Want to experience a great maritime adventure? A little detour via Rochefort-en-Mer, in Charente-Maritime, will certainly take you away from it all. Take the opportunity to visit 4 exceptional places in the same day: the Hermione, the Corderie Royale, the Maritime Museum and the Accro-mâts de Rochefort ! This is possible thanks to the Arsenal des Mers Pass. A godsend if you are planning a stopover in Rochefort during your stay in Charente-Maritime !
The Hermione, the Liberty frigate
Rochefort-sur-Mer is world-renowned for being the home port of the Hermione. This famous three-masted ship, proud as a frigate, is an exact replica of an 18th-century warship, built in the arsenal of Rochefort, with which the young Marquis de La Fayette rallied the American insurgents in 1780. Come aboard and discover the story of this legend of the seas, its voyages, its crew and life on board in the time of Louis XIV. The rest of the tour takes you to the workshops where the carpenters, joiners, blacksmiths and other riggers work. You will discover the sail loft, the "pulley clinic" and the restoration site of the Cupidon Fo, a pleasure boat listed as a Historic Monument.
– Maritime Arsenal, Place Amiral Dupont, 17300 Rochefort. Site : https://www.hermione.com
The Corderie Royale, the jewel of the Arsenal
A stone's throw from the Hermione, along the Charente, push open the doors of the Corderie Royale de Rochefort and discover the former rope factory of the Sun King. The superb building of enormous dimensions – 374 meters long – now houses the International Center of the Sea. Relive the golden age of sailing ships and discover the secrets of hemp, from fiber to rigging. Around the centuries-old workshops, discover the activity of a great factory, the gestures of the rope workers, the almost forgotten skills, try your hand at tying sailor's knots, and finish the walk in the Garden of Returns. A dive into history!
– La Corderie Royale – International Sea Centre: rue Jean-Baptiste Audebert, 17300 Rochefort. Site : www.corderie-royale.com
The Naval Museum, the history of the Royal Navy
Housed in the Hôtel de Cheusses, a former 17th-century stately home, the Maritime Museum traces several centuries of the history of the great arsenal and shipbuilding industry. It features beautiful period pieces, models of old and new ships, navigational instruments, antique tools, as well as a collection of sculptures, paintings, and engravings related to the navy. Not to be missed: the replica of the "Raft of the Medusa," inspired by Géricault's famous painting.
– National Maritime Museum of Rochefort : Place de La Galissonnière. Site: www.musee-marine.fr
L'Accro-mâts, treetop adventure on an old sailing ship
Enjoy your stopover at Rochefort to experience a unique treetop adventure course: the Accro-mâts where the masts replace the trees! On a platform reminiscent of the shape of the Hermione, stroll from mast to mast, sliding on zip lines and climbing ropes, to reach the top, 30 meters high! Your courage and skill will be rewarded with a breathtaking view of the city and the Arsenal, the frigate Hermione, the Charente and the marsh of Rochefort. A must try!
– Mast climbers Rochefort : Place Admiral Dupont, activity accessible to all (from 6 years old), 3 levels of difficulty for young and old, every day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
PRACTICAL
- The Arsenal des Mers PASS is available at the Tourist Office of Rochefort : €18.50 for adults, €14.50 for 6-15 year olds.
- More info: www.arsenaldesmers.fr
Photo © CMT17 / A. Birard