Orient Express and Chantiers de l’Atlantique officially named Orient Express Corinthian on April 29, 2026 at the Joubert graving dock in Saint-Nazaire, a port city that has been central to French maritime history for over a century. At 220 metres and 15,000 tonnes, she is the largest sailing yacht ever built, and she flies the French flag.
The Joubert graving dock is where the Normandie was built in the 1930s, a liner that many still consider the finest expression of Art Deco design ever put to sea. This naming also falls exactly a century after the launch of the Île-de-France, another ship that carried French craftsmanship to a global audience. Orient Express is placing itself within that lineage, and the address makes the point better than any press release could. Corinthian is a much-anticipated launch, ever since its construction began in January 2025.
Orient Express Corinthian is the first cruise vessel ever fitted with the SolidSail wind propulsion system, a technology that Chantiers de l’Atlantique spent 10 years developing. Three rigid rigs, each covering 1,500 square metres and rising to over 320 feet, rotate through 360 degrees to maintain the best possible sail position regardless of wind direction.
Carbon masts, designed and built entirely in the Bretagne and Pays de la Loire regions, tilt to 70 degrees, allowing the ship to pass under the world’s major bridges without any rerouting. Sea trials in February 2026 confirmed she can hold 12 knots under sail alone in 20 knots of wind, a first for any vessel of this size.
A hybrid liquefied natural gas propulsion system supports the ship when wind conditions are not sufficient. This combination has earned her the best Energy Efficiency Design Index rating in her class, well ahead of comparable vessels. An AI-assisted detection system continuously scans for marine mammals and objects in the water, and dynamic positioning removes the need to anchor, protecting the seabed at every stop. For an industry that has long struggled to balance scale with environmental responsibility, the engineering here goes well beyond what regulations require.
Laurent Castaing, CEO of Chantiers de l’Atlantique, said, “For more than one hundred and sixty years, Chantiers de l’Atlantique has been building ships that define their era. Orient Express Corinthian is the latest proof of this: 720 feet, 15,000 tonnes carried by the wind, three SolidSail sails, the fruit of ten years of research and development. It is a concrete, technical response to the decarbonisation challenges facing maritime transport. But above all, it is the work of men and women of exceptional dedication and passion.”
Architect and Orient Express Creative Director Maxime d’Angeac drew from the golden age of travel, referencing the original Orient Express train and the great ocean liners, but through a cleaner, more modern lens. Close to 2,000 craftsmen, artists and ateliers contributed to the build, all coordinated by Chantiers de l’Atlantique.
The Orient Express yacht has also been made possible after Accor’s 2022 acquisition of Orient Express, and LVMH’s investment into Orient Express since 2024.
Corinthian carries 54 suites across four decks, ranging from 45 to 230 square metres. Each suite has a 3.60-metre panoramic window and ceiling heights raised by 25 centimetres above the current industry standard. Leathers, wood veneers and marble finishes run throughout, and every cabin comes with a dedicated butler.
Culinary direction sits with multi-Michelin-starred chef Yannick Alléno, covering five restaurants and private dining rooms. Eight bars, an Art Deco speakeasy, a 115-seat cabaret, a recording studio, a Guerlain spa, a 16.5-metre swimming lane, a pool and a marina are all part of the offering, on a fully inclusive basis.
Four Fouga Magister jets in French tricolour livery opened the naming ceremony with an aerial salute. Saint-Nazaire has been producing aircraft frames since the 1920s, and the salute was a direct reference to that history, a city that has always worked at the intersection of engineering and scale.
The three SolidSail rigs were raised before the speeches began. Catherine Chabaud, France’s Minister Delegate for the Sea and Fisheries, formally presented the French ensign to Castaing, granting the vessel the right to fly French colours.
Castaing then transferred ownership to Sébastien Bazin, Chairman and CEO of Accor, and Philippe Hetland Brault, Président Orient Express Sailing Yacht, with the following words, “Dear Sébastien, dear Philippe, on behalf of Chantiers de l’Atlantique, it is with immense pride that I hand over to you today the ownership of Orient Express Corinthian. I wish her every success, fair winds and following seas, to her crew and to all the passengers who will have the privilege of sailing aboard her.”
Sébastien Bazin handed command to Captain Éric Saint-Plancat, who ordered the French ensign and the Orient Express pennant to be broken to the Marseillaise. Monseigneur Nicolas, the Orthodox archbishop, blessed the ship and her company, and a Balthazar was broken in keeping with maritime tradition.
“Bringing Orient Express to the sea fits naturally within the imagination of this legendary brand: a journey rooted in discovery, unhurried time, excellence, and elegance. Orient Express Corinthian embodies this vision with majesty and boldness. Thanks to its sail-powered propulsion, its spaces enhanced by rare materials, and by offering a unique experience designed for an international clientele, we have met a threefold challenge: industrial, architectural, and artistic,” Accor’s Bazin said.
Orient Express Corinthian left Saint-Nazaire on May 2, 2026, heading first to the French Riviera ahead of her inaugural Mediterranean season. From May through October 2026, she covers the Mediterranean and Adriatic before crossing the Atlantic to winter in the Caribbean. In 2027, itineraries extend to the eastern Mediterranean and Northern Europe. Voyages run from one to four nights and can be linked into longer, continuous routes.
Her sister ship, Orient Express Olympian, was launched on April 17, 2026 and is currently being fitted out at the Penhoët quay in Saint-Nazaire. With hospitality brands like Aman and Ritz-Carlton getting into yacht travel, Orient Express has a clear advantage with its immense experience in old world glamour.
