Sailing, sailing schools

Sailing schools affiliated to the Fédération Française de voile (F.F.V., French Sailing Federation) are the perfect place to learn this sport, as in these schools the training is given by qualified instructors and the equipment has to meet the strictest standards. There are many of these schools along the coast, offering different packages. For example, a course for small sailing boats generally organised during the school holidays and lasting a week. Depending on your age, size, experience and desires you can sail an optimist, a two-person centreboarder, a catamaran or a team yacht. At the end of the week you will be given the ‘Passeport Voile Poitou-Charentes’ (Poitou-Charente Sailing Passport). Courses for children are available and come in two different types; the ‘sea gardens’ which offer a fun approach to discovering the sea environment coupled with sea expeditions and games and the ‘young sailors’ where children from the age of 5 have fun discovering the principles of navigation: balance, direction, propulsion, orientation and safety. The schools also offer courses on liveaboards – yachts.

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