La Rochelle Nautique

What La Rochelle Nautique does

La Rochelle Nautique is an Association loi 1901 (French non-profit) sailing club headquartered at 20 avenue Antoine Albeau, Port des Minimes, La Rochelle, France. Founded in 2021 via the merger of the Société des Régates Rochelaises and the École de Voile Rochelaise, the club perpetuates over 150 years of combined sailing heritage and was named Club Sportif de l'Année 2024 by the Fédération Française de Voile. It is governed by a Conseil d'administration, affiliated to the FFV and agréée Jeunesse et Sport, and operates with approximately 15 permanent employees supplemented by 55+ volunteers coordinated for over 30 annual events.

The club runs a comprehensive portfolio of nautical programs organized around five pillars: (1) Stages Vacances — age-differentiated holiday courses (ages 4+ to adults) covering Optimist, catamaran, windsurf, and wing foil; (2) École de Voile and Nav' à la carte — year-round recreational and competitive sailing school; (3) Régates — club, regional, national, and international events including the flagship Semaine de La Rochelle Voile Légère (200+ boats, 300+ sailors in the 60th edition), National J70, and the Nacra 15 World Championship; (4) Formations — boat licensing (Permis Bateau), FFV Niveau 4, and CQPIV instructor certification; and (5) premium experiences — J/80 shared fleet (six boats, €250–€3,000), the Yacht Club bar/restaurant with 180° sea-view terrace, corporate incentive/team building, offshore racing (Course au Large), and a Base de Vitesse for high-speed sailing. Customers are predominantly individual members, families, and youth sailors, with a small B2B corporate segment.

Revenue is generated through annual membership subscriptions (adhésions), per-session course fees, J/80 fleet rental, certification programs, event hosting, and Yacht Club F&B sales. The technology stack is a WordPress website integrated with Axyomes (reservations/payments) and Fitogram (class booking), hosted on OVH, with Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn as marketing channels. The club is not a venture-backed business; it is a regulated non-profit association with no external investors, no disclosed funding, and no AI/ML capabilities.

Name

La Rochelle Nautique

Legal name

La Rochelle Nautique, Association loi 1901

Website

https://larochellenautique.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

La Rochelle Nautique is a French non-profit sailing club (Association loi 1901) at Port des Minimes in La Rochelle, serving individual members, families, and youth through sailing courses, regattas, certifications, J/80 shared fleet, and a Yacht Club bar/restaurant.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sailing Club & Nautical Education

NAICS

Marinas (713930), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Equipment Rental & Leasing, Nec (7359)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Sailing club services
• Sailing education programs
• Regatta organization
• Boat license training
• Yacht club hospitality

Headquarters

HQ city

La Rochelle

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees (Adhésions): Annual club membership subscriptions that provide access to sailing facilities, year-round programs, shared fleet, and member benefits including the Yacht Club bar and restaurant.
2. Boat rental (J80 fleet): The club owns six J80 sailboats available for rental to members. Pricing tiers include daily rental at €250, 3-day regatta package at €900, and World Championship rental (without sails) at €3,000.
3. Sailing lessons and stages: Vacation sailing programs (stages) for children, teenagers, and adults covering various disciplines (Optimist, catamaran, windsurfing, wing foil). Sessions run 5 days per week in 3-hour blocks, with multiple daily time slots in summer. Also includes on-demand private lessons and coaching.
4. Yacht Club bar and restaurant: The Yacht Club operates as an associative bar and restaurant open Wednesday through Sunday, generating revenue from food and beverage sales to members and event attendees.
5. Boat licensing and certifications: The club offers boat license (permis bateau) courses and certification programs including FFV Niveau 4 and CQPIV Moniteur instructor certification.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

La Rochelle Nautique is a French non-profit sailing club offering age-differentiated holiday sailing courses (Stages Vacances), year-round recreational and competitive sailing school (École de Voile), on-demand sailing sessions (Nav' à la carte), regatta hosting and participation, boat license training and FFV certifications, individual/group coaching, and a six-boat J/80 shared fleet for members, complemented by a Yacht Club bar/restaurant, offshore racing support, and team-building experiences.

