Future travel plans inspired by L'Hermione 2015 and the Marquis de Lafayette

Changing of the American flag over the Marquis de Lafayette's tomb at Picpus Cemetery in Paris on July 4, 2014.

Even though we're currently on vacation in Annapolis, Stéphane is already planning our next trip. The destination? Rochefort, France to see the tall ship L'Hermione before she sets sail for the East Coast of the United States in 2015. We're also contemplating a quick trip to Easton, Pennsylvania to visit Lafayette College.

The Marquis de Lafayette, the French aristocrat who supported the American colonies during their fight for independence from Great Britain, is the impetus behind these travel plans. It all started when I was finally able to pay my respects to Lafayette during the annual ceremony to replace the American flag flying over his tomb at Picpus Cemetery in Paris on July 4. Extremely moved by the reaffirmation of the historic bonds between the United States and France, I fortuitously stumbled across the "L'Hermione Project" while searching for information about the young Marquis de Lafayette's first voyage to America in 1777.

The American flag flying over the Marquis de Lafayette's tomb at Picpus Cemetery in Paris.

"L'Hermione Project" was established more than twenty years ago when a small group of enthusiasts had the idea to recreate the French frigate that carried Lafayette to America in 1780. During the ensuing years, thousands of skilled craftsmen joined the project financed by more than three million people. On April 25, 2015, L'Hermione and her crew will embark on a 42 day trans-Atlantic crossing.

The provisional itinerary will take L'Hermione to Yorktown, Virginia, where she took part in the blockade which led to the surrender of Lord Cornwallis and his army. The frigate will then sail up the East Coast with stopovers in Alexandria, Annapolis, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Greenport, Boston and Halifax, Nova Scotia before she returns to France.

Follow L'Hermione Project on Facebook and Twitter. For additional information about the itinerary and the history of the project, please visit Lafayette's Hermione Voyage 2015.

On October 14, 2014, the Friends of Hermione-Lafayette in America will host an inaugural NYC Gala with Honorary Chairman Dr. Henry Kissinger, former U.S. Secretary of State, Christine Lagarde, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund, and Charlie Rose, American television talk-show host and journalist.

An American couple told me that they were inspired to travel to Paris specifically for the annual 4th of July flag changing ceremony after watching France Revisited's 2009 video.


Comments

  1. When you go to Rochefort, do not miss the Pont Transbordeur. Kind of crazy and I've never seen anything else like it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the info about the Pont Transbordeur, Anne! I just googled it and the bridge definitely looks like a "must-see".

      Delete
  2. Mark Kay, I have someone I will put you in touch with in Rochefort. A wonderful artist who will enjoy meeting you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Carina! I would very much enjoy meeting your artist friend while we're in Rochefort. I saw on FB that he was painting at the dock where L'Hermione is moored.

      Delete
  3. Very neat inspiration for future travel plans! As a graduate from Lafayette College, I support a trip to visit! It's such a beautiful campus, especially in autumn. And could be easily combined with a visit to Philadelphia too :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sara, Your comment has me even more excited about the possibility of visiting Lafayette College! We're flying out of Philadelphia so hopefully we'll be able to squeeze in a quick trip before returning to Paris. "Cur non?". Even though I'm not an alumna of Lafayette, I try to live by its "Why not?" motto. Thanks for commenting!

      Delete
  4. Very neat inspiration for future travel plans! As a graduate from Lafayette College, I support a trip to visit! It's such a beautiful campus, especially in autumn. And could be easily combined with a visit to Philadelphia too :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  6. رحلة سفاري الوادي 5 ساعات في الغردقة
    السفاري في مصر متعة بلا حدود جو من المغامرة والاستكشاف سوف تعيشه معنا لمدة 5ساعات نجتاز فيها الوادي الجبلي بالعربة الجيب ثم نتجه للقرية البدوية لمشاهدة تفاصيل الحياة البدوية والاستمتاع بأجمل حفلة بدوية مع تناول العشاء على الطريقة البدوية وشرب الشاي البدوي المميز كذلك ركوب الجمل والسير به وسط الصحراء مع تعلم سواقة البيتش باجي والاستمتاع بالسباق بين الجبال.

    مميزات الرحلة
    مميزات رحلة سفاري الوادي 5 ساعات في الغردقة :


    الاستمتاع لمدة 5ساعات بمشاهدة طقوس وأنشطة الحياة البدوية.
    الاستمتاع بسواقة البيتش باجى لمدة 40 دقيقة.
    سواقة سبايدر كار لمدة 20دقيقة في وسط الصحراء بين الجبال.
    زيارة قرية بدوية.
    المكوث في البيت البدوى ومشاهدة الحياة البدوية من خبيز للعيش وغيرها.
    الاستمتاع بركوب الجمل وسط الصحراء. .
    متاح تناول شاى بدوى – 1 زجاجة مياه
    للمزيد من رحلات سفاري في البحر الاحمر
    https://salamatour.com/hurghada_tours/%d8%b1%d8%ad%d9%84%d8%a9-%d8%b3%d9%81%d8%a7%d8%b1%d9%8a-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%88%d8%a7%d8%af%d9%8a-5-%d8%b3%d8%a7%d8%b9%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d9%81%d9%8a-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ba%d8%b1%d8%af%d9%82%d8%a9/

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment