The Dufour Shipyard

One of the major sailboat manufacturer worldwide

Established more than 50 years ago on the Atlantic Coast, Dufour plays an important role in the region and is one of the main employers in La Rochelle.

With a production capacity of more than 18.000 m² and 420 full-time employees, Dufour counts among the biggest shipyards in the world.

dufour history

History

In 1957, young engineer Michel Dufour discovered the new material, polyester. At the time, he was a keen competition sailor with a real passion for yachts, class rules and hydrodynamics. This sparked his idea to build a yacht made of polyester. In 1964, Michel Dufour started to design the “Sylphe” transportable yacht. He took a lot of financial risks to make the yacht, rented a hangar and started to make the “Sylphe” under the aegis of his newly formed company, Le Stratifié Industriel.

Design

The famous Italian naval architect Umberto Felci and the designers of Dufour Yachts work in very close cooperation to get hulls of the very best quality. The worldwide reputation of our yachts does not need to be reminded.

dufour yacht manufacturer
yacht production

Production

100% made in France, all Dufour Yachts models are thinked, designed and produced in La Rochelle, in the company headquarters. With near 400 sailboats built by year, Dufour Yachts controls the whole supply chain, from the project development to expedition, passing from the mounting and wood work.