I am 44 years old; I was born on 28th March 1965 at Lamballe, Côtes d’Armor, France.

Professionally, I have been writing for Multihulls World for more than 10 years; I also contribute more occasionally to ‘Voile’ magazine and ‘L’Express’ (Relax News), and previously contributed to ‘Loisirs Nautiques’ magazine.   

I have also built two houses. I am married to Armelle Payer, naval architect, (DPLG-DPEA); we have two girls, Camille, (2½) and Apolline (7 months).

I have been sailing for more than 25 years. I have roamed the Mediterranean extensively, crossed the Atlantic eight times, (including seven times as skipper and four times singlehanded) on routes as varied as France – Spitsbergen – Brazil – France, France – West Indies and back, Lake Huron – Newfoundland – France; I have also sailed round the world (Atlantic Ocean, Panama Canal, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Red Sea, Suez Canal, Mediterranean), singlehanded, aboard a 25-foot (7.6m) sailing boat.

All these voyages were a result of my passion for sailing.

Sailing aboard some big racing multihulls

As part of my job as a journalist, or sometimes as a crew member (Geronimo) I have been lucky enough to have sailed aboard some of the most beautiful racing multihulls ever built in the world, including:   
 

Banque Populaire 5  (130-foot (40m) trimaran), skippered by Pascal Bidégorry; the biggest racing trimaran ever built, which has just beaten the record for crossing the Atlantic (in a little over 3 days and 15 hours) as well as that for the greatest distance covered in 24 hours, with 908 miles, representing an incredible average speed of nearly 38 knots.

Belgacom  (60-foot (18m) ORMA trimaran), skippered at the time by Jean-Luc Nélias, later re-named Gitana 11, which won the last Route du Rhum (in 7 days), skippered by Lionel Lemonchois.

Sopra Group  (60-foot (18m) ORMA trimaran) skippered by Antoine Koch.

Jean Stalaven  (50-foot (15m) trimaran), built and skippered by Pascal Quintin.

Gifi  (50-foot (15m) catamaran), skippered by Dominique Demachy.

A’Capella (43-foot (13m) trimaran), skippered by Charlie Capelle, who will probably be the man to beat in Class 3 in the 2010 Route du Rhum !

Orange 1  (105’ (32m) catamaran), skippered by Bruno Peyron, ex-Innovation Explorer.

Géronimo  (110-foot (34m) trimaran), skippered by Olivier de Kersauzon, aboard which I dreamed of winning the Jules Verne Trophy, the record for a crewed circumnavigation.

Why the Route du Rhum ?

After sailing aboard these fabulous ocean-racing multihulls and being present at the start of all the races, the moment has arrived when being a simple spectator at the event is not enough, and the desire to take part in the festival has become a necessity: to race the Route du Rhum.

See the clip of the launch of the Route du Rhum - La Banque Postale, on December 3rd, 2009