A revelation at 29
Alice Valiergue, a sociologist by trade, was born in the east of France, far from the Breton coast. If, when she was 25, we'd told her she'd become a sailor, she wouldn't have believed us! But she did! It all began when her friends offered her a sailing course at Les Glénans in Paimpol, on the occasion of her thesis defense. It was a revelation. At the age of 29, she enrolled in the continuing education course offered by the Glénans sailing school and passed her cruising instructor's diploma.
Mini Transat goal
Her dream was to learn to sail single-handed and to head out to sea, so she decided to prepare for the Mini Transat 2023, the legendary solo race across the Atlantic. Alice embarks on this crazy adventure with the support of Breton economic players like Dalmard Marine. She trained and took part in her first races with her 6.50-meter "mini" boat "Walaby". In September 2022, she qualified for the Mini Transat, but with the start limited to 90 boats and a large number of qualifiers, she unfortunately remained on the waiting list (qualifiers are ranked by number of miles raced).
Around Ireland in stages
Along with two other people on the Mini Transat waiting list, Alice is embarking on a new nautical adventure: sailing around Ireland in stages. The aim is to savor the taste of the open sea, all in safety, thanks to stopovers that allow them to leave with a reliable weather forecast. The result of this tour of Ireland: 1300 miles under direct route, covered in four stages (Rossaveel, Castlebay, Barra Island, Arklow) with a total of 10 days at sea.
Departure for the Transat Jacques Vabre
On the day of the start of the Mini Transat, Alice receives a phone call from Anatole Facon, a young Class40 skipper she met a few days earlier at a regatta. Anatole asks her if she is available to accompany him on the double-handed Transat Jacques Vabre in October 2023. A new offshore adventure begins. They finish the Transat Jacques Vabre in 27th place, in 21 days, 11 hours, 50 minutes and 48 seconds.
A historic first for Alice Valiergue
After several months of preparation in Paimpol aboard her Mini 6.50, Alice set sail to attempt an ambitious challenge: to circumnavigate the British Isles solo, without stopping or assistance, on a production boat. On 28 June 2025 at 19:14 UTC, she crossed the finish line off Lizard Point (England) after 14 days, 19 hours, 56 minutes and 2 seconds of sailing in sometimes extreme conditions.
She thus became the first woman to complete this journey in a standard Mini 6.50. The record is currently being verified by the World Sailing Speed Record Council. This success fully embodies her vision: to sail differently, with simplicity, rigour and commitment.
