January 29, 2015 update
The ship that brought French reinforcements to the American troops during the Revolutionary War is coming back to life. In 1780, the Marquis de La Fayette left the city of Rochefort, located on the Atlantic coast of Poitou-Charentes, onboard the Hermione frigate and joined General Washington to fight until the American victory 18 months later.
An enduring symbol of Franco-American friendship, the near-perfect replica is now finished and has left her specially-made shipyard "Le Chantier de l'Hermione," which welcomed 250,000 visitors per year for the past 20 years of construction. The Hermione left Rochefort for sea trials on Sunday, September 7 where where she sailed downstream on the Charente River to the open ocean.
Crossing the Atlantic in La Fayette's footsteps, the Hermione, with her captain and 78-member crew, will set sail in April 18, 2015 and arrive in Yorktown on June 5. She will also dock in Annapolis, Newport, New York and Boston before returning to Rochefort in August 2015.
For more details on the Hermione voyage and the project visit: www.hermione2015.com.