Dufour Yachts Yachts

Dufour Yachts was founded in 1964 by engineer and sailor Michel Dufour in La Rochelle, on France's Atlantic coast, after he had spent the previous decade studying glass-reinforced polyester construction while working for a railway equipment manufacturer in the same city. His first model, the Sylphe, was among the earliest transportable polyester production yachts in France, and the company expanded rapidly in 1971 into a new factory at Périgny, near La Rochelle, capable of building over 300 boats a year. The breakthrough model was the Arpège, which sold around 1,500 units between 1967 and 1977 and helped establish Dufour as a leading European production builder. Fountaine Pajot, the French catamaran group, became majority owner in 2018 for a reported €22.6 million, and Dufour continues to build monohull sailing yachts in fibreglass from La Rochelle, with the current range spanning roughly 12 to 19 metres, from the Dufour 41 up to the Dufour 61. Tell us your dates, guest count, and the cruising area you have in mind, and we will match you to the right Dufour for charter or for sale.