In the absence of L’Hermione, still under repair in Bayonne, the museum space of the Arsenal de Rochefort has been redesigned for this new 2024 season.
The first part of La Fabrique de l’Arsenal is always dedicated to the construction of the replica of La Fayette’s frigate and his adventures at sea. The “sailing” area, where sails are normally made and repaired, has been redeveloped into an area for explaining the work in progress on L’Hermione. A model of the boat and videos complete the information panels.
And above all, volunteers who have traveled on L’Hermione are there to interact with visitors and answer their questions. At the same time, guided tours of La Fabrique with a cultural mediator are organized every day at 10:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. (by reservation). The last room is dedicated to a new temporary exhibition on refit shapes, these concave spaces in which ships are manufactured.
“The Rochefort arsenal has the oldest example in the world: the “old form” dates from 1671! », explains Audrey Oranger, project manager for the Rochefort Océan urban community (CARO). The most recent, the “Napoleon”, dates from the 19e century and welcomes the former cod fisherman Le Noé until the end of the year. A model of the Napoleon shape was designed to allow visitors to understand its architecture.
A source of inspiration for Jules Verne’s Nautilus
On the walls, panels and an archive video from 1928 retrace the history of refit forms and their major shipyards. The Rochefort arsenal notably hosted the construction of the first French submarine, Le Plongeur, around 1860. Although it was quickly relegated as a tanker when it was launched due to the lack of discretion of its wake, it represented a major technological advance at the time.
It was also a source of inspiration for Jules Verne and his Nautilus, in 20,000 places under the sea. The writer is said to have seen the only model at the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1867. It is today exhibited at the Rochefort maritime museum, which traces the history of military shipbuilding.
The story of Noah
The visit to the Factory ends with a space dedicated to the history of the Noah, and a visit to the parts on which the work has been completed: the two forward and aft forecastles, including the officers’ lounge, the exterior passageways and the pilothouse. . Throughout the summer, the Noé welcomes visitors in the evening around its bar or various festive events such as concerts, on its terrace. The program can be discovered on bain-noe.com
Giant treasure hunt and escape game
Numerous events are also planned at the scale of the Arsenal des mers, which brings together La Fabrique de l’Arsenal, La Corderie royale, the Maritime Museum, Oceana Lumina and L’Accro-Mâts. Starting with guided tours, every day. A giant treasure hunt, Le Défi Arsenal des mers, free and downloadable from exploregames.com, also allows you to tour the emblematic sites of Rochefort maritime in a fun way (from 7 years old). The Maritime Museum offers two escape games on the themes of Pierre Loti and the sinking of La Méduse (from 10 and 8 years old respectively).
The Arsenal also organizes a visit and fun workshops around the giant periscope every Wednesday. The sound and light trail, Oceana Lumina, reopens its doors on July 5, with the same scenography.
