The Semaine du Golfe du Morbihan is part of a sustainable development approach that is integrated into the design of the event:

• By being organized outside the summer season, during a less busy period (Ascension week), thus limiting tourist pressure on the Gulf of Morbihan.
• By dedicating the event to ships of international maritime heritage, nearly 99% of which are propelled by boat and human power.
• By dividing the boats into 13 distinct flotillas, sailing separately and calling at different ports or shelters each day to avoid excessive concentrations (except during the opening and closing parades, when all the boats sail together for a short time).
  By issuing each crew with clear instructions on respect for the environment, drawn up in close collaboration with the relevant associations and authorities.

A number of eco-responsible practices are deployed at each event, before, during and after the event.

 

Waste management

Waste sorting is an essential priority for any event, all the more so in such a sensitive area as the Golfe du Morbihan. With the support of the agglomerations concerned (Golfe du Morbihan Vannes agglomération, Auray Quiberon Terre Atlantique) and the Syndicat de traitement des déchets du Sud-Est Morbihan (Sysem), we are deploying all necessary means to optimize this management and move towards zero waste, both on land and at sea. This includes the installation of additional bins, specific communication actions, educational information on waste sorting provided to crews in their kits, raising awareness among crews of foreign tall ships, and the distribution of pocket ashtrays and reusable bags.

Download the “Oyster shells can be sorted too” infographic! 

In addition to an adapted system in each commune, we are setting up a waste collection barge for tall ships between Port Blanc and Ile aux Moines.

Making waste management fun! I SORT at sea too!

 

 

Reusable cups and dishes

Since 2011, the Semaine du Golfe has given preference to reusable cups, thus ruling out disposable plastic cups. This ambitious choice involved setting up a collection network covering 19 communes at fully open sites, for an entire week.

Thanks to the commitment of volunteers and collaboration with ECOCUP, over 100,000 reusable cups were put into circulation during the event. Of these, a third are generic, a third bear the logo of the current edition, and the final third come from previous editions. These cups, for which there is a €1 deposit, are returned after use, cleaned and then put back into service in another town the next day. Some visitors even collect them and reuse them year after year.

With the ban on single-use plastic crockery, communes organizing catering outlets are now exploring sustainable alternatives. Depending on local possibilities, they are opting for rental crockery, crockery on loan between associations, or compostable crockery. Golfe du Morbihan Vannes agglomération supports associations by pooling orders and subsidizing part of the extra cost compared with plastic products.
 

Transport

As part of our sustainable commitment to the Semaine du Golfe, and to make it easier for crews to get around, we have set up special shuttles. These shuttles transport crews between their reception area in the evening and their flotilla campsite, as well as in the opposite direction in the morning. Over 1,200 crews benefit from these morning and evening transfers every day.

For spectators, we also encourage alternatives to the private car to promote sustainable mobility. We give priority to soft transport solutions and car-pooling, supplemented by local shuttles and park-and-ride facilities close to the sites.
For more information on means of transport, visit the Access page.