Next stop Saint-Malo and the maritime festivals of Brest!

The sailing itinerary in 2016 saw the Hermione visit the legendary port of Saint-Malo for the first time. The frigate came across lots of ships during her travels such as the Renard and the Étoile du Roy.

This warm welcome from the corsair city proved to be an excellent forerunner of the Hermione’s participation in the big maritime festivals of Brest 2016 where the Hermione was eagerly awaited by hundreds of thousands of people and lots of crews.

Brittany 2016

June, 4th

Once again, the Hermione emerged from its dry dock to head into the white waters of the Charente. After a few cannon shots were fired along the river to greet the curious bystanders massed on the banks. And it was also in the Charente that the Hermione simulated a naval battle with the Russian frigate, “the Shtandart”, passing through the city of Colbert for a lovely stopover in the Laperouse basin.
From 6 to 20 June

Technical stopover at La Pallice commercial port of La Rochelle

The frigate got a refit here and the technicians started installing the backup engines.
June 21st

Bay of biscay, Brittany

After a few sailing and engine trials, the frigate set off again out to sea to get to its stopover in Saint-Malo.
From 1st to 9 july

Stopover in the corsair city of St Malo

Arriving in the mist, the Hermione surprised more than one bystander when her guns thundered as she approached Saint-Malo. Welcomed by the Etoile du Roy and the Renard, the frigate sailed to its quay in the Vauban basin accompanied by a wonderful parade.
July, 10th

The channel

Back at sea after a pleasant stopover, the Hermione had to tack between France and England to get to her next event, the maritime festivals of Brest and their huge flotilla.
From 13 to 19 july

Participation in the Brest maritime festivals 2016

At anchor in the Brest harbour, the frigate was to see many legendary ships pass in front of its bow, such as the Belem, the Kruzenshtern, the Cuauhtemoc and lots of smaller ships that were no less impressive however. All these ships took their places in the Penfeld or in the commercial basin before the thunderous arrival of the Hermione, moored between the Shtandart, the Etoile, the Belle Poule and the Mutin.
July, 23rd

Return to Rochefort

After another successful voyage, the Hermione came back home for a year of maintenance. It was in 2017, a year that was particularly noteworthy because 20 years before, the keel was just being fitted!