Belle Isle sur Risle hotel in Pont Audemer is only 45 minutes from Rouen and is definitely the place to be if you want to visit the Rouen Armada.
The Armada is a very busy event and accommodation is often booked in advance. It is also best to choose a quiet place to sleep so that you can recharge your batteries after walking your way through the crowds all day.
The Armada de Rouen was born in the early 1980s and was initiated by the then mayor Jean Lecanuet, who was looking for an idea to liven up and revive the quays. His deputy, Patrick Herr, proposed a race between Rouen and New York and eight multihulls were at the start of the race which was named the Liberty Race.
The first edition took place from 9 July to 16 July 1989. It was named Voiles de la Liberté because it celebrated the bicentenary of the French Revolution. It was accompanied by a UFO (Unidentified Floating Object) race, a grand parade through the streets of Rouen in the American style, with majorettes, convertible cars and confetti, and it was an instant success. 21 tall ships were present and Eric Tabarly was the patron of the event.
Six Armadas followed, each one more beautiful than the last, and this year the Armada will be held from 8 to 18 June 2023.
The agenda is full, https://www.armada.org/agenda/, with numerous events…. from the fireworks to Amel Bent’s concert, from the optimist parade on the Seine to the crew regatta, from “La Grande Pagaille” on the first day to the big parade on the last. In fact, it’s quite simple, there are no less than 10 fireworks displays during the event and around thirty concerts including some very famous artists: Jenifer, Earth Wind and Fire, Amir, Petit Biscuit, Black M, The Avener.
There will be 43 ships on the water: classic sailing ships such as the Belem or the Mexican Cuauhtémoc, but also ships such as the Canopée, which was designed to transport parts of the Ariane 6 rocket from European ports to Kourou in French Guyana.
There will also be multiple events for everyone to enjoy. The big mess is a tradition at the Armada and this year it will take place on Wednesday 7 June 2023 from 5pm. Schools, Associations, Communities, Companies have built their UFOs and the floating objects,all super crazy, will be allowed to sail for 2 hours.
On Saturday 17 June at 8am, in the company of the crews, the runners will take part in the “Footing des Marins” (Running of the Sailors) over approximately 6 km for a sporting and above all festive event.
And on 14 June, you can watch the parade of crews who are always very proud to represent their country and ship. And these are just a few examples of the great festival organised in Rouen.
The highlight of the show will be the big parade on Sunday 18 June, when, after 10 days of festivities on the quays of Rouen, the great ships from all over the world that have come for the Armada 2023 will sail down the 120 km of the Seine to reach the sea. It is a magical and grandiose spectacle not to be missed.
So, if you don’t want to miss this great sea festival, book your room at Belle Isle sur Risle: www.bellile.com . You will benefit from the ideal location to enjoy the Armada while benefiting from a serene and relaxing setting.
