Polynesian Boats, Miss France, and the Spirit of the Pacific

We drove over 4,500 km by car to take part in the only event of its kind in Europe. The 15th edition of the Vandée Va’a—an international Polynesian canoe race—took place on the Atlantic Ocean off the western coast of France from May 13 to 17, 2026.

The Role of Polynesian Va’a

Va’a can be found throughout the Pacific. They are traditional boats with a side keel. Once built from a hollowed-out tree trunk connected to a wooden float that helped maintain balance, today they are most often made of composite materials, which are much lighter and more durable during transport. These types of boats are one of the fundamental elements of Polynesian culture. They served as a means of transportation, an essential tool for obtaining food, and strengthened the sense of community and identity among islanders. Today, paddling them is also a national sport, the significance of which can be compared to the role of soccer in the lives of Europeans.

Va’a Boats in Europe

The organizers of the Vandée Va’a are united by a desire to preserve the spirit of Polynesia, the spirit of cooperation at sea and on land, and respect for the natural environment. The idea of organizing European va’a races first emerged in 2008 in France, in the city of Les Sables-d’Olonne. The impetus came from a community of kayaking enthusiasts who dreamed of participating in Hawaiki Nui, the famous va’a competition held in the waters around Tahiti. Thanks to a partnership with the Vendée region, this extraordinary vision became a reality. The SAPOVAYE Association oversees the event’s organization. To run the competition and the Polynesian festival accompanying the athletes’ competitions, approximately 300 volunteers get involved in the Association’s activities each year.

I am the president of the Poland-Polynesia Association, and for some time now I have been following the festival held in Les Sables-d’Olonne, which is a unique opportunity to experience the culture of that region. This year—despite rising fuel prices—we managed to organize a trip from Poland. Among other things, we planned to spend the night in Paris so that we could be on the Atlantic coast the day before the festival began. Traveling by car gave us greater mobility once we arrived.

From Polynesia to Les Sables-d’Olonne

Les Sables-d’Olonne is a small port city in the Loire region. It is best known for the Vendée Globe, a round-the-world yacht race with no scheduled port calls. The entire municipality of the same name has a population of approximately 50,000. In the central part of the town lies the so-called Grand Beach, from which the kayaking teams set off. This spot is flooded by the tide twice a day. The narrow streets of the old town, typical of this region, stretch out around it. However, you only need to travel two or three kilometers north—which we did right away on the first day—to feast your eyes on nearly wild shores and vast expanses covered with low-growing vegetation, well-adapted to the harsh oceanic climate. Admittedly, the weather didn’t go easy on either the competitors or the visitors during those few days.

The event drew many va’a enthusiasts to France. Undoubtedly, however, the most spectacular entrance this year was made by Miss France 2026, Hinaupoko Devèze, who arrived for the opening of the competition by jumping out of a plane with a parachute and landing on the Grand Plage amid the gathered crowd. This year’s Miss France hails from the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia, so her appearance at the Vandée Va’a was significant, especially for Polynesian immigrants and the competitors who had flown in from Tahiti. This appearance on the beach was made possible by a brief improvement in the weather, because shortly after Devèze was welcomed, the traditional Haka was performed, and the starting signal for the first race was given, a torrential downpour began.

The following days were expected to be similar, although some participants described the first day as the most difficult. The boats quickly took on water, and the high waves on the open ocean repeatedly threatened the crews. The air temperature also took its toll on the rowers—12°C in May was particularly harsh for teams from regions where 35°C is the norm.

After the first race began, once the official meetings were over and the rain had cooled things down a bit, I had the opportunity to talk with Hinaupoko Devèze. She was delighted to hear that a group from Poland had also come to the Vandée Va’a.

Va’a Boat Race

Approximately 200 athletes took part in this year’s races, forming 21 kayaking teams. These included men’s, women’s, and mixed crews. In addition to teams from France and French Polynesia, groups from Germany, Switzerland, and Portugal also competed. The competitors paddled V6 kayaks with six paddlers each. Over the course of three days, they competed in two race distances. The L (Long) race totaled 128 km. The M (Moyen—medium) race covered a distance of 71 km. During these races, which lasted many hours, teamwork and synchronized movements were particularly important, in addition to physical strength.

On Saturday evening, a festive awards gala was held in the auditorium in Les Sables-d’Olonne, to which we were invited by Denys Remy, the founder and long-time president of Vandée Va’a. It came as no surprise to anyone that this year’s big winners were athletes from Polynesia. The TUAKI HOE crew, who had flown in from the island of Ua Pou in the Marquesas Archipelago, took first place. I had the opportunity to meet these brave athletes. Some of them were visiting Europe for the first time and were a bit intimidated in public situations.

A Polynesian Culture Festival in the Heart of Europe

Throughout the five days of the festival, we were able to watch performances by artists representing Polynesian culture. There was no shortage of musicians preserving the folklore of Tahiti and other Pacific islands. Contemporary artists also performed on the city stage, as we must not forget that Polynesia is not just about open-air museums and traditional art, but also about artists who follow 21st-century musical trends.

Over the course of those few days, downtown Les Sables-d’Olonne was transformed into a Polynesian village, featuring a fair with handicrafts, culinary delights, jewelry, the famous black pearls, and Polynesian-style clothing. There was also no shortage of massage therapists and tattoo artists offering their services on the spot. In the afternoons and evenings, spontaneous celebrations broke out in many places. Guitars, ukuleles, and drums made an appearance, and there was no shortage of dancers and people singing well-known songs in the Tahitian language.

During the cultural festival, visitors could also participate in themed workshops (I decided to learn the art of weaving pandanus leaves), and the local sports club offered introductory classes in va’a paddling. I learned from the club’s instructors that va’a canoes are currently mostly made in China, but those from… Poland are more highly valued. Perhaps this is a sign that our team could also compete someday in the Vandée Va’a race in Les Sables-d’Olonne. It is undoubtedly a one-of-a-kind experience.

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Main photo: Jacek Jakubik