legacy

Today, the yoles used in competition are true masterpieces maneuvered by semi-professional athletes in a demonstration of strength, agility and coordination that makes an impressive spectacle to watch.

For some, the yole, which was traditionally used for fishing, might seem like a simple sailing boat. But it is really much more than that. Martinicans are deeply attached to this light, fast skiff that has sailed the island’s waters for generations, connecting people with the sea. 

Made by hand – most often with an axe using local wood from the trumpet tree – the yole ronde is the epitome of ancestral local savoir-faire both in its manufacture and in its handling.

Since December 17, 2020, Martinique’s yole has been officially listed in UNESCO’s Register of Good Practices for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage. This recognition rewards the efforts of the yole’s many enthusiasts and gives international exposure to the tradition. 

photo tour des yoles en Martinique Yoles_Martinique_1

All hands on
deck!

38TH TOUR DES YOLES RONDES - 2024
For a week, life on the entire island revolves around what has become the most anticipated nautical event of the year. For the 38th year of the event in 2024, the Sara-Autodistribution team won the Tour des Yoles Rondes.

 

The one question on everyone’s lips was who would succeed the previous year’s winner, the Yole Sara et AutoDistribution*? *Yoles are named after their sponsors.

In the end, it was the UFR-Chanflor boat from Le Robert that took victory, for the eleventh time, in the Tour des Yoles 2023. It was a moving win for the boat’s historic 60-year-old captain, Félix Mérine, for whom it was the last participation before retiring.

photo yoles en martinique Yoles Martinique
tour des yole fort de france

Useful info

How to watch it?

If you want to discover and watch this spectacular and unique-in-the-world regatta, you have two options: 

Onshore: Go to the seafront of one of the towns hosting either the start or arrival of a stage and join in the crowd of supporters who come to cheer their favorite teams along. 

At Sea: Book a place on a follower boat – this can be a sailing vessel or a motor boat depending on which you prefer – and enjoy the race action from the best seats in the house, out at sea, among the hundreds of boats that come to watch. 

Whichever way you choose to watch the competition, you’ll find the excitement to be contagious. So, come and marvel at the incredible sight of all the multi-colored sails and experience the warm and festive atmosphere of this amazing event. From the start line to the finish and all throughout the different Tour stages, you’ll be totally gripped.

And if you need even more convincing, the Tour des Yoles is one more unique opportunity to party in Martinique!

départ tour des yoles
depart tour des yoles

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