The 29-year-old Gabart needed 78 days, two hours, 16 minutes and 40 seconds to complete his journey, smashing the previous record set by compatriot Michel Desjoyeaux in 2009 by almost seven days.
Frenchman Armel Le Cleac'h was second ahead of Briton Alex Thomson, who leapfrogged Jean-Pierre Dick after the Frenchman lost his keel.
Le Cleac'h was expected to cross the line later on Sunday.
Gabart fought off four-metre high waves in his final sprint before he was greeted by thousands of spectators in the western French port of Les Sables d'Olonne despite bad weather and gusts of wind at 80 kph.
"You bluffed us. What you did is impressive," Jean Le Cam, fifth in the race and second in 2005, told Gabart in an open letter.
The race, sailed non-stop and without assistance, started on Nov. 10, 2012 and saw eight of the 20 starters including Britain's Samantha Davies, the only woman in the contest, pull out.

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/sailing-frances-gabart-wins-vendee-globe-round-world-142853923.html