Vhélio Trophy - Millennium edition

An immersive epic in self-constructed solar tricycles. The Vhélio Trophy is shifting into high gear! After the resounding success of its first edition in May 2026, the Vhélio Trophy returns with renewed ambition. In 2027, the solar convoy proudly participates in the Year of the Normans and celebrates a historic adventure: one thousand years after William the Conqueror, this festive, inclusive, and collaborative epic connects Sotteville-lès-Rouen to Hastings. On the agenda: a large-scale challenge mixing a 150 km journey aboard Vhélio — an open-source solar tricycle — and a crossing of the English Channel. The adventure begins well before departure: the crews assemble their own kit vehicle, driven by a spirit of mutual aid, conviviality, and resourcefulness. The Vhélio Trophy promotes active, sober, and emancipatory mobility, based on citizens' ownership of technical skills. By adopting the Vhélio, everyone learns to build and master their own vehicle, demonstrating that it's possible to transform a raw object into a traveling companion for long distances. A modern reinterpretation of the spirit of conquest, the project places cooperation at the heart of the adventure and brings together a diverse, inclusive, and enthusiastic community. It embodies the spirit of Vhélio: making shared innovation a bridge between French and English cultures, and opening new avenues of exchange across the Channel. The 2026 edition already gathered a great diversity of participants: students, associations, local authorities, businesses, retirees, community centers, workers with disabilities… All come together around the same momentum. Everyone can join by forming a team of 4 to 6 people and imagining the future of Vhélio through a collective adventure lasting several months, filled with encounters, mutual aid, and low-tech experimentation. They share the adventure from the inside... “Exhausted, alive, wanting to do it all over again next year. Sad to leave, a bit like a teenager returning from summer camp!” “Alone, we take a step; together we go to the ends of the earth!” “A great moment of solitude in the middle of the night... saved from our welding attempt by the FabLab team!” “The great diversity of profiles allowed for incredible discussions. Your conditions for 2027 will be ours: we are ready to start again tomorrow!” Registrations before December 31, 2026 Paid Cooperation France / United Kingdom Partnerships: English Heritage, Visit Sussex, Marine Workshop NewHaven, City of Sotteville-Lès-Rouen, Department 76 - Parc de Clères, City of Dieppe, Transmanche Ferries - DFDS, higher education schools, associations, businesses Photo credit: tropheevhelio ©marinethomann2026