Cercle Nautique de la Ria d'Etel

What Cercle Nautique de la Ria d'Etel does

Cercle Nautique de la Ria d'Étel (CNRE) is a French non-profit association (Association loi 1901) operating a multi-activity watersports club headquartered at the Pôle Nautique d'Étel in Brittany. Formed in 2013 through the merger of Cercle Nautique d'Étel and Kayak Club de la Ria d'Étel, the club delivers sailing, kayaking, stand-up paddle, wing foil, and scuba diving instruction and rental services across four operational bases (Étel, Sainte-Hélène, Saint-Cado, Plouhinec), with the Erdeven base closed for 2025–2026 due to environmental and safety constraints. Its customer base spans families and individual learners, primary/secondary schools, leisure centres, corporate clients (including Trecobat, Naval Group, Cegelec, and Celio for team-building events), and external scuba divers using its FFESSM-managed 19-person barge out of Étel.

The club's commercial model rests on five revenue streams: paid instructional stages and courses (unit pricing of roughly €136–€300 per course), equipment rentals (kayaks, paddle boards, sailing dinghies, catamarans, windsurfs), customized corporate team-building packages, recurring annual federation licences (FFV, FFCK, FFESSM), and prepaid gift vouchers (bons cadeaux). Reservations flow through the Axyomes third-party online platform for stages, outings, and gift vouchers, supplemented by telephone bookings for rentals and group enquiries. CNRE operates within a secured inland water basin and the open Ria d'Étel, leveraging state-qualified instructors and federation-backed safety frameworks as its primary quality differentiator.

CNRE's marketing presence is anchored on a website plus five social channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn), with the annual Fête de la Ria community event as its principal offline brand-building engine. The organization is governed by a 12-member Conseil d'Administration with an elected bureau (President Philippe Blanquet since May 2026), employs roughly 1–10 salaried staff including sailing, kayaking, and outdoor activities instructors, and benefits from institutional support partnerships with Région Bretagne, Département du Morbihan, AQTA, multiple local communes, and Handisport. The technology stack is light: no proprietary platform exists, and the Axyomes booking system is the core digital infrastructure.

Name

Cercle Nautique de la Ria d'Etel

Legal name

Cercle Nautique de la Ria d'Etel

Website

https://cercle-nautique-etel.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cercle Nautique de la Ria d'Étel (CNRE) is a French non-profit multi-activity watersports association offering sailing, kayaking, paddle, wing foil, and scuba diving instruction, equipment rentals, and corporate team-building across four bases around the Ria d'Étel estuary in Brittany. It serves families, schools, leisure centres, and corporate clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Watersports Instruction and Recreation

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Kayaking, Canoeing & SUP Tours (Guided/Paddling Excursions) (THAJAJAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Whitewater & Paddle Sports Centers (Rafting, Kayak, SUP, Canoe) (THAAAKAF), Water & Marine Guiding Services (Kayak, Canoe, Raft, SUP, Sailing) (THAAALAB), Kayaking, Canoeing & SUP Coastal Tours (THAAAIAF)

Keywords

• Sailing school services
• Kayak and paddle tours
• Scuba diving instruction
• Watersports equipment rental
• Corporate team building events

