In Nice, 2025 is the year of the sea. The sailing race The Ocean Race Europe arrives on the French Riviera this weekend. Preparations to welcome the skippers have begun.
This year, the theme within the city of Nice is the sea and oceans, and it continues this weekend. Nice is hosting The Ocean Race Europe from August 29 to 31. The port of Nice has been preparing for this event for several hours. Indeed, the initial preparations began this Tuesday. Eight trucks delivered all the necessary equipment to cover these three days.
Yesterday morning, in light rain, a team of about thirty people was operational. This workforce is vital for setting up the various structures. Although the different pontoons were installed on Tuesday morning upon their arrival, the rest cannot wait. The tent that will host the public, with a bar and a snack area, is almost ready. The sound of the final hammer blows can be heard.
The podium is beginning to take shape. The winners of the Cartagena-Nice stage will be awarded on this platform. Among all these installations, a few trucks are moving around. By the noise, one can tell which are reversing and which are leaving the quay. One of the last setups is the IMOCA cockpit. A 250 m2 area that allows the public to immerse themselves in the equivalent of an IMOCA, as if they were on the water.
A quay operational this Thursday afternoon
A few minutes later, the rain ceased over the port of Nice. The sky remains threatening nonetheless. This doesn’t deter everyone, as some boats are leaving the port despite the slightly unpredictable weather. This does not hinder the installation process. Everything must be operational by Thursday at 4 p.m.
The first boats are expected to arrive on Friday morning. However, their ground crews will already be on site by Thursday morning. This will require careful management of cohabitation with the final teams responsible for technical and security installations. Fortunately, this Thursday, only the mainly decorative details will need to be completed.
In total, over the weekend, 2,500 to 3,000 people at a time can be accommodated on the quay. Patrick Gilliot, General Secretary of CapMed, outlines the security plan in place: “The entire quay will be secured with barriers. Only authorized persons (staff, teams, skippers, select media, and partners) will be able to access the pontoon.”
Throughout the weekend, OcéaNice will be open to the public. The public will be able to admire the pointus from the quay and later explore the exhibition “L’Océan de Léa.”
