PEGGY BOUCHET
1st woman who dared to row across the Atlantic
My story
“It’s not because things are difficult that we do not dare, but because we do not dare that they are difficult” Seneca
This quote from Seneca, which defines me so well, has become my creed.
Give ambition to one’s dreams
From an early age, I was interested in adventure through encounters, travel, documentaries and reading. Although originally from Evian, I discovered my passion for the sea at 18. After studying law and management in Grenoble, I passed a Master’s degree in logistics and maritime management at the University of Plymouth (UK). During my time in England, I took up sailing and confirmed my passion for the ocean.
Photo credits: Jean-Marc Lecerf
The Atlantic crossing: an unprecedented human adventure
A year later, in 1995, I completed a Master’s degree in management in Brest. My passion for adventure and the sea sparked off the idea of rowing solo across the Atlantic, a feat never achieved by a woman before.
In 1996, I was employed in a major group as an export financial engineer in Paris, and came back to Brest every weekend. At the same time, I tried to find sponsors, took part in weather training courses, and studied the best choices of boat, route, shipyard and team (preparer, electronics technician, weather router, doctor, etc.). 9 months later, I left my job as a financial engineer to sail across the Atlantic as a crew in order to have a greater experience of the sea.
At the end of December 1997, after having invested my savings in the purchase of my rowing boat, a sponsor placed his trust in my project for this world first. In January 1998, I resigned as Logistics Manager at 3M and set up my own company to manage and organize my adventure.
On March 10, 1998, at 24, after two years of meticulous preparation with my team, the dream finally came true: departure from the Canaries, bound for the West Indies. After 5500 km, alone on the ocean for 79 days, rowing more than 10 hours a day, I was finally nearing my goal, but the sea was becoming raging. The dream turned into a nightmare: I was shipwrecked the day before my arrival, less than 130 km from Guadeloupe. I then endured 9 long hours straddled on the hull of my sinking boat and was rescued at the very last minute.
Giving up? Never!
I did not accept this unfinished victory. I remained a pioneer, having demonstrated that a woman could achieve such a feat. More determined than ever, I vow to do it again 18 months later, on November 18 1999, I left Cape Verde.
My experience enabled me to learn from this first crossing and to optimize my preparation with my team (logistics, management, technical, communication…) with a single objective: “crossing my finish line”. More than 4,200 km and 800,000 rowing strokes later, I arrived victorious in Martinique on January 5, 2000, with the indescribable pride of having succeeded, of having gone beyond myself, keeping in mind the magic of the sea and the beauty of victory.
I remained true to my motto, written in my little cabin before the start of my second crossing: “Always dare, sometimes give in, never give up…”.
My current career
Further to this achievement, I manage my own companies and give numerous talks in France and in Europe. My freedom of tone, authenticity, enthusiasm and strength of character appeal to a wide range of audiences. Today, I’m a recognized speaker, bringing to my talks values such as audacity, adaptability, risk management, resilience, project and team management…
From my earliest childhood, commitment and an entrepreneurial spirit have always been present in my life. I’ve always lived with the courage to try, not with the fear of failing.
I’m also founder and president of the “Association Enfants du Léman”, which makes dreams come true for children with critical illnesses, on a local scale (around Lake Geneva in France and Switzerland).
With a strong commitment to women’s empowerment and the culture of projects for young people, I support and encourage the entrepreneurial spirit to help them to cross “their Atlantic”.
Winner of numerous awards
- The Toison d’Or de l’Aventure at the famous International Adventure Film Festival in Dijon.
- IGN’s Borne de l’Aventure, awarded by a national grand jury of renowned journalists, navigators and mountaineers, ceremony broadcast live on France 3.
- Prix des Neiges, awarded by the Départements of Savoie and Haute-Savoie, a distinction that honors a personality who has contributed to the influence of Savoie and Haute Savoie (in the tradition of Franck Riboud, Roger Frison Roche, Pierre Balmain, Georges Salomon or Maurice Opinel).
The awards I’ve had the honor of receiving reflect recognition of my career path and achievements. Here is an overview of the awards I have received over the years:
- First Senate Prize for Sports Achievement of the Year.
- Femme en Or 2001 in the Sport/Adventure category, awarded to the 7 most deserving women of the year; ceremony broadcast on December 30, 2000 on France 2 (winners in other categories: Nathalie Baye, Laurence Ferrari, Véronique Colucci, Muriel Robin).
- Adventurer of the Year by the Guilde Européenne du Raid.
- First prize for the City of Paris Adventure Grant.
Some TV interviews
PEGGY BOUCHET
« Oser toujours , céder parfois, renoncer jamais » ©
1ère femme à avoir osé traverser l’Atlantique à la rame