It has become one of the symbols of the port of Nantes, not necessarily the most attractive, but that is a matter of taste. Moored at Quai de la Fosse since 1988, the military ship Maille-Brézé is visited by 25,000 people on average each year. The summer which is coming to an end was even the “best in terms of attendance”, according to the volunteer guides. Yes, but this former squadron escort transformed into a naval museum is suffering from the wear and tear of time. Its hull and all the metal superstructures are attacked by rust. A complete restoration is now “necessary” for this historic monument. It should take place in March 2024 in Saint-Nazaire.
The operation is expensive: around one million euros. To facilitate its financing, the association Nantes Marine Traditionowner of the boat, joined forces with the Heritage Foundation and the Metropolitan Fund for Culture to launch a collection of donations. Objective: raise up to 150,000 euros. “The State and communities cover 85% of the cost of the work. We still have 15% to find, whether from individuals or businesses. This is too large a sum for our association,” comments François Bouyer, president of Nantes Marine Tradition.
Starring a new film in 2024
The refit scheduled in the dry dock promises to be “the most complete” ever carried out on the Maille-Brézé. The ship will first have to be towed to Saint-Nazaire since it is no longer equipped to sail on its own. The previous restoration was carried out in 2010.
In the service of the national navy for thirty-one years, the Maille-Brézé was decommissioned in 1988. In addition to regular visits from the general public, the former escort has since been asked to participate in filming. In 2016, he went to Dunkirk for several months to take part in the film Dunkirk by the famous Anglo-American director Christopher Nolan. Next year, the Maille-Brézé will also be showing in the feature film Full speed with Pio Marmaï and José Garcia.