Fêtes Maritimes de La Rochelle, Les

A new maritime festival in France, les Fêtes Maritimes de La Rochelle!

The 2024 Maritime Festival of La Rochelle and Charente-Maritime, (FMLR) was the first event of this magnitude in this department of France, including music concerts, collections of sailing ships, dance, exhibitions and general festivities.

The 4-day festival, which ran from the 20th to the 23rd June 2024  included activities for young and old, concerts until late at night, with free access to the pontoons and exhibiting villages. This popular, family, cultural, educational and festive event brought together 125 old rigs: three-masts, classic yachts and heritage boats.

The Festival Association was created in 2022 out of the desire of several major partners in the city to create an exceptional event to make as many people as possible discover and enjoy the maritime nature and history of the area. The three ports of La Rochelle were the main donors followed by the Community of the wider La Rochelle area and the Department of Charente-Maritime.

The presence of its exceptional maritime heritage was considered to be an opportunity to present a wide range of activities, industries, companies, associations, training, the professions and the future of the transformation of the area, all connected with its common love and association with the sea. 

The organisers write, 

“By reviving a maritime and river history of several centuries that sleeps in us and that only asks to be revealed, we hope that these moments of emotion, joys and dreams will not only remain anchored in our memories but that they will also be, for many, a starting point for future collective or individual adventures.

In a few words, change our common view of this nourishing and cultural relationship earth sea, and revive in each of us, the pride of being “maritime” as indicated by the name of our beautiful department.”