BOAT-COMPARATOR Guide
Grand Pavois La Rochelle 2026: the boat show at France’s largest marina
From 22 to 27 September 2026, Port des Minimes hosts the Grand Pavois and the return of Éric Tabarly’s Pen Duick yachts. Why this 5,100-berth marina is the right base for the occasion.
From 22 to 27 September 2026, Port des Minimes in La Rochelle hosts the Grand Pavois, one of France’s major boat shows, with Japan as guest of honour and, as this edition’s highlight, the return of the four Pen Duick yachts sailed by Éric Tabarly — Pen Duick, Pen Duick II, III and V — reunited for the occasion.
France’s largest marina, a fitting setting
Port des Minimes is no ordinary marina: with around 5,100 berths, it is France’s largest, well ahead of Port du Cap d’Agde, as covered in our ranking of the largest marinas. That scale is why the show can fit several hundred boats afloat every year without overwhelming the water.
Why people actually go to a boat show
A landmark US study on boat show attendance identified three distinct visitor profiles: serious buyers actively shopping for a boat, casual visitors drawn by the atmosphere and the event itself, and an in-between group that compares options without a firm plan (Park, Segmentation of Boat Show Attendees by Motivation and Characteristics: A Case of New York National Boat Show, Journal of Convention & Event Tourism, 2009, see the study on Google Scholar) — whichever one you recognise yourself in, whether comparing before a rental or just there for the Pen Duick spectacle.
Renting a boat during the show
La Rochelle remains an easy base for sailing during Grand Pavois week, between the Pertuis d’Antioche and Île de Ré. Expect the usual Atlantic ranges — €100-250/day for a license-free boat, €200-600/day for a RIB — and book ahead of show week, a period of high demand on the marina. Boat-Comparator compares live offers from Boataround, SamBoat and Click&Boat in La Rochelle.
Widening the trip
Beyond the show, our guide to La Rochelle, Île de Ré and Les Sables-d’Olonne covers the best outings on the Charente coast, from fine sand beaches to Fort Boyard offshore.
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