It’s also Christmas in the Vendée Globe. The 27 survivors (out of 33 at the start, on November 8), most of whom now live in the Pacific, do not escape the traditional meal. On the menu for many, foie gras. Clarisse Crémer (Banque Populaire) is entitled to a surprise: Bresse poultry with béchamel and morels, which Martine, her mother, prepares for family New Year’s Eve every year. For Clément Giraud (Compagnie du Lit), it’s guinea fowl with foie gras with a risotto of green asparagus. Thomas Rouillard (LinkedOut) tandoori chicken with cashews and potatoes.
Alexia Barrier (4Myplanet) has a choice. In his daily ration, guinea fowl with foie gras and sauternes, tartiflette, pasta with cream and salmon, and even a minced steak with mashed potatoes. The dessert has not been forgotten: rum cannelés for Maxime Sorel (V & B – Mayenne), a pear and chocolate cake for Alexia Barrier, a chrismas pudding (to drink with calva) prepared by his partner Sam Davies for Romain Attanasio, Christmas M & M’s for Thomas Rettant.
A first since the start (well according to their teams!), Some skippers will deviate a little from their alcohol-free diet: a quarter of wine for Louis Burton (Bureau Vallée), champagne for Thomas Rettant or Sauternes for Clément Giraud.
Santa Claus does not forget the sailors. In his basket, great classics – a gourmet basket from his family for Romain Attanasio, the book “Au revoir là-haut” by Pierre Lemaitre for Armel Tripon (L’Occitane en Provence) – and a few unusual ones. In addition to a disposable camera, Maxime Sorel will discover a pair of slippers.
Christmas aboard V & B – Mayenne
Alexia Barrier will receive products from the Sablaise soap factory (necessarily useful, after 47 days at sea!) And an envelope of scratch tickets (in the event of a jackpot, maybe she will then head to Polynesia?) . For Clément Giraud, it will be a motorhome, a nod to his family vacation with his wife Hortense and their children. Armel Tripon should take some time to open all his packages. Loose: a kitsch flashing Christmas sweater, a pair of seasickness glasses (it’s about time!), A small tool with a telescopic branch to scratch your back, a scent box to remember the earth, the book “One positive thought per day” (certainly offered by his mental trainer Ronan Lafaix). From his family, the skipper of l’Occitane en Provence will receive “vouchers for everything they would like to do with him, he who never has time”: karting with his Swann and Edgar, skiing with his wife (who, hush, is preparing a weekend for him).
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Armel Tripon imitates “Santa Claus is junk”
Romain Attanasio’s beautiful (yet English) family slipped several packages of Iberian ham to their attention. His team also thought of him with… an inflatable doll, resembling, we are told, Sam Davies, his companion. Arnaud Boissières (La Mie Câline) has not been forgotten. There too, the list is long: a whoopee cushion and party favors (from his son Hugo), Chinese puzzles, an LH Le Havre t-shirt, a Calimero mug, a whale soft toy from his godfather, a Musto boxer shorts in merino and a podcast on Radiohead.
As for Clarisse Crémer, who is living her first Christmas alone in the middle of the ocean, her mother thought of her by preparing a photo album for her, memories of their holidays together. Tears are likely to fall on the Santa Claus costume, sent by the Banque Populaire team. Finally, if the sailor dares to put it on. The team was wrong in the order, it is not red pants that Clarisse will discover … but a rather sexy skirt.
