Bernard Beaudet

Each month, we invite you to discover the Creil Sud Oise area in a different way through the portrait of 12 Tourism Ambassadors who act daily for tourism in the south of the Oise!

Bernard Beaudet

President of the Saint-Leu-d'Esserent Sailing Club

Did you know that it is possible to go sailing in Saint-Leu-d'Esserent ? Yes! Only a few dozen kilometres from Paris (and much further from the sea), the Société des régates et compétitions du Sud de l'Oise offers the possibility of sailing in paddle, sail, optimist... Bernard Beaudet, the president of this Sailing Clubis a relentless (passionate was not strong enough!) of navigation! A determination that he transmits with passion...

The Saint-Leu-d'Esserent Sailing Club

It is in a former gravel pit of 22 hectares (from which sand was extracted until the 1960s), that the Société des régates de Creil (SRC) set sail 50 years ago, in 1972. At the time, a former post-war SNCF barrack served as the clubhouse!  

In 1977, Bernard worked at the Base de Loisirs called BSL (right next to the Sailing Club), then managed by the Service Jeunesse et Sport of the Oise department. For 10 years, he was a windsurfing instructor, then, after the closure of the Base Départementale, he joined the Société des régates de Creil as a member of the Fédération Française de Voile. He then became a trainer, before becoming president of the Société des régates de Creil in 1989. Bernard is also Race committee, jury and coach for regional races a a true sailing enthusiastWe told you so!

The Sailing Club evolves and expands after its destruction by fire in 1997. A comfortable room replaced the hut and many boats now anchor on the banks of the lake. It became Société des Régates et Compétition Sud-Oise in 2010. In 2019, the Club receives a generous donation: a 10-metre sailing boat which the members of the association will take 3 years to renovate. Her name: Justine. Her home port: Dieppe.

Far from being inward-looking, the association regularly welcomes leisure centres and individuals for water sports courses in the summer, organizes a telethon event, work for the Forgotten Holidaymakers... They also exchange with Apprentis d'Auteuil for internships and classes SEGPA of Michelet and Rousseau colleges in Creil for the implementation of projects such as the construction of a carport and other facilities for the club, as well as the renovation project of a schooner named Loup de Mer!

The Club also organises regattas and in October 2022, the association organised for the first time ever a National event: the Open Tour for 11-15 year olds was held in Saint-Leu-d'Esserent and brought together nearly 75 Open-Skiff boats from all over France!

Learning to navigate

Today, the association has nearly 200 membersMost of them come from the Oise region and more particularly from the surroundings of Saint-Leu-d'Esserent and sometimes from more distant regions, such as the Aube and the Morbihan!

The instructors (including Bernard!) are all volunteers and are committed to pass on their knowledge Know the wind, anticipate, sail, follow the lay line... and all that in a good mood and in perfect autonomy. Here, the material is available to all, each one accompanying the other to help them evolve. And this, every day of the year! The Club's motto is : You come when you want, for as long as you want because we are in Saint-Leu! and its slogan: Sailing in everyday life!

The members first train on the water, where they rub shoulders with paddle, dinghy, mini catamaran, open bic, optimist or canoesAfter a few years of training, they will be able to sail on board Justine, the 10-metre sailing boat based in Dieppe. Some will then take the instructor's diploma on the Saint-Leu-d'Esserent lake, others will go to the French championshipand others, such as the Vancofamilywhose videos can be found on their Youtube channel, will spend all their free time on their boat!

The activities of the Sailing Club

If the motto is to come when you want, the The Saint-Leu-d'Esserent Sailing Club offers 2 weekly meetings to practice, train and gain the necessary experience to become autonomous.

For the young people aged 7 to 18-20A 4-hour session is offered Saturday afternoonsall year round, excluding school holidays, and whatever the weather ! It is the sailing school "Les P'tits Loups (in reference to "leu" from Saint-Leu-d'Esserent, meaning "wolf"). It is important to to be fully involved in this very demanding discipline which requires a lot of diligence to evolve and improve. Of the 12 young people currently on the course, the following is the most important, 6 are at the French championship!

For the adultsappointment every Sunday morning from 10am to 12.30pm with the "Sunday morning work". ! They learn to sail on the water and then to sail at sea.

The year starts in September, a month during which the new members follow technical courses, then they sail on the plan all year long. It takes 3 months of experience to acquire a certain autonomy, and 1 year to be able to sponsor a beginner.