Lorient La Base is a port like no other. It was built as a German submarine base during World War II, with massively reinforced submarine pens that have bombproof concrete roofs of up to 7.5m thickness.
The south Breton harbour is now home to some of the world’s top race teams. The day I sailed the ORC57, two giant 30+ metre Ultim trimarans – Gitana 17 and Sodebo – were in port. As were half a dozen IMOCA 60s, including Kevin Escoffier’s new PRB and Isabelle Joschke’s MACSF, while the newly launched Charal 2 was out on sea trials with skipper Jérémie Beyou.
This is also the home of Marsaudon Composites, which has two sides to its business. The core is the construction of very hi-tech composite structures, many of them for the race teams based here. However, it also builds a trio of very fast, yet spacious, catamarans aimed primarily at long distance cruising. Those who follow the industry closely will know that Marsaudon landed in financial trouble last year but were brought out of administration after being acquired by the Grand Large Yachting group, a French umbrella company that owns RM Yachts, Garcia and, most significantly, Outremer and Gunboat Catamarans.
