When Matthieu and Chloé Leger Witvoet said they were going to swim the Atlantic in a three-month relay, lots of people thought it was just a crazy publicity stunt. But for this French couple, it’s about something bigger: saving the oceans. Starting November 1, 2025, from Cape Verde, they’ll take turns swimming up to six hours a day until they get to Guadeloupe, about 3,800 kilometers away. They don’t just want to cross the ocean, they want everyone to start talking about protecting our seas.
It’s an ambitious plan that mixes science, learning, and standing up for what they believe inturning a really hard swim into a cheer for the ocean. Swimming the Atlantic wasn’t just a random thing they thought up. Matthieu has always been into sports and wanted a challenge that meant something. Chloé loves to explore and found that she really wants to save the oceans. Together, they came up with a trip that used what they’re both good at: his physical strength and her mind.
The relay swim is, to them, a symbol of teamwork. They take turns, showing how important it is to work together and share the effort—just like we need to if we want to save the oceans. For Matthieu and Chloé, the swim is to get people to pay attention. “Every stroke is for the ocean,” Chloé said. “The Atlantic is our challenge and our reason. We hope people will want to protect it.”
Their trip shows how oceans are both huge and fragile. By swimming in the sea, they want to show its beauty and how easily it can be harmed.
There are dangers, too. Sharks, jellyfish, and bad weather are always something to worry about. Storms can change fast, making them have to change course or stop. Saltwater can bother their skin, and swimming for hours can cause injuries.
But they’re calm and focused. “We’re not trying to fight the ocean,” Matthieu said. “We’re swimming with it, respecting its power, and learning from it.”
This trip is also about teaching. Over 63,000 kids in France are following their trip through a program that mixes live updates with what they learn in class. They’ve teamed up with teachers and groups to teach kids about oceans, climate change, and protecting nature.
Kids can see where they are on maps and learn about ocean currents, sea creatures, and what it takes to swim so far. The couple will send messages and videos from their boat, sharing what they see and learn.
They want to get kids excited about protecting the oceans. By turning their trip into a class, Matthieu and Chloé want to get kids interested and responsible.
Even though it starts in France, the swim is being talked about everywhere. Environmental groups and news places are getting ready to cover it. It also matters that they’re linking Africa (Cape Verde) and the Caribbean (Guadeloupe). Both places are near the Atlantic and have similar problems like rising sea levels and fewer fish. By making this, Matthieu and Chloé show that saving the ocean is a problem for everyone.
Chloé jokes that if they can make it through swimming the Atlantic, they can make it through anything. Matthieu says that doing this trip with the person he loves makes it even more special. “Every time I swim, I know she’s waiting, cheering me on,” he says. “That helps a lot.” Their story makes the trip easy to get behind. They’re normal people doing something amazing for a good cause.
More Than Just a Swim
It’s good to tell people about it, but it’s also important to really make a change. They know that swimming the Atlantic won’t fix everything. But they think stories can do a lot. By pushing themselves, they want to get governments, businesses, and people to do something.
Their trip has already gotten people talking and giving money to ocean-related causes. When they get to Guadeloupe, the swim will be over, but they’ll still be working to spread the word. They plan to say what they learned through movies, books, and talks, so the message about saving the oceans keeps going.
