Cuckoo! We wake to a warm morning full of birdsong and the first cuckoo of the year. Ali has another look at the horses then we set off at 10:15 bound for France, after a fuel stop back in Middelburg.
Traffic is light as we approach the Turneuzen tunnel, sink below Westschelde for 6.6km and turn west towards Belgium, past the last two Dutch windmills of our trip.
Our route through Belgium is mostly motorway, avoiding the tortuous coast road we took on the way up. Immediately we notice that, compared with Holland, Belgium is scruffy, its roads not well maintained a driving standards lower, but it’s not long before we cross another border into France.
At 13:00 we arrive in Gravelines where we met N+G 30 days ago, but today it’s not the aire we are staying at. Instead we go to the France Passion we could see from the aire; Chantier Jean-Bart.
Before visiting the museum Grete treats us all to lunch in the Jean-Bart Tavern. Inside, the main room mimics a ship, with mast in the middle and gratings in the deckhead. A stack of vinyl records is piled beside a record player as a DIY juke box. Nick W sets up a 12” Les Miserables album to play while we eat.
Our museum visit starts with a guide telling us the history of the project which began with the discovery of six 17th C shipwrecks off the coast of Cotentin. She was a little embarrassed explaining they sank during battle with English warships. In 1992 an association was formed to construct a ‘new’ first rate ship, which rating requires 80 cannon or more and a crew of around 800 men. After viewing prototype models and a short film show we go out to the building yard. Being Saturday no one is working on the construction.
When complete, Jean-Bart will be 57m long, 15m beam and 17m high at the stern. At the moment there is the keel, stempost and stern frame, plus framing up to waterline level. Over 3600 oak trees will be needed before she is complete. At the forge they make the iron nails, ranging from a few centimetres up to the largest 1.2m long and about 40mm diameter. It looks like a crowbar.
The ‘timber platform’ is where large pieces are marked out and cut to shape. Any splits in the large balks are strengthened with butterfly shaped keys driven into carefully chiselled apertures.
Unlike the castle being built at Guedelon, Jean-Bart carpenters use modern tools like chainsaws and bandsaws. But even so estimated completion is another 12-15 years.
After our visit we head into the town at Fort St Phillipe. At the fort 3 wedding parties are milling around so we don’t stay long before heading to the main square for a drink.
Later back at the van we have nibbly bits for supper and exchange gifts with N+G to mark the end of another interesting tour together.