Fou de Bassan: 3 years around the world in Allures 51.9

" One day we'll go around the world ".

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‍WhenDominique met Véronique, he was already sailing quite a lot. His grandfather, a naval officer, introduced him to sailing as a child. Véronique, however, is not a fan of the sport. However, before getting married, he proposed: " One day we'll sail around the world ", and she didn't say no. Professional life caught up with them, he a company director in the Paris region, she an ENT doctor. They have ties with Brittany, in North Finistère, and the sea is never far away. Dominique continues to sail a little, from time to time. In 2017/2018, he will be racing in a transatlantic race with his brother-in-law, the Transquadra. And when Dominique hands over his business in 2019, Véronique knows that it will soon be time for their departure: " It was his childhood dream, so there was a time when we had to go for it!

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Dominique set out to find the ideal sailboat. He wanted it to be comfortable and safe, made of aluminum, so that Véronique could feel at ease. Big enough to welcome family on stopovers, to store water sports equipment, but above all to be easy to handle for two. And a centerboarder, to get into the Pacific atolls, would be even better. Allures Yachting has just presented the plans for its new Allures 51.9It's going to be this one!

What's more, the Grand Large Yachting group is organizing its first round-the-world rallie , the World OdysseyThey see it as an opportunity to sail even more safely, and to make new friends. But the departure takes place in September 2021, and the boat, the first in the series, will be delivered just a few weeks before the start. Three years on, Dominique is still convinced of his choice:

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"I'll take the same boat again! This boat is super comfortable, super safe and easier to handle than a catamaran, especially on long crossings and in harbors.

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‍Andapprehension disappears

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‍" I think when you cast off, you can be a little apprehensive about the unknown. We hardly knew the boat at all. We knew we were embarking on something, without knowing exactly what it would be. Gradually, we got the hang of it. And then there's no apprehension at all. Dominique, who has always loved technique, soon knows everything about his boat, and is happy at sea and at stopovers. Véronique admits that she needed more time to adapt, and was initially happier to arrive at stopovers than to leave them. But she gained confidence and really found her pleasure in the adventure:

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" I never thought I'd make it around the world so easily.

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Today, she even feels a touch of personal pride, quite legitimate, at having completed this round-the-world trip with Dominique! They quickly found their rhythm on board. On the long crossings, they split the night watches in two: Véronique stays up until 2 a.m., after which Dominique takes over. Then the days are finally full: the weather, reading, cooking, " and also just the pleasure of being there, meditating as you let yourself be rocked by the wind and the waves ", says Dominique. Véronique reads a lot, the Fou de Bassan is overflowing with books. She writes a blog, and their friends and family patiently await the new articles and accompanying photos. They also enjoy receiving their families, children and grandchildren on stopovers. On some crossings, too. One of their daughters even spent 3 months on board with her children in Tahiti. And everyone met up again in South Africa for a southern Christmas party.

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The pleasure of discovery

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‍Whatmost motivated Véronique, who is very curious by nature, was discovering new cultures. Before visiting each country, she learns all she can about it: the meaning of the flag, political institutions, cultural highlights, gastronomy, the economy... Visiting so many countries in 3 years was a real passion for her. Dominique too:

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" Travelling is about discovering others, meeting people, cultures and countries. I'm always fascinated by the cultures we meet.

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Dominique admits that by joining the rallie World Odysseyhe was worried that he'd find himself in an overly constrained environment, and " in fact, the environment is extremely free, and the friendships you make with the other participants are really great. Sometimes we follow slightly different itineraries, we don't see each other for a month or two, and then when we do it's really nice to meet up with people we know who are going through the same thing as us ". For Véronique, it was also reassuring to sail around the world with several boats. And, just like Dominique, she appreciated the new friendships she made with people of different nationalities: " In the end, during these 3 years, we spent more time with our friends on the rallie than with our long-standing friends ashore ".

Even if it annoys them a little (because everyone asks them), we obviously asked them what their favorite ports of call had been: Véronique was astonished by Namibia and loved all the stopovers with her family. Dominique loved the trip, but if she had to pick just one stopover, the arrival at Nuku Hiva was extraordinary after 17 days at sea, and the Lau (Fiji) with its isolated islands is very endearing.

Both at sea and on land, their complementarity and complicity are obvious. While Dominique was at the origin of the project, it's clear that Véronique has also found her place in it.

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" It's really an extraordinary journey, it's beyond anything I'd imagined! "

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And at the rallie's closing evening in Ponta Delgada, he emotionally thanked Véronique, " his best teammate ", for the 3 years of happiness spent together on the seas around the globe.

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Watch their video testimonials

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