Product overview

La Rochelle Nautique is a sailing club offering a comprehensive portfolio of nautical programs spanning the full customer lifecycle — from introductory holiday courses for young children (ages 4+) to elite offshore racing support. The core offerings are organized around five pillars: (1) Stages Vacances — age-differentiated holiday sailing courses; (2) Nav' à la carte and École de Voile — flexible and year-round sailing school programs (Voile Loisirs and Voile Compétition); (3) Régates and regatta services — club, regional, national, and international competitions including the flagship Semaine de La Rochelle Voile Légère and National J70; (4) Formation — boat licensing (Permis Bateau), Level 4 FFV certification, and CQPIV instructor qualification; and (5) Premium experiences — J/80 shared fleet (Flotte Partagée), Yacht Club bar/restaurant, incentive & team building, offshore racing (Course au Large), and Base de Vitesse. The club also hosts major international events such as the Nacra 15 World Championship and F18 European Tour acts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stages Vacances (Holiday Sailing Courses) Structured sailing courses during French school holidays for children (4–7 years), pre-teens (7–12), teens (12+), and adults, covering Optimist, catamaran, windsurf, and wing foil disciplines.
• Nav' à la carte On-demand flexible sailing sessions including ticket-based navigation (Nav' au ticket), custom navigation (Nav' sur-mesure), private lessons, and boat rental for individuals and groups outside structured course schedules.
• École de Voile (Sailing School) Year-round sailing school split into two tracks: Voile Loisirs (recreational sailing) and Voile Compétition (competitive sailing), covering dinghies and catamarans for all skill levels from beginner to competition.
• Régates (Regattas) Club regatta program including upcoming events, race calendars, results, volunteer opportunities, and participant registration for club-level to national and international competitions (National 29er, F18 European Tour, Nacra 15 World Championship, National J70, Merlu Cup).
• Formation Permis Bateau (Boat License Training) Boat driving license training courses (Permis bateau) enabling candidates to obtain official French sailing or motorboat licenses.
• Coaching Individual or group coaching sessions for sailors seeking to improve technique, prepare for competitions, or receive personalized instruction beyond standard course formats.
• J/80 Shared Fleet (Flotte Partagée) Shared six-boat J/80 sailing fleet allowing members to compete without owning a boat, available for daily dispatch (€250/day), 3-day regatta packages (€900 for GPEN/SPI OUEST/TELEGRAMME), and World Championship rental (€3,000 without sails). Boats are prepared and ready upon arrival, eliminating logistics for competitors.
• Yacht Club (Bar & Restaurant) Associative bar and restaurant open Wednesday to Sunday with a 180° sea-view terrace, serving as a social hub and events venue for club members and nautical enthusiasts.
• Incentive & Team Building Corporate sailing experiences designed for team building, incentive travel, and group outings; companies can book nautical activities for employees or clients.
• Course au Large (Offshore Racing) Offshore and blue-water sailing programs including participation support in major oceanic races such as the Mini Transat, Vendée Globe, Gascogne 45/5, and Transat Jacques Vabre; the club supports elite sailors and ocean racing projects.
• Base de Vitesse (Speed Base) High-speed sailing facility and training area focused on performance sailing, record attempts, and speed sailing disciplines such as windfoil and kiteboarding.
• Semaine de La Rochelle Voile Légère Flagship annual sailing event organized by the club, hosting national and international competitions across multiple dinghy and catamaran classes; the 2026 edition featured National 29er and F18 European Tour Act 2, and the 60th edition (2025) gathered 200 boats and over 300 sailors.
• National J70 Annual national-level J70 class championship hosted at the club; the 2025 edition featured approximately 20 crews competing over three days (June 20–22).
• Merlu Cup Annual regatta event organized by La Rochelle Nautique, part of the club's competitive calendar.
• CQPIV Moniteur (Sailing Instructor Qualification) Professional certification course for obtaining the CQPIV (Certificat de Qualification Professionnelle Instructor) sailing instructor qualification, enabling candidates to work as certified sailing monitors.
• Niveau 4 FFV (FFV Level 4 Certification) Advanced sailing certification course aligned with the French Sailing Federation (FFV) Level 4 competency framework, targeting experienced sailors seeking instructor-track qualifications.
• Wing Foil Stages New wing foil discipline offering introduced in 2024 as part of the Stages Vacances portfolio; available as 3-day Monday–Wednesday courses during summer and spring/Toussaint periods.