Headquarters

HQ city

Étel

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Stage and course fees: The primary revenue stream comes from paid instructional stages and courses in sailing, kayaking, paddle, wing foil, and diving. Fees are charged per session, multi-day course, or holiday package. Pricing varies by activity, duration, and participant age.
2. Equipment rental: The club rents kayaks, paddle boards, sailing dinghies, catamarans, and windsurf boards to independent users. Rentals are available at multiple bases (Etel, Sainte-Hélène, Saint-Cado) on a per-session basis.
3. Corporate team building packages: Customized group packages for entreprises and comités d'entreprise, combining guided activities (kayak, paddle polo, giant paddle, sailing) with meeting space and optionally catering.
4. Club membership (licences): Annual membership and sports licences (voile, kayak, plongée) provide recurring affiliation revenue, enabling members to participate in club activities and represent the club in federated competitions.
5. Gift vouchers (bons cadeaux): Pre-paid gift vouchers sold for stages and activities, representing pre-collection of future service revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Cercle Nautique de la Ria d'Etel (CNRE) is a non-profit watersports association offering sailing instruction (Optimist, catamaran, dinghy, windsurf, wing foil), sea kayaking and stand-up paddle (guided tours, themed outings, courses, rentals), and scuba diving (baptisms, training, exploration dives). Services are delivered across four operational bases on the Ria d'Etel estuary (Étel, Sainte-Hélène, Saint-Cado, Plouhinec), targeting families, individuals, schools, leisure centres, and corporate groups.

Product overview

Cercle Nautique de la Ria d'Etel (CNRE) is a multi-activity associative nautical club offering a comprehensive portfolio of water sports services across four bases (Etel, Sainte-Hélène, Saint-Cado, Erdeven). The core offerings include three main activities: sailing (école de voile) with programs from ages 4+ covering Optimist, Open Skiff, catamaran, funboat, windsurf, and wing foil; kayaking with sea tours, themed excursions (sunrise/sunset), stages, and rentals; and scuba diving with baptisms, training, and exploration dives. Additional services include equipment rentals, corporate team building packages, school group programs, and leisure center activities. The club operates a booking platform (Axyomes) for online reservations and hosts the annual Fête de la Ria community festival.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kayak Activities Sea kayaking activities including guided tours, themed outings (sunset/sunrise), discovery sessions, half-day hikes, multi-day stages, and kayak rentals across multiple bases (Étel, Sainte-Hélène, Saint-Cado, Plouhinec) for individuals, families, schools, and groups.
• École de Voile (Sailing School) Sailing school offering courses in Optimist, Open Skiff, catamaran (Topaz 14, Dart 16), funboat, windsurfing, and wing foil for participants from age 4, with progressive federated licence levels (jardin des mers, matelot, etc.).
• Plongée (Scuba Diving) FFESSM-governed scuba diving club offering baptisms, discovery packs, training, and exploration dives at sites including Le Magouer, Le Men Du, Le Vieux Passage, Porh Billiette, and Porh Niscop, with a 19-person barge-type boat departing from the port of Étel.
• Stand-up Paddle (SUP) Stand-up paddle activities including 1-hour discovery sessions, 2-hour hikes, giant paddle group experiences, paddle polo, and rentals available at Sainte-Hélène and Saint-Cado bases.
• Wing Foil Wing foil instruction and stages including discovery sessions (half-day), 3-session courses (3 demi-journées), and teen-specific programmes (ages 11–15) taught by specialised instructors at the Étel base.
• Equipment Rentals Self-guided equipment rental service offering kayaks, stand-up paddles, catamarans, windsurfs, and sailing dinghies, plus wetsuit hire, for independent navigation at multiple bases during the summer season.
• Corporate Team Building Packages Tailored group packages for entreprises and comités d'entreprise combining water activities (kayak, paddle polo, giant paddle, sailing, catamaran, treasure hunts) with meeting room and optional catering.
• School Group Programmes Educational nautical programmes for primary, middle, and high schools (écoles, collèges, lycées) including multi-session sailing cycles, discovery days, and environmental workshops aligned with EPS, SVT, and geography curricula from March to November.
• Leisure Centre Activities Half-day and full-day watersports discovery programmes for leisure centres (centres de loisirs), including kayaking, paddle, catamaran, windsurfing, fishing, and orientation activities for children aged 4 and up, led by qualified instructors.
• Club Membership and Sports Licences Annual membership and federated sports licences (FFV voile, FFCK kayak, FFESSM plongée) enabling members to participate in club activities and represent the club in federated competitions.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~500 participants engaged through open-day activities at a single annual event (Fête de la Ria 2026)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, core and minor.

