Club Nautique de Châtelaillon Plage
Club Nautique de Châtelaillon Plage (CNCP) is a long-established watersports club on the French Atlantic coast, founded in 1950 as the former Cercle de Voile and now based at the pleasure port of Châtelaillon-Plage, about ten kilometres south of La Rochelle. Recognised by Jeunesse et Sport and affiliated to FFVoile, the club is open from March to the end of November and combines competitive sailing with a family-friendly programme. Facilities include a members' boat park, a seasonal FFVoile hire point on the beachfront, changing rooms and showers. The programme covers catamaran courses on Hobie Cat 16, Optimist dinghies from age six, windsurfing, Moussaillon sessions for four- to six-year-olds, multi-activity courses and year-round club leisure sailing on weekends and Wednesdays. Competition teams in catamaran and Optimist, league regattas and group packages complete a broad offering focused on enjoyment and community on the water.
History
Club Nautique de Châtelaillon Plage was founded in 1950 and was originally known as Cercle de Voile. The association aims to promote nautical activities, is approved by Jeunesse et Sport and is affiliated to the French Sailing Federation (FFVoile). The club is open from March to the end of November so that as many people as possible can learn and improve their sailing. For a long time CNCP was renowned for its sporting results in catamaran racing; the BELLET brothers became double youth world champions on the Hobie Cat 16 (HC16). Over the years the club gradually refocused on dinghy sailing, especially Optimist, to meet growing demand from young sailors. Thanks to its competitive results, the club was ranked the leading dinghy club in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in 2018. By diversifying its offer – from holiday courses and club leisure sailing to competition squads and new activities such as ocean walking and Jardin des Mers – CNCP has doubled the number of participants on summer courses and year-round sessions over the past ten years. Today the club is supported by a permanent team of qualified sailing instructors and federal coaches, working with local partners including the town of Châtelaillon Plage, the aquatic centre, the departmental council and Ligue Voile Nouvelle Aquitaine.
Information
Facilities
Members' boat park, FFVoile beach hire point, sailing school, changing rooms and showers, sheltered training basin for Moussaillon
Activities
Catamaran courses and club sailing, Optimist, windsurfing, Moussaillon, multi-activity, ocean walking, Caravelle trips, Jardin des Mers, catamaran and Optimist competition, group packages, CQP IV instructor training
Youth section
Active youth section with Moussaillon (ages 4-6), Optimist sports school (ages 6-11), multi-activity sessions for 12-18 year-olds, Jardin des Mers and Optimist competition team