Yacht Club de Mèze
Yacht Club de Mèze (YCMèze) is a French sailing association (Loi 1901) on the Étang de Thau in Mèze, Hérault. Founded on 8 June 1966, the sailing school is based at Base Nautique Gilbert Dupont (formerly Base Nautique du Taurus / Centre Le Taurus) and runs a fleet of more than 100 craft plus pontoons, accessible facilities and a coastal shelter. The programme includes year-round club sailing on Saturdays, summer courses, school sailing, adaptive sailing (handivoile), private lessons and rentals, as well as instructor training (BPJEPS, CQP IV, POEC). Juniors and adults sail Optimist, Fusion, Hobie Cat and J/24 among other craft; the club hosts regional regattas and celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2026.
History
Yacht Club de Mèze grew from Gilbert Dupont’s drive to develop sailing on the Bassin de Thau after he joined the Hérault youth and sports administration in 1959. Following early sessions near Sète and talks with the mayor, the Centre Régional « le Taurus » was officially created in 1966 with a budget of 54,822 francs. Dupont built boats, trained instructors and turned the site into a reference for children’s and adults’ courses, sea classes and Franco-German camps. He stepped back in 1993; the centre was later renamed Yacht Club de Mèze. Directors Alain Marty (1993–1999), Vivian Carniel (1999–2001) and Christophe André (2001–May 2005) followed before a new directorate from May 2005; Dupont remained closely involved until his death on 13 May 2026. Since 2007 the club and the town of Mèze have developed handivoile with accessible paths, facilities and adapted boats. Today the school welcomes more than 3,000 participants a year and about 140 boats from Optimist to J/24; on 27 June 2026 the base was renamed Base Nautique Gilbert Dupont.
Information
Facilities
Sailing school at Base Nautique Gilbert Dupont (formerly Le Taurus) with pontoons and three boarding jetties, accessible path from the car park, ground-floor changing rooms and toilets, coastal shelter moorings and a fleet of more than 100 craft (sail, paddle and power).
Activities
Year-round club sailing (March–June and mid-September–end of October, Saturdays), summer courses July–August, school sailing, holiday camps and corporate groups, adaptive sailing, private lessons, boat hire, regattas and instructor pathways POEC, BPJEPS Voile and CQP IV.
Youth section
Active youth programme from age 5 (summer Fun’Kids/Optimist) and from age 8 in club sailing with Optimist, catamaran and departmental light-sailing challenge racing.
Parking
Yes, car park to the school
Guest berths
Coastal shelter with berths