LA ROCHELLE: A replica of the 18th century ship that took a French general on his voyage to become a hero of the American war of independence was to set sail again on Saturday, cheered off by thousands of well-wishers and President Francois Hollande.

Big crowds gathered to wish “bon voyage” to the painstakingly recreated tall ship Hermione, leaving from Ile d’Aix, in southwest France, for the east coast of the United States.

The French and American flags were raised on the wooden frigate and crew members made last minute preparations for their Atlantic crossing retracing the voyage 235 years ago of General Lafayette, who won fame for rallying America’s rebels fighting for independence from Britain. Hollande was expected to give a speech on French-American relations.

Earlier, US President Barack Obama sent a message stressing “friendship between the two countries,” according to the head of the Hermione-Lafayette project, Benedict Donelly.

The US consul in the nearby city of Bordeaux was to read out the message at the ceremony.

Then, after a fireworks display, the ship was to set sail at 2030 GMT, with a first stop due in the Canary Islands, before continuing across the Atlantic Ocean.Some 80 crew members will sail the three-masted 65-metre ship along the route to Boston made by French General Gilbert du Motier — the Marquis de Lafayette — to bolster revolutionaries fighting for an independent United States. Back in 1778 the original Hermione took a mere six months to build. The new replica took 17 years to construct, mobilising hundreds of craftspeople from around the world.

Published in Dawn, April 19th, 2015

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