Quantifiable outcome

• Club Sportif de l'Année 2024 — top recognition from FFV
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• SuzukiminorOthers · 14 May 2026Event sponsor of the Semaine de La Rochelle Voile Légère 2026, contributing to the funding and support of one of the club's flagship annual events.
• Banque PopulaireminorOthers · 14 May 2026Event sponsor of the Semaine de La Rochelle Voile Légère 2026, providing financial and organizational support for the event.
• Région Nouvelle-AquitaineminorOthers · 14 May 2026Regional government sponsor of the Semaine de La Rochelle Voile Légère 2026, supporting the event as part of regional sports and tourism development initiatives.
• Département de la Charente-MaritimeminorOthers · 14 May 2026Departmental government sponsor of the Semaine de La Rochelle Voile Légère 2026, supporting sailing events as part of departmental sports promotion.
• SNSM (Société Nationale de Sauvetage en Mer)minorOthers · 14 May 2026Sea rescue organization providing safety support during regatta events organized by La Rochelle Nautique. Their presence ensures participant safety during water activities.
• AxyomescoreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party reservation and payment platform used by La Rochelle Nautique for online bookings, membership purchases, and activity registrations. Data is shared for order fulfillment and contract execution.
• FitogramcoreTechnology or IntegrationBooking module used for class and stage reservations. Integrates with the club's website for activity scheduling and participant management.
• Olivier Lhopez PhotographeminorOthersEvent photographer who documents regattas and sailing events for La Rochelle Nautique. Photos are shared with participants and used in club communications.
• Overlap ProductionminorOthersProduction partner that provides video/multimedia content for the club's events and communications.
• OVHcoreTechnology or IntegrationWeb hosting provider for larochellenautique.com, ensuring the club's digital platform remains operational for member bookings and communications.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Centre Nautique des Tourelles (CNTL): Paris-area sailing and rowing club offering lessons, stages, and competitive programs. Comparable as a French associative club delivering both recreational sailing courses and competitive racing for youth and adults.
• Cercle Nautique de La Rochelle: La Rochelle's other principal sailing club operating in the same harbor area. Directly comparable as a French sailing association offering stages, regattas, and shared fleet access in the same local market.

Broad incumbents

• Yacht Club de France: France's most prestigious sailing and yacht club, founded in 1867. Comparable as a French elite sailing membership organization offering regattas, racing pathways, and social club facilities at a coastal location.
• St. Francis Yacht Club: Major U.S. yacht club known for hosting international regattas, sailing school operations, junior development pathways, and a vibrant clubhouse/bar. Comparable as a membership-based sailing organization with elite event hosting and youth development emphasis.
• UCPA: Large French associative sports-vacation organization offering multi-sport stages including sailing, windsurfing, and wing foil across coastal centers. Comparable as a non-profit operator of paid nautical stages targeting youth and adults.
• Royal Yacht Squadron: Historic British yacht club combining elite membership, international regatta hosting, and sailing tradition. Comparable in prestige, event-organization capabilities, and the membership-driven operating model, though with a more exclusive profile.

Direct peers

• Société des Régates d'Antibes: French Riviera sailing club with similar profile: regatta organization, FFV affiliation, sailing school, and hosting of national/international keelboat and dinghy championships. Operates a comparable membership-plus-events revenue model.
• Société Nautique de Marseille: Historic French Mediterranean sailing club with a comparable membership model, regatta organization, and elite athlete development pipeline. Both clubs operate a sailing school, host national/international competitions, and emphasize competitive pathways.
• Cercle de la Voile de Paris: Historic Parisian sailing club with comparable structure, organizing regattas, providing coaching, and offering both recreational and competitive tracks. Similar FFV affiliation and member-based association structure.
• Les Glénans: France's most prominent non-profit sailing school association (loi 1901), offering beginner-to-advanced stages, instructor certifications, and club-based sailing across multiple sites. Closely comparable as a French associative sailing organization with educational programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• Xfacebook.com/LaRochelleNautique
• Facebookfacebook.com/LaRochelleNautique
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/la-rochelle-nautique
• Instagraminstagram.com/la_rochelle_nautique

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 La Rochelle Nautique