Our
com­mit­ments

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For the upcoming 17th edition, the TRANSAT CAFÉ L’OR Le Havre Normandie is stepping up its commitments to take better care of the earth’s climate and the natural, living planet. More than ever, the race aims to be innovative and a driving force for the transitions taking place in ocean racing. The Route du Café has decided to bring in new rules for both skippers and the organization which will collectively contribute to preserving the health and integrity of our planet.

KEY ISSUES

Racing

  • Return passage is by sail….mandatory for all classes.

  • Commitment prize awarded to the most virtuous team.

  • Press conference held in Le Havre, instead of Paris, on October 16.

  • Third edition of Cap pour Elles, with Aina Bauza and Axelle Pillain, in partnership with Engie.

Villages

  • CSR Charter dedicated to exhibitors.

  • Exclusive use of reusable cups and food containers.

  • Easier entry for visitors with disabilities.

  • Sustainable mobility challenge open to visitors who come to Le Havre using low-carbon modes of transport (train, carpooling, bicycle, bus, coach, etc.)

 

In 2011, the TRANSAT CAFÉ L’OR Le Havre Normandie was recognized as an eco-responsible and eco-designed event by ADEME. Today, aware of the importance of taking local action to address global climate and environmental challenges, the organization, through its CSR strategy, is aligned with the United Nations 2030 Agenda and strives to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

EVERYONE'S COMMITMENT

To reduce the race's carbon footprint, the TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR is focusing on teamwork. Each skipper and their team will sign a commitments appendix, including:

  • A mandatory return back across the Atlantic under sail for all classes to eliminate the need for the use of heavily polluting cargo ships.

  • The mandatory completion of a carbon calculator, shared with other races, to better identify the highest CO2-emitting sources.

  • A ban on all discharges at sea, particularly plastic waste.

  • A commitment award will be presented to the most virtuous crew, recognizing their involvement in the race and their innovative projects for the planet.

Annexe commitment

The members of the organization will also sign a CSR charter, reiterating the values they commit to upholding at each stage of the event, in terms of respect and ethics, of environmental responsibility, of social commitment, as well as innovation and progress. As part of this, the organization is committed to improving its carbon footprint and supporting environmental projects that help counter the effects of climate change:

  • The skippers' presentation press conference will be held in Le Havre, the day before the village opens, to avoid unnecessary and sometimes polluting travel to Paris.

  • The TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR organization is renewing its financial support for the Asso-MER association (Marine Environment Protection Association in Martinique) for its coral reef cuttings affected by bleaching.

Finally, to continue highlighting the increasing participation of women in ocean racing, the Cap pour Elles project, created by the organization, supported by ENGIE, and sponsored in 2025 by French astronaut Claudie Haigneré, is returning for a third consecutive season with the all-female duo Aina Bauza and Axelle Pillain.

As a scientific astronaut, I learned that all forms of exploration (whether oceanic, space, or inland) are binding. As patron of the TRANSAT CAFÉ L’OR, I am deeply honored to support an adventure that embodies the values of responsibility, diversity, and transmission. The race's commitment to preserving the marine environment, to promoting the visibility of women in great human adventures, and to educating younger generations through inspiration and stories of surpassing oneself, fully echoes my own trajectory. The ocean, like space, is a fragile and demanding common good, full of beauty and the unknown. Making it a place of awakening respect and justice means opening a path toward a more lucid and united future. You demonstrate that we can reconcile performance, sobriety, and meaning. And it is this alliance that I enthusiastically support alongside you.
Claudie Haigneré
CNES/ESA astronaut, patron of the TRANSAT CAFÉ L’OR Le Havre Normandie and the Cap pour Elles project

AN ECO-RESPONSIBLE, INCLUSIVE, AND EDUCATIONAL VILLAGE

On land, TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR encourages all its partners and suppliers to make their practices even more environmentally friendly. Exhibitors present in the villages of Le Havre and Martinique will be required to sign a CSR commitment charter before opening their stands. They will therefore have to comply with new rules:

• Favor short supply chains for healthier, more local food.

• Mandatory sorting of biowaste to enable its recovery.

• Use washable and reusable containers for drinks and food (Le Havre village).

For people with disabilities, the Le Havre village will offer simplified entry. This system, along with the Daniel Colliard footbridge, which will be inaugurated in 2023, will provide a better experience, closer to the boats.

Finally, in Le Havre and Martinique, the village will highlight Positive Initiatives through a program of conferences, testimonials from committed skippers, and educational activities. Science and exploration will be particularly in the spotlight thanks to our partners: IFREMER and CNES, as well as our patron, astronaut Claudie Haigneré, and our godfather, explorer Matthieu Tordeur. The full program of the thematic days will be unveiled in September.

IMPACTFUL ACTIONS

By 2023, 70% of greenhouse gas emissions and greenhouse gas emissions of the event were related to travel. In 2025, decarbonizing our mobility is a priority!

The public will be invited to join this collective effort through a Sustainable Mobility Challenge, sponsored by explorer and adventurer Matthieu Tordeur (replacing the 2023 Green Ticket). Visitors arriving by train, bus, bicycle, scooter, or any other low-carbon mode of transport will be able to enter a competition and win numerous prizes.

To attend the start without polluting or disrupting marine biodiversity, the organization is offering a brand new program for professionals. In partnership with Tip & Shaft, companies can reserve a movie theater to show the start on a giant screen for their partners and guests on October 26! This program will be available in Île-de-France, Brittany, and Normandy. A unique on-land experience that will help limit pollution from the often excessive number of motorboats at sea off the coast of Le Havre.

I do like slowness, taking my time. We reconnect honestly and truly with nature. Come by bike or on foot, follow the rhythm of time.What I like about soft mobility is that it encourages you to slow down. To take your time. Some of my greatest adventures have been on foot, crossing the Pyrenees from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, cycling on the roads of France, kayaking down the Seine, or skiing to reach the South Pole… These are ways of getting around “by fair means,” as the English say—without an engine, just using your own power. And that changes everything. We reconnect with space, time, and nature. We move at the pace of the world, we see things more clearly, we feel things more deeply. Soft mobility isn't just a practical or ecological choice, it's also a different way of being in the world.
Matthieu Tordeur
Adventurer and sponsor of the TRANSAT CAFÉ L’OR Le Havre Normandie and the Sustainable Mobility Challenge