Rochefort - a good port for men and ships to "rot"

Gaudeo
John and Prue Quayle / John Quayle
Fri 15 Jun 2007 19:22
15 - 16th June Rochefort 10 miles up the river Charente.
 
This really is the perfect place to "rot", avoid rain, strong winds, change crew, and take in the atmosphere of so much naval history. It was the site of one of  Louis X1V`s largest naval arsenals, well protected from seaward invasion and well supplied with materials and men for building ships from inland France upstream. The construction, directed by Colbert, is of rectilinear streets with embellishment suitable for refined tastes of the upper echelon of the naval establishment of the day. Though much was damaged at the end of German occupation, the buildings have been exquisitely restored including the Corderie Royale, the royal rope works where 367metre spools of hemp were woven into cables of rope. It is now a fascinating museum.
 
Near by is the building of a replica of the 1779 frigate L`Hermione which carried La Fayette to Boston and the celebrated meeting with George Washington.This inspired piece of reconstruction began in 1997 and is expected to be completed in 2009 for repeat passage  to Boston - it was a privilege to view the building so close to.  
 
A 4 mile walk the following day along the river bank for bird watching and a close inspection of the Transbordeur ( the only remaining example in France) worked off some of excesses before being led astray again by Edward Pank who joined us in the evening.  
 
Prue`s departure early in the morning by Taxi to La Rochelle airport was a hasty affair since it was also necessary to move the boat out of the yacht basin at 0630hrs as the bridges and lock gates would remain closed until the following day for the first day of the town`s annual fete. Pank and I however, now had a free rein  to revictual the boat at Saturday`s huge street market where it was  difficult to resist the temptation of offerings from over 30 large fresh fish stalls regardless of other fabulous items for digestion; the  only restriction was what could be carried back to the boat.