“Tara exploration: along the European coasts” (1/6): before the big departure

In this podcast, franceinfo takes you immersed aboard the famous Tara Océan Foundation schooner, for a scientific expedition along the European coasts. In this first episode, discover the boat’s preparations before departure to Lorient, in Brittany.

For 20 years, the Tara schooner of the Tara Océan Foundation, the first recognized public utility foundation dedicated to the Ocean in France, has been traveling the seas of the globe for science. The sailboat-laboratory, 36 meters long, set sail again at the beginning of 2023, for a mission linked to a large laboratory specializing in molecular biology, EMBL. For two years, scientists, researchers and sailors travel along the European coastline to take inventory of coastal biodiversity at sea and on land. Objective: better understand the interactions between these two environments, as well as the impact of our pollution and climate change.

For weeks, the teams prepared for this new expedition. They meet us in Lorient, in Brittany. We are at the beginning of April, in the middle of the holiday weekend which marks the grand departure of Tara, this aluminum sailboat still moored at the foot of the old submarine base. The schooner which found its regulars Doug, Sophie, Flora, Fabien at the end of winter.

Experience this first episode of the podcast in 3D sound. To live this unique experience in binaural sound, listen with your usual headphones or earphones.

“Tara exploration: along the European coasts”, A podcast of six immersion episodes aboard this laboratory sailboat with franceinfo journalists Olivier Emond, Anne Le Gall and Boris Hallier, in partnership with the Tara Océan Foundation. Can be found on the franceinfo website, the Radio France application and several other platforms such as Apple podcasts, Podcast Addict, Spotify, or Deezer.

Production : Olivier Emond, Anne Le Gall and Boris Hallier | Realization : Clotilde Pivin | Sound recording : Christophe Papon, Alix Barrois and Romain Luquiens | Mixing: Bruno Mourlan | Sound creation: Bruno Carpentier and Hervé Bouley | Visuals: Maxime Bardou, Stéphanie Berlu | Coordination: Pauline Pennanec’h