Hotel Restaurant Marmotte

Ecole Gendarmerie

by Toyin

During earlier centuries, Rochefort was host to the Naval constructions,because of its special location. But, the most important function of Rochefort now is that it is home to the Gendarmes. The reconstruction of Hermione. Also the visit to Ile d'Aix.

French Gendarmes

by Toyin

For whatever France is today..credit has to go to the the gendarmes who had made it possible. Law and order is what France stood for and this has made this country the envie of other european countries. In Rochefort, I made few friends, but particularly a gendarme friend who really showed me the French hospitality. Before this encounter, I always sees french people as arrogant lot. However, this friend made a lot of difference in my perception of the French people.

The Romans were here?

by Toyin

This is a rare church building in Rochefort's surburb... T he church is called Eglise romane (XII siecle). To reach Echillais, you must cross the La Charente either by the Pont Transbordeur if you belong to the past or make use of the new bridge if you belong to the present. The villagers are very proud of this 12th century church building and it is worth seing the works of the people of the this epoc....It gives you a feeling...perharps, .. that you were there, that you somehow belong to the place!!!

Musee de la Marine

by Toyin

The seaman's tool artwork is made of corper. The picture was taken near the sight of Hermione construction, a large XVIIIth century ship that was La Fayette's. It is a magnificient site and a challenge: one day the Hermione will sail over to Boston...

ROCHEFORT - THE STORY OF HERMIONE

by Toyin

"The Hermione - Frigate of Liberty"

Rochefort is a town in the Western France, essentially it was a French ship building city, now a home to the French Gendermairies. I found out that there was no travel hint on Rochefort, hence, I decided to be the first on this site.

To do Rochefort by road from Paris, it takes about 6hrs, but by the TGV, it is 3hrs to Surgese, then you drive for another 30minutes to Rochefort. The town is sandwished between ROYAN and LA ROCHELLE. The significance of the ROCHEFORT will not come to VT members untill the year 2007! This is when the HERMIONE would be lunched, that is when the story would be told, and some of you will say... ooooh I remember, Yeah Toyin said it.

In Greeks mythology, Hermione is Menelaus and Helene's daughter who herself was Ocean's daughters. Hermione is therefore Oceans grandaughter.......

In the XVIIIth century, the Hermione was a frigate that was built in Rochefort, on which embarked the young Marquis de La Fayette. It was a frigate that was destined to participate in the birth of a nation: The United States of America.

"Ocean's Grandaughter"

Building the replica of this Frigate is part of Rochefort's ambitious political project. The Maritime Arsenal of Colbert and his jewel, the 'Corderie Royale', is rehabilitated, the dry docks of the XVIIth, XVIIIth and of the XIXth century have been excavated out of the mud of the marshes.

"Construction of New Hermione"

To be able to recapture a full sense of Rochforth's uniqueness in Europe, it was necessary to reconstruct a vessel of the era because France has not preserved its floating heritage. Above all, this frigate is part of a wider project which concerns all the Charente estuary.... The project is expected to be commissioned in 2007. The first port of call is Boston in the US? It will then sail back to Rochefort where it will be used for tourism.