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Enlisted sailors at the Loire Navy Museum

Enlisted sailors at the Loire Navy Museum

Published on 07 April 2016 - Updated 18 April 2016
Cet article date d'il y a plus de 8 ans

A model of a three-master, the “Zélé”, has just been installed in one of the museum’s exhibition rooms, specially refitted to house it. It was originally exhibited as part of the temporary exhibition “From the Loire to the sea, bargees in the King’s service”, which focused on Loire bargees’ and fishermen’s enlistment in the French Royal Navy in the late 18th century, during the American War of Independence (1775-1783).

It was carved out of bone by a French sailor while he was a prisoner of war in England. Many French sailors taken prisoner during naval skirmishes occupied themselves by making similar little items, often models of ships they had served on.

The “Zélé” was one of the ships that saw action during the American War of Independence; a sailor from Châteauneuf-sur-Loire by the name of François Picasnon, served aboard it, dying in 1794.

On loan from the Château-Museum, Dieppe, for three years, the model was restored with the help of the Association of Friends of the Loire Navy Museum and Old Châteauneuf. It is accompanied by a multimedia presentation of the life of another sailor from Châteauneuf, Louis Picasnon.