Moored in the Paul Vatine, Eure, and Bellot basins, they will prepare for the launch of the Tall Ships Race 2025 from Le Havre. This will precede, by a few months, their successors setting sail in October for the start of the 17th Transat Café l’Or.
The 400,000 visitors who gathered in 2017 for a previous edition of Les Grandes Voiles Du Havre demonstrated the public's enthusiasm for these majestic fleets. Beyond the sporting, educational, and festive aspects of the event, these traditional tall ships spark curiosity, inspire dreams, and stir the imagination. As symbolic representations of a multifaceted maritime universe, the image of the sailing ship continues to fascinate. In Le Havre, it endures as a link to the port city's maritime past. Sailing schools, marinas, and the Regattas Society are integral to the spirit of this locale. By assembling these exceptional fleets, Les Grandes Voiles reestablishes this historical and imaginative maritime connection, inspiring creativity and a renewed sense of heritage.
In this context, the Museums of Art and History are presenting an exhibition of approximately 100 works from their collections at the Hôtel Dubocage de Bléville Museum. This exhibition explores the image of the sailing ship in all its forms, placing it within a historical perspective and resonating with the events of Les Grandes Voiles Du Havre and the Transat Café l’Or.
The Small Sails exhibition, displayed on the ground floor and in two rooms on the first floor, celebrates the golden age of sailing and the city of Le Havre from the 16th to the mid-19th century. Topics include shipbuilding, ship types and portraits, and maritime activities such as fishing, military operations, trade, sports, and the arts. Through a selection of graphic works, paintings, models, and objects of art or curiosity, the exhibition delves into the multifaceted nature of sailing ships—functional, aesthetic, artistic, poetic, and symbolic.
Featuring newly acquired pieces, recently restored drawings, and historical collections, the exhibition reflects on the image of the sailing ship. Housed in the historic residence of Michel Joseph Dubocage—a ship captain, privateer, and explorer—it forms, for the duration of the exhibition, a rich and surprising fleet mirroring the maritime history of this port city.
Children’s Workshops: During the summer
Find the full program at: musees-mah-lehavre.fr
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