Belem left Paris and the banks of the Seine in early 1980 for a trial journey along the Normandy and Brittany coast to Nantes. In 1986, she took to open sea for the first time since her return: she crossed the Atlantic to New York where she flew the flag for France in the Statue of Liberty's 100th anniversary celebrations.
Following a stay in Caen where the trainees' quarters in the battery were fitted out, in 1987, Belem was ready to take on her new career as a school ship sailing under French colours.
A civilian school ship
Since 1987, Belem has continually operated as a training ship open to everybody: in the last 22 thirty years, some 550 navigational courses and over 100 private events add up to a grand total of 30 000 plus trainees and guests greeted on board. During this time, Belem sailed an overall distance of some 300 000 nautical miles.
Today's sail training voyages have been shortened to an average of 4 days to fit in a greater number in answer to growing demand. Nonetheless, the training courses designed by the Foundation and implemented by the crew are a real and thorough initiation into principles and practices of manoeuvres and of life on board a square rigged sailing ship – even though they are not sanctioned by an official diploma. Unlike training on most tall ships which is dedicated to future professional seamen, the Belem approach is based on raising public awareness of naval history and traditions.
From the start, Belem's public has come from all over France. Their average age used to be relatively high but the training courses now attract younger age groups as well as a growing number of women (30% of today's trainees).
An ambassador for her flagApart from the training courses, Belem has been constantly fulfilling another mission: sailing the flag for France's naval heritage. In 1989 already, the ship was making an appearance at the Cutty Sark Event in Bordeaux; in 19898 she was in Rouen for the Armada Tall Ship gathering. Since then, Belem has regularly taken part in tall ship events in France, particularly in Brest and Rouen, and occasionally abroad.
Finally, since 2003, the Foundation has largely increased the number of public opening days on board Belem, as much as possible in conjunction with local events, playing a significant role in the dynamics of France's coastal areas.
Belem's long-distance travels
Having duly celebrated Belem's 100th anniversary in 1996 with spectacular events in France's major seaports, in 2002 the Foundation organised the ship's memorial voyage on the trail of her initial crossings as merchant vessel to Brazil and the French West Indies.
On May 8th, Belem was in Saint Pierre de la Martinique to commemorate the centenary of the eruption of Mount Pelée volcano: Belem, present on that day in 1902, made a near miraculous escape from destruction.
In 2008, Belem crossed the Atlantic once again, this time heading for Quebec. This “Crossing for History” was organised as part of the celebrations of the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City by Samuel de Champlain, navigator, geographer and founder of the province then known as “Nouvelle France”.
In 2009, Belem made her first voyage to Morocco, where she inaugurated the new harbour development in Rabat.
Maintaining and outfitting
To enable the Belem to achieve her mission, and to ensure the best conditions of security and comfort for those who sail on her, the Foundation has striven, for the last 30 years, to maintain the ship in strict accordance with every official requirement.
With the decisive support of the Caisses d'Epargne, the Foundation devotes a significant investment budget to this purpose. Belem today is a ship in good condition.
The Foundation's commissioning policy, in partnership with the Compagnie Maritime Nantaise, ensures a highly qualified professional crew, devoted to passing on their knowledge and looking after of the heritage treasure entrusted to their care.
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