Beautiful scenery, great sailing and fabulous seafood

The 2016 OK Dinghy World Championship will be held in Quiberon, a peninsula located in the Morbihan department of southern Brittany, on the Atlantic coast of France.

It is situated in the south of the Quiberon peninsula, the northern part being the commune of Saint-Pierre-Quiberon. It is mainly known as a seaside resort for French tourists during summer, and for its history of sardine production.

The Quiberon peninsula juts out into the sea for 14 km and is just 22 metres wide at its narrowest point. Its rugged coastline, sandy beaches, fishing villages and rich cultural history, has made the Quiberon Peninsula a very popular tourist destination.

La Société des Régates de Saint Pierre Quiberon (SRSP) has a cosy base with direct access to the Kerbourgnec beach. It is also an FFV National Sailing School for windsurfers, dinghies and catamarans and has hosted many prestigious regattas and championships.

The sailing area is sheltered from the open Atlantic by the peninsula and a few islands to the south of the peninsula.

The west coast of the peninsula is called the Côte Sauvage – the wild coast, as the next land to the west is Newfoundland and here the waters of the Bay of Biscay can be wild indeed. The east coast, where the sailing area is, can deliver perfect sailing conditions, already experienced by many OK sailors during the 2013 Pre-European regatta and the 2013 Europeans in Carnac, which is located along the coast from Quiberon, but on the same waters.

Apart from great sailing conditions, the area is also known for its fabulous cuisine. The quality of its seafood is second to none in the world. Port Maria used to be France’s principal sardine fishing port and around 200 fishing boats are still there.

Elsewhere the region offers great natural surroundings, hidden caves, arches and coves, rich in flora and fauna, with a mix of dunes and heathland. There are the remains of a Roman fish farm and a Bronze Age fort, beaches for horse riding, land yachting and surfing, charming villages. St-Pierre-Quiberon is the main village with streets full of fish restaurants, chandlers’ shops, art galleries and boutiques.

The provisional dates are July 23-30. More information on the club (in French) at http://www.srsp.fr.