cnlorient

What cnlorient does

Centre Nautique de Lorient (CNL) is a French non-profit sailing association (loi 1901) founded in 1973 and headquartered at Quai Éric Tabarly in Lorient, Brittany. It operates as a community-based sailing club delivering a broad portfolio of on-water activities — habitable sailing, J80 fleet sailing, dinghy and catamaran sailing (Optimist, windsurf, windfoil), sea rowing (aviron de mer), motorboat licensing (permis bateau), navigation school courses, and an inclusive Handivalide program — alongside a bar/restaurant and corporate hospitality offering. The club is the sole French holder of the "Club de Performances d'Accession Nationale" label awarded by the Fédération Française de Voile (FFV) and was named "Meilleur club sportif 2022" by FFV, anchoring its positioning in competitive and performance sailing.

CNL's business model is membership- and event-led. Roughly 20% of its €1,084,580 annual budget comes from public partners, with the balance generated through FFV licenses, individual and family memberships, training and course fees, regatta organization (including the Atlantique Le Télégramme E.Leclerc race and the Interface Concept Race), corporate sponsorship packages, and on-site bar/restaurant revenue. Its customer base spans recreational members, competitive sailors, school groups, the disability community, and corporate clients purchasing Afterwork and team-building packages. The organization runs on approximately 14 full-time-equivalent staff and is governed by an elected board led by President Alain Le Bellour, who in 2026 also took the presidency of regional federation Lorient Grand Large, deepening CNL's role within the Lorient maritime ecosystem.

Name

cnlorient

Legal name

Centre Nautique de Lorient

Website

https://cnlorient.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Centre Nautique de Lorient is a French non-profit sailing club founded in 1973, offering recreational and competitive sailing, training, regattas, inclusive Handivalide programs, and corporate packages to members, schools, and businesses from its Quai Éric Tabarly base.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sailing Club and Nautical Sports Services

NAICS

Marinas (713930)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Sailing & Water Sports Teams/Clubs (Sailing, Rowing, Surfing) (MPAKABAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sailing Experiences (Lessons, Regattas, Day Sails) (THAJAJAG)

Keywords

• Sailing club services
• Nautical sports training
• Boat licensing courses
• Sailing regatta organization
• Corporate sailing events

Headquarters

HQ city

Lorient

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership and Licenses: Annual memberships and FFVoile sailing licenses for individual members
2. Regatta Organization: Organization of major sailing events including Atlantique Le Télégramme E.Leclerc and other competitions, generating entry fees and sponsorships
3. Training and Courses: Boat licensing courses (Permis Côtier, Permis Hauturier), sailing school programs, and corporate training packages
4. Bar and Restaurant: On-site bar providing food and beverage services to members and event participants
5. Corporate Events: Team-building sailing events and corporate packages for companies

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Centre Nautique de Lorient (CNL) is a multi-discipline sailing club offering sailing memberships, navigation school courses (FFV Levels 1-4), boat license training (côtier and hauturier), regatta organization, youth development programs (Optimist, catamaran, windsurf), and inclusive Handivalide sailing. The club also delivers corporate team-building packages and operates an on-site bar and restaurant.

Product overview

Centre Nautique de Lorient (CNL) is a comprehensive nautical sports club and sailing school offering a diverse portfolio of water activities and services. The organization operates as a multi-discipline aquatic center with core sailing programs spanning habitable sailing, one-design fleet racing (J80), youth Optimist and catamaran training, windsurfing and windfoiling, kitefoil, and sea rowing. CNL provides professional training through its navigation school (Ecole de navigation) and offers boat licensing courses (permis bateau côtier and hauturier). The club features an inclusive handivalide section combining disabled and able-bodied sailors. For corporate clients, CNL provides team-building packages (Afterwork, Premium Afterwork) and full event organization services. The club is affiliated with FFVoile and organizes major regattas including L'Atlantique Le Télégramme E.Leclerc and hosts student regattas like the Interface Concept Race.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Atlantique Le Télégramme E.LeclerccoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor annual sailing event organized in partnership with Le Télégramme newspaper and E.Leclerc hypermarkets. The 2026 edition featured 35 boats at the Tour de Groix and is a flagship event for the club.
• Centre Leclerc de l'agglomérationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPrimary local sponsor providing support to the club alongside Le Télégramme.
• Interface ConceptcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerQuimper-based company specializing in high-performance embedded cards and systems for industrial and defense applications. Sponsors the Interface Concept Race regatta for engineering students.
• SNEFminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUpcoming partner as mentioned in the 2026 General Assembly report.
• Lorient Grand LargecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization responsible for offshore races like PLM 6.50 and Retour à La Base. Relies on CNL for sea logistics support. The CNL President Alain Le Bellour was elected President of Lorient Grand Large.
• Fédération Française de Voile (FFVoile)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational sailing federation providing licensing, competition framework, and official recognition to the club.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Fédération Française de Voile (FFVoile): National federation governing sailing in France, providing licensing, competition frameworks, and labels (including the 'Club de Performances d'Accession Nationale' held by CNL). Ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor, but shapes CNL's operating context.
• Lorient Grand Large: Strategic partner organization managing major offshore races (PLM 6.50, Retour à La Base) from Lorient, with shared leadership (CNL President also leads LGL). Comparable as a sibling maritime organization embedded in the same sailing ecosystem, but focused on ocean racing events rather than club membership.

Direct peers

• Société Nautique de Marseille: Historic Mediterranean sailing club affiliated to FFVoile, offering sailing school, fleet racing, and regatta organization. Comparable to CNL as a multi-discipline French sailing club with membership and event revenues.
• Cercle de la Voile de Paris: Paris-based FFVoile-affiliated sailing club offering fleet racing, training, and member activities. Comparable as a French sailing club with similar programming breadth and federation affiliation.
• La Rochelle Nautique: Atlantic coast French sailing club based in La Rochelle, FFVoile-affiliated, hosting competitive regattas and offering training programs. Directly comparable in geography, scale, and member-based sailing school model.
• Société des Régates de Brest: Major Breton sailing club headquartered in Brest, also affiliated to FFVoile and organizing major Atlantic regattas. Highly comparable as a regional French sailing club competing for members, sponsors, and event prestige in neighboring Brittany.

Broad incumbents

• Yacht Club de France: The most prestigious national sailing institution in France, with broader scope than a regional club but overlapping in federation role, elite events, and offshore race organization. Comparable as a higher-tier player in the same FFVoile ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/centrenautiquedelorient
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cnlorient

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about cnlorient