Moored in the Duguay Trouin Basin, the Étoile du Roy seems suspended in time. Its three slender masts scratch the sky like the feathers of a giant bird ready to take flight, while its silent yards draw memories of the great voyages of yesteryear into the air. The wind gliding over the halyards and shrouds seems to carry with it the salty scent of the open sea, a distant echo of the oceans it once dreamed of sailing.

In the soft daylight, its dark hull reflects flashes of gold and ochre on the calm waters of the basin, creating a slow and hypnotic dance. Passersby linger, captivated by this giant of wood and steel that stands before them like a mirage. Everyone seems to be holding their breath, as if an order, a snap of the sail, were enough for the ship to break its moorings and set off toward the unknown.

In this subdued silence, there is a promise of adventure. We imagine the rolling of the swell, the starry nights swept by the breath of the trade winds, the cries of distant seagulls, and exotic ports with lilting names. The Étoile du Roy is no longer just a ship: it is a gateway to dreams, a fragment of the horizon captured in the heart of Saint-Malo.

Historical Note

A faithful replica of an 18th-century privateer frigate, the Étoile du Roy was built in 1996 and bears the memory of the fearsome Saint-Malo ships that plied the seas under the flag of the King of France. At 47 meters long and equipped with three masts, this majestic three-master once served as a backdrop for historical reenactments and film shoots, before becoming a museum ship in Saint-Malo.
Its name pays homage to the privateers of yesteryear, and its powerful silhouette recalls the golden age when the corsair city dominated the Atlantic sea routes.

Specifications of the Étoile du Roy