In short. The next Transat Café L'Or, formerly the Transat Jacques Vabre, leaves Le Havre in autumn 2027, double-handed, with four classes: Ultim, IMOCA, Ocean Fifty and Class40. Its exact date and finish port are not official yet: after three editions in Martinique, the organisers ran a call for applications and will announce the new destination in late 2026, when the edition is launched. Recent editions started in late October, on 26 October in 2025.
When does the Transat Café L'Or 2027 start?
The race is held every two years, in odd years. The organisers have not yet published the 2027 date; it will come with the official launch of the edition, planned for late 2026 (Marine Business World). For reference, the 2025 edition left Le Havre on Sunday 26 October (Figaro Nautisme). We will update the Transat Café L'Or page and the 2027 offshore racing calendar as soon as it is announced.
Where will it finish?
That is the big unknown. The partnership with Martinique covered three editions and ended with the 2025 finish in Fort-de-France. In July 2025 the race opened applications to cities in South America, Central America and the Caribbean, true to its "Coffee Route" heritage between Europe and the coffee-growing lands of the Americas. Applications were due by 30 October 2025, site visits were planned for early 2026, and the new finish will be announced in late 2026 (Marine Business World).
The race has already finished in Cartagena (Colombia), Salvador de Bahia and Itajaí (Brazil), Puerto Limón (Costa Rica) and Fort-de-France (Martinique). Race director Gildas Gautier hoped Martinique would apply again, and pointed out that venues able to host around a hundred boats are rare in the region (ICI).
The format: double-handed, four classes
Each boat sails with two sailors. The race gathers 70 to 100 boats depending on the edition (ICI), in Ultim, IMOCA, Ocean Fifty and Class40. Classes may sail courses of different lengths.
For the IMOCAs, more than a transatlantic is at stake: the 2027 edition is a grade 2 event of the IMOCA Globe Series championship, scoring points towards qualification for the Vendée Globe 2028 (Vendée Globe 2028 notice of race). It falls in the same year as The Ocean Race 2027, which scores even more.
The 2025 winners
| Class | 2025 winners | Boat |
|---|---|---|
| Ultim | Tom Laperche and Franck Cammas | SVR-Lazartigue |
| IMOCA | Jérémie Beyou and Morgan Lagravière | Charal |
| Ocean Fifty | Baptiste Hulin and Thomas Rouxel | Viabilis Océans |
Sources: franceinfo, Wikipedia.
Several of these sailors are racing solo right now in the Route du Rhum: Tom Laperche on SVR-Lazartigue in the Ultim class, Jérémie Beyou on Charal in the IMOCA class. Their positions are on the live tracker.
Why "Café L'Or"?
Created in 1993 as the Transat Jacques Vabre, the race took the name of its sponsor's coffee brand, Café L'Or, in 2025, keeping Le Havre as its start port (Wikipedia). What the boats cost, from a Class40 to an Ultim, is covered in how much does an offshore racing boat cost.
Frequently asked questions
What is the start date of the Transat Café L'Or 2027?
It is not official yet: the organisers will announce it when the edition is launched in late 2026. Recent editions left Le Havre in late October, on 26 October in 2025.
Where does the Transat Café L'Or 2027 finish?
The destination will be announced in late 2026, after a call for applications open to cities in South America, Central America and the Caribbean. The last three editions finished in Fort-de-France, Martinique.
Is the Transat Café L'Or the Transat Jacques Vabre?
Yes. The double-handed transatlantic race from Le Havre was renamed Transat Café L'Or in 2025.
Which boats race the Transat Café L'Or?
Ultims, IMOCAs, Ocean Fifties and Class40s, each sailed by two people.
Who won the Transat Café L'Or 2025?
Tom Laperche and Franck Cammas in the Ultim class (SVR-Lazartigue), Jérémie Beyou and Morgan Lagravière in the IMOCA class (Charal), Baptiste Hulin and Thomas Rouxel in the Ocean Fifty class (Viabilis Océans).