Image from FRIENDS OF HERMIONE-LAFAYETTE IN AMERICA, INC

Here at Bullet Blues, we are just as proud of our French heritage as we are of our American spirit, but nothing makes us prouder or more excited than celebrating the special bond that the United States of America and France have shared throughout history. This month, we’re especially excited to celebrate that history through he arrival of the Hermione in the United States!

Hermione in the Naval battle of Louisbourg, by Auguste-Louis de Rossel de Cercy, from Wikimedia Commons

The Hermione is as full scale, an exact replica of the ship Marquis de Lafayette, the boy general, sailed to America in 1780 to aid our fledgling country in it’s revolution. The Hermione meant much Lafayette, who wrote that “She sails like a bird.” The replica is also currently the largest and most authentic tall ship built in nearly two centuries. The construction of the Hermione began in 1997 in the city of Rochefort, near the hometown of Bullet Blues designer and owner (and secret history buff), Isabelle Benoit.

The completion of the Hermione means a lot to Isabelle, who visited the site of her construction many times while visiting her hometown in the summers with her son, and she is extremely proud to see her finally sail. It’s not difficult to understand why the Hermione means so much to her – the spirit of the Hermione and of the people who made her voyage possible represent many of the values we cherish at Bullet Blues.

Image from FRIENDS OF HERMIONE-LAFAYETTE IN AMERICA, INC

The voyage of the Hermione will follow the same itinerary as Marquis de Lafayette’s original voyage, launching from Rochefort in late April and scheduled to arrive in Yorktown, Virginia in the United States in early June – just days away! The Hermione will be in the USA for parades and celebrations of both Independence day (July 4th) and Bastille day (July 14th). For a full timeline of events regarding Hermione’s voyage, refer to Hermione’s website.

The Hermione’s voyage was made successful by the combined efforts of many kind and generous people who wished to celebrate and preserve the very precious and storied history between France, much like us and what we do here at Bullet Blues. Their “Why not?” spirit perfectly embodies what brings us together, not just as Americans, Frenchmen, and history fans, but as people.

What do you think? What interests you the most about the Hermione? Would you be interested in seeing the Hermione in person? What about the historic relationship between France and the United States do you enjoy the most? Let us know in the comments below!