The Corderie Royale and the Hermione
La corderie Royale
Created by Louis XIV and his minister Colbert in 1666, the Corderie Royale building is located in Rochefort, at the heart of the Arsenal Maritime site at the mouth of the Charente River.
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This impressive 374-meter-long building was used to manufacture ropes for sailing ships in the navy.
With the advent of steam and wire rope, the Corderie gradually lost its “interest”, closing its doors completely in 1927.
The building has been listed as a “Monument Historique” since 1967. The vast Arsenal site, once a military shipyard for repairing and building vessels, is now home to the Corderie Royale, the Musée National de la Marine, the famous Frégate “l’Hermione” and Accro-mâts. The Corderie Royale is open all year round. It takes about 50 minutes to get there from the campsite.
Focus on the architecture of La Corderie Royale
The Corderie Royale at Rochefort in the Charente-Maritime département was built in 1669 by King Louis XIV to improve the quality of his fleet’s equipment.
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The architecture of this building is absolutely exceptional. Its unusual length sets it apart. At the time, the factory was used to make rope for the Royal Navy.
There are 2 facts you need to know to better understand the lengthy construction of the factory:
The usual size of a rope at the time was one encablure (about 200 meters).
The rope had to be made in a single piece to be as strong as possible.
These two points explain the unusual architecture of the rope factory.
Rochefort is a charming town to visit on your vacation. During your stay at our campsite on the Ile de Ré, you can take a day out to visit the Corderie Royale de Rochefort and the surrounding area.
The Hermione
The real “Hermione” frigate was launched in the Atlantic Ocean in 1779 and sailed the oceans for 14 years before sinking at sea. It enabled the Marquis de Lafayette to reach America and help the insurgents fight for their independence.
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In 1997, a group of “crazy” enthusiasts decided to rebuild her identically on the site of the Rochefort Arsenal. This titanic project, using the tools, materials and know-how of yesteryear, lasted 17 years, and in April 2015, the Hermione made her maiden voyage to America with 78 crew members on board, compared with 300 in Lafayette’s day!
The Hermione can be visited, but beware: she also travels a lot! For example, in 2019, she left her home port from April 4 to July 5 under the theme of “Normandie Liberté”.
To round off your day, here are a few ideas for visits around the Rochefort Arsenal site: the Museum of Former Trades, Pierre Loti’s house (currently closed for renovation), the Naval Medical School…
Temporary exhibition space
The Corderie Royale site also boasts a fine space dedicated to temporary exhibitions. Every year or two, a new museography is proposed, always closely linked to the world of the sea and the navy. The temporary exhibition space is an extension of the permanent exhibition.