A Cannes-based charity is marking the 11th edition of the Croisière des Guerrières this week, a four day sailing trip from Sunday, July 19 to Wednesday, July 22 designed to help young women recovering from eating disorders reconnect with a sense of purpose.
Founded in 2009 by Claude-Nicole Martinot, president of the association Cannes en Héritage, the initiative grew out of conversations between Martinot and Bordeaux psychiatrist Xavier Pommereau, a specialist in adolescent mental health. This year's edition brings together ten young women alongside sixteen healthcare professionals and volunteers, sailing aboard four boats including the O'Remington and Éole, with experienced skippers donating their vessels and time.
The trip has become an annual fixture recognising participants who have come through hospital treatment for eating disorders or periods of serious emotional difficulty, with organisers framing the days at sea as both a celebration of that progress and a form of shared, active recovery. Sailor Alexia Barrier and former figure skater Sarah Abitbol are among past supporters who have taken part, and this year's crossing pays tribute to sailor Florence Arthaud, a longtime supporter of the initiative who died in 2015. The event closes with a gala evening on July 22 at the Port Canto harbour office terrace.