THE GRAND VOYAGE TO THE US

The Hermione was a frigate of the French army. She was built by Henri Chevillard, a French shipwright. The construction of the boat lasted 11 months.

She is well-known to have carried General Lafayette to the United States in 1780 and allowed him to take part in the American Revolutionary War. She left Rochefort on March 11th and arrived in Boston on April 28th. Lafayette was a French military officier who fought for the American during the American Revolutionary War. He also had a great role in the French Revolution in 1789 as he helped in the writing of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.

Not only was the boat sent to the US, she was also sent to India to help Suffren against the British. She was wrecked on September 20th 1793.

The reconstruction project started in 1997 in Rochefort and was achieved recently. The boat finally left France for a new grand voyage to the US on April 14 2015. She will arrive in the US for Independence Day, on July 4th.

Have you noticed that a boat is called a "she" even if it used to be considered bad luck for a woman to be on board...maybe because, as it is said " a ship is nearer and dearer to the sailor that anyone except his mother".