The French Museum tunnel that connects the two budlings. the French sailors maintained a station at Fáskrúðsfjörður from the mid-19thcentury till the First World War, with the number of French sailing ships off Iceland peaking at between 200 and 300. However, the history of French cod fishing off Iceland goes back even further, all the way to the 17th century.during this long history, many ships never made it back to their home country. It is estimated that up to 400 of them were lost around Iceland, along with 4,000-5,000 seamen.