 It was founded in 1947 by Philippe and Hélène Viannay, who had been involved with the French Resistance during World War II.Its first site was the Glénan archipelago, about off the coast of southern Brittany.Among its first boats was a 12-meter Bermudian cutter called Sereine, which is now a French listed monument and still sails after having been entirely refurbished in 2005.