The yole ronde of Martinique between culture and tradition

Do You Know About the Yoles Rondes?

The "Yole" is one of the cultural and sporting treasures of Martinique. The Ready by Europcar mobile app (self-service car rental) supports this sport 🔗 by sponsoring the yole of the Association Athon.

The 39th edition of the Tour des Yoles de Martinique will take place from 📍 July 27 to August 3, 2025.

The Yole in Martinique: 5 Key Events

⛵️ Yole Championship ⛵️ Coupe de Martinique - BB Yoles ⛵️ May 22 Challenge - Grandes Yoles ⛵️ Coupe de Martinique - Grandes Yoles ⛵️ And the iconic Tour des Yoles Rondes de la Martinique, the most followed and publicized event of all.

The Yole Ronde: A Dazzling and Thrilling Show

The Yole Ronde has its roots in the nautical races traditionally held during Martinique's patron saint festivals. In 1985, passionate entrepreneur Georges Brival officially created the "Tour de Martinique des Yoles Rondes." It was an instant success!

Yole races combine tradition, originality, and an electric atmosphere. A truly unforgettable local festival, not to be missed during your stay in Martinique.

THE TOUR DES YOLES 2025

Dates

🗓️ From July 27 to August 3, 2025

Stages

📍 Sunday, July 27: Le Diamant > Rivière-Pilote 📍 Monday, July 28: Rivière-Pilote > Sainte-Anne 📍 Tuesday, July 29: Sainte-Anne > Le Vauclin 📍 Wednesday, July 30: Le Vauclin > Le François 📍 Thursday, July 31: Le François > Sainte-Marie 📍 Friday, August 1: Sainte-Marie > Saint-Pierre 📍 Saturday, August 2: Saint-Pierre > Fort-de-France 📍 Sunday, August 3: Fort-de-France > Le Diamant

\ua9 Federation des Yoles Rondes Martinique

Survival Kit for a Great Tour des Yoles Experience

To enjoy the Tour des Yoles aboard the follower boats, we recommend being equipped with:

👒 A traditional Martinican "Bakoua" hat 🕶️ Sunglasses 👕 Reef-safe sunscreen or an anti-UV t-shirt 🥛 An eco-friendly cup 💼 A waterproof bag for your belongings and a sealed pouch for your phone 🪡 A float or pool noodle for a swim at the end of the stage!

The 2025 "After-Yoles"

The Tour des Yoles blends tradition with modernity and a new generation spirit. It is an intergenerational gathering for all Martinicans.

Every day, numerous boaters follow the Yole race aboard motorboats and catamarans. It’s a true maritime ballet, orchestrated by the coast guard and Yole associations to ensure the race proceeds smoothly without hindering the yoleurs.

At the end of each stage, typically between noon and 2 p.m., all leisure boats gather at various coastal spots to celebrate until late into the night.

Expect music and great vibes on these beaches to mark the end of each stage!

After-Yoles 2024 Highlights:

• No prologue in 2024

• 📍 Monday, July 15: Plage de l'Autre Bord, La Trinité

• 📍 Tuesday, July 16: Possibly on Prêcheur Beach

• 📍 Wednesday, July 17: Trois-Îlets Beach (in front of Le Kano restaurant)

• 📍 Thursday, July 18: Likely at Petite-Anse

• 📍 Friday, July 19: Club-Med (land access)

• 📍 Saturday, July 20: Trou-Cochon

• 📍 Sunday, July 21: Baignoire de Joséphine

Highlights from the 2024 Edition: Tour des Yoles de Martinique

🏆 Victory for SARA-AUTODISTRIBUTION

The yole led by Diany Rémy won this 38th edition with flying colors, consistently ranking in the top 3 of nearly every stage. Calm strategy prevailed!

🌬️ Windless Start

The first 3 stages lacked wind, forcing crews to row ("bassiner"), pushing their endurance to the limit. From Friday onward, the wind returned—but so did trouble:

• Capsizes: McDonald’s, Mr Bricolage

• Broken yards: UFR-Chanflor, Cottrell-Leadermat

• Poor sail orientation due to strong wind conditions

🌊 Stage Cancellation: Saturday, July 20 (Marin > Vauclin)

Rough seas near the Table du Diable led to the cancellation of the stage. It was replaced with a regatta in Le Vauclin, focused purely on speed—making it harder for teams to close time gaps.

📉 UFR-CHANFLOR Struggles

Winners of the 2023 edition, UFR-Chanflor (now led by Marc-Daniel Labourg) finished 7th overall. Despite difficulties, Labourg kept smiling, to the joy of their many fans.

