Le Saint-Étienne Nautical Club acquired the 400 m building from the City2 approximately which he historically occupied for rent, in Saint-Victor-sur-Loire, as well as the former municipal sailing school, closed by the town hall a year ago, for an amount of 500,000 euros.
The CNSE, an association chaired by Xavier Devillard carries new development objectives. “Today the club is essentially a nautical club. We are going to develop tourist and sporting activities in the Loire gorges. For this, we will expand the two buildings by 400 m2 each one we have acquired”specifies Xavier Devillard who estimates the total cost of the project at 2.2 million euroswith recourse to borrowing of 1.15 million euros.
The structure, which will change its name, but will remain associative, and offers activities around veilof pedaloof kayak or even fellaffiliated with the French sailing federation, will offer stays.
The president reveals:
“The project consists of offering a tourist and sporting offer in the Loire gorges, based on a weekly offer: 5 all-inclusive days with one activity per day“.
In the program : electrically assisted bicycle to discover the 420 km of marked trails which wind through the Loire gorges 420 km, fell (terrestrial) since three courts will be designed outdoors, but also escalade on the natural site of Mousset, located 50 meters from the club, and the Via corda. An artificial climbing structure will be created in the former municipal sailing school.
Two hires planned at the Saint-Étienne Nautical Club
If the CNSE already has one full-time employee, two hires are planned: one for thesports supervision and the second in order to support the component aadministrative of the structure which is also part of the Loire Gorges Steering Committee carried out jointly by the Departments of Loire and that of Haute-Loire.
Throughout the year, nearly 340 members are affiliated with the CNSE, for the sailing activity, but nearly 32,000 people benefit from the range of activities offered, explains Xavier Devillard, whose association has taken over the activity of the sailing school, dedicated to schools, abandoned by the town hall. Members will be able to benefit from an improved environment, with the creation of a real pool house, with new changing rooms, and a quality bar area, from the start of the 2026 school year.