• Aulona AuraysupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 June 2026Local partner that contributed to the 2026 Fête de la Ria event, providing support that enabled the distribution of Brets chips to all Descente de la Ria participants.
• La Belle-IloisesupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 June 2026Partner supporting the 2026 Fête de la Ria event.
• Escale Marine ÉtelsupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 June 2026Partner supporting the 2026 Fête de la Ria event.
• BretssupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 June 2026Snack brand that donated chips for all Descente de la Ria participants as part of the 2026 Fête de la Ria sponsorship.
• Fédération Française de Voile (FFV)coreOthersNational sailing federation providing the framework for the club's sailing school programmes, instructor certifications, and competitive licence standards. The club operates under FFV governance and uses FFV health questionnaires for member registration.
• Fédération Française de Canoë-Kayak (FFCK)coreOthersNational kayaking federation providing the framework for the club's kayak programmes, instructor certifications, and competitive licence standards. The club uses FFCK health questionnaires for member registration.
• Fédération Française d'Études et de Sports Sous-Marins (FFESSM)coreOthersNational diving federation governing the club's scuba diving section. The diving club operates as a FFESSM structure managed by volunteer qualified instructors.
• HandisportsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe club has a stated commitment to welcoming people with disabilities, with qualified instructors and appropriate equipment. Handisport partnership supports the inclusion agenda.
• Région BretagnesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional council providing institutional support to the club as part of its sports and tourism development policy for Brittany.
• Département du MorbihansupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerDepartmental council providing institutional support to the club as part of its sports development initiatives.
• Auray-Quiberon Terre Atlantique (AQTA)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerTerritorial collective supporting local nautical and tourism development in the Auray-Quiberon area.
• Commune d'ÉtelsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal municipality providing support and hosting the club at the Pôle Nautique d'Étel.
• Commune d'ErdevenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal municipality supporting the club's activities on its territory.
• Commune de BelzminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal municipality supporting the club's activities on its territory.
• Commune de Locoal-MendonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal municipality supporting the club's activities on its territory.
• Commune de Sainte-Hélène-sur-MerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal municipality supporting the club's base at Sainte-Hélène.
• AXYOMES SAScoreTechnology or IntegrationAXYOMES SAS (53 rue de Dinan, 29160 Crozon, RCS 824 453 088 Quimper) develops and manages the Axyomes reservation platform used by CNRE for online bookings of stages, kayak/paddle sessions, and gift vouchers. A critical technology partner enabling the club's direct digital sales.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• UCPA (Union nationale des Centres sportifs de Plein Air): France's largest multi-sport outdoor association, running watersports schools nationwide including sailing, kayaking, paddle and diving. Comparable to CNRE in offering multi-activity watersports instruction under federation governance, but at much larger national scale and with broader sport portfolio.

Others

• Fédération Française de Voile (FFV): National federation for sailing in France, governing CNRE's sailing school and licence framework. Ecosystem partner rather than competitor, but relevant as the institutional context for federated sailing clubs comparable to CNRE.
• Fédération Française de Canoë-Kayak (FFCK): National federation governing kayak and paddle disciplines in France. Not a direct competitor, but a governing partner for CNRE's kayak section and a useful comparison point for the structure of club affiliation and licence revenue.
• Fédération Française d'Études et de Sports Sous-Marins (FFESSM): National federation governing scuba diving activity in France. Governs CNRE's diving section; comparable federated diving clubs would be peer structures rather than competitors, but represent the broader competitive landscape for diving activity in Brittany.

Direct peers

• Les Glénans: Long-standing French non-profit sailing school federation offering FFV-governed courses at multiple coastal sites. Directly comparable to CNRE's sailing school and stage structure, with similar association status, multi-base model, and federation alignment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC-tcmJGOawZmno8rXRYKa5g
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cercle-nautique-ria-etel
• Instagraminstagram.com/cercle_nautique_ria_etel
• TikToktiktok.com/@cercle_nautique_ria_etel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Cercle Nautique de la Ria d'Etel