Friends of Hermione-Lafayette in America

The French naval frigate Hermione was launched in 1779 and patrolled the Bay of Biscay during the Anglo-French War. The ship truly made its mark, though, when it transported General Lafayette to the United States in 1780 to support American Patriot forces in the Revolutionary War and served in multiple battles. After returning to France and while serving in the War of the First Coalition in 1793, Hermione ran aground and sank.

One hundred ninety-nine years later, the Centre International de la Mer formulated plans to recreate Hermione based on line drawings of the original boat. Construction began in 1997, and in 2015, the new Hermione sailed from Rochefort, France to the U.S., stopping first in Yorktown, Virginia before visiting Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island, Maine, and Nova Scotia, Canada. The replication process and the voyage serve as powerful reminders of the significant, long-standing "special relationship" between France and the United States. 

The Friends of Hermione-Lafayette in America supported this recreation and excursion, joining forces with local heritage and nautical groups, cultural organizations, museums, and universities to offer educational, musical, and culinary programming at each port. Hermione is currently docked at the port of Bayonne on the Basque coast of France.