Rochefort’s Hermione replica put up for sale amid €10m repair shortfall

The association that built and manages the replica 18th-Century frigate Hermione has appealed for new investment partners - or potential buyers - in a bid to prevent both the organisation and the ship from being placed into legal liquidation.

The vessel was built in Rochefort (Charente-Maritime) from oak over a 17-year period, largely by volunteers using traditional hand tools. It first set sail in 2014 and, the following year, crossed the Atlantic with a mixed professional and amateur crew to mark the anniversary of US independence.

The original Hermione played a key role in the American War of Independence, notably transporting the Marquis de La Fayette to the United States in 38 days. He went on to become a leading general.

After its 2015 transatlantic voyage, the modern Hermione was used mainly as a training ship, helping young people develop life skills through working on board or with the association.

However, in 2021 a carpenter carrying out routine maintenance discovered a large area of rotten oak. Further inspection found that around a quarter of the vessel was affected by a fungus that destroys oak. 

A spokeswoman for the association told The Connexion at the time that there was no obvious cause for the rot.

“We were lucky it was discovered while the ship was in port,” she said. “Naval history records cases of vessels vanishing without trace - and we now suspect some may have been lost to wood rot similar to what we found in Hermione.”

The ship was placed in dry dock in Bayonne and repairs began, while volunteers worked to raise the €10 million estimated cost. They collected only €5million. 

In September this year, the association stopped paying its bills and was placed into judicial administration, with a six-month period set to find a viable solution.

The call for “investment partners” or buyers has been issued via a notice placed by the judicial administrators in Les Echos, France’s main financial daily.

On offer is the Association Hermione-La Fayette, whose activity is defined as “the preservation and restoration” of the frigate. Its assets include the ship itself - classified as a Bateau d’Intérêt Patrimonial and Projet reconnu d’intérêt général - along with nine associated brands. The organisation has 17 permanent employees and 327 volunteers.

Interested parties have until January 5, 2026, to submit an offer.

Alongside the sale process, the association is appealing for direct donations to allow it to continue operating and to maintain the ship while longer-term solutions are pursued. Donations made before December 31, 2025, can be eligible for tax relief.