🏁 Final General Ranking – Tour des Yoles 2024

1. SARA Energies Nouvelles – Autodistribution

2. Rosette / L’Appaloosa

3. Cottrell / Leader Mat

🏆 Stage Winners – 2024 Edition

• Stage 1 – Monday, July 15: ROSETTE L’APALOOSA

• Stage 2 – Tuesday, July 16: SARA AUTODISTRIBUTION

• Stage 3 – Wednesday, July 17: COTTRELL LEADER MAT

• Stage 4 – Thursday, July 18: SARA AUTODISTRIBUTION

• Stage 5 – Friday, July 19: PLI BEL PRICE

• Stage 6 – Saturday, July 20: COTTRELL LEADER MAT

• Stage 7 – Sunday, July 21: UFR CHANFLOR

🪣 Crews of the 2024 Tour des Yoles de Martinique

• Cottrell – Leader Mat (Association Athon): Patron Loïc Mas

• Rosette – L’Appaloosa (Association L’Arme Fatale): Patron Kenny Exilie

• UFR-Chanflor (Association Caracoli): Patron Marc-Daniel Labourg

• SARA – Autodistribution (Association Yole Net 2000): Patron Diany Rémy

• Pli Bel Price (Association Vini We Sa): Patron Laurent Mas

• CTDM – EDF (Association Gommier et Tradition)

• SMEM – Solar Inox – Triple 8 (Association Fem & Hom à la Barre)

• GFA Caraïbes (Association Bwa Viré)

• Prixe – Westpoint (Association Baie des Mulets)

• CFA Umih Formation – RSMA Martinique (Association Chabin’an)

• Royal Fruits de Martinique – ADEP (Association La Yole Trinitéenne)

• Elizés Restaurant – Madiana Cinéma (Association Ay Douvan)

• Mr Bricolage (Association Las Palmas)

• CMA CGM: Patron Gregory LAGIER-LAMONT

• Yole Aprant (Association Aprant)

• McDonald’s (Association Fléch La)

The yole ronde an atypical boat but typically Martinique

The Yole ronde de Martinique is part of the island's heritage and its history. An original and unique creation, typically Martinican, it is beyond its function as a boat, an authentic work of art.

History of the Yole, from fishing to sport

The round yawl was born in the 17th century and is the result of technical contributions from different components of the local population. Originally, it was the island's fishermen who used the boat. It allowed them to go fishing but also to move around the island and to transport material and goods (fruits, rum...). Recreational races between fishermen gradually developed, provoking enthusiasm among the local population. With time, the utilitarian side of the round yawl disappeared but the sporting aspect remained and even grew until the creation of a major competition in the Caribbean, the Tour des Yoles.

Characteristics of the Yole ronde de Martinique

Light and narrow, the Martinique yawl is fast, hence its interest for competition. The boat has no rudder, no keel, no ballast, and is balanced by the "bwa dressés", the upright beams on the sides of the ship. A complete crew is needed to steer the yawl. Composition of the yole The Martinique Yole, to benefit from this appellation, must respect certain criteria:

• Only solid wood must be used for the hull (the frame, the bow, the foucas, the member, the garlands, the transom...)

• It is conceived without plan, in the respect of the tradition

• The normal yole must measure 10,5m

• In addition to the hull, the Yolel is made of mastheads, gears, paddles, sails and accessories (false mast, tet pagay, upright wood...).

The crew of the yole ronde

The crew of the Martinique yawl is composed of a well established team :

• The skipper : he decides everything about the yawl (choice of the crew, the sail, the paddle...)

• The skipper's helpers : they assist the skipper in maintaining the paddle

• The sheet : he plays with the sail and the ropes, he "listens" to the wind

• The Bwas Dressés : they balance the yawl by counterbalancing the wind in the sails

• The ropes : at the front of the boat, they counterbalance and stabilize and maneuver the small sail

• The headphones; they empty the water rushing into the yawl

• The "third man": the supporters who come in numbers to attend the competitions

The Martinique yole in the UNESCO heritage

Since December 17, 2020, the yole of Martinique has been listed as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. A reward and a recognition of this component of the local culture and history. To see yole competitions in action, you will have to go to the coasts of Marin, Robert, Saint-Anne, Ducos, etc. To do so, don't hesitate to rent a car in Martinique. If your schedule allows it, take the opportunity to attend a stage of the Tour des Yoles in 2021, at the end of July. During this same period, another competition takes place: the cycling tour. Europcar accompanies you for all these events.

Origin of the Tour de Martinique des Yoles

The yole is a traditional Martinique boat. First a fishing boat, it has become a sport in its own right! Many races, official or not, were held on board by fishermen or associations. In the 60's, crews of yawls have done tours of Martinique, in several stages. But the difficulty of the event convinced them to abandon new attempts. Over time, the yawl has even become an icon of the island, to the point of being part of the intangible cultural heritage of UNESCO since December 2020.

Georges Brival, the founder of the Tour des Yoles as we know it. In 1984, under the impetus of Georges Brival, a passionate of the yole and the Martinique culture, is realized the 1st Tour des yoles rondes in its current form. That year, 8 crews went around the island in a notorious success. The story was launched and in front of the craze, it was decided to reproduce each year the competition: the Tour de Martinique des Yoles Rondes was born!