"A frigate as testimony to a great era of French naval construction"

The Hermione's keel was laid on a construction dry dock in the Rochefort arsenal, close to the Corderie Royale, in 1778.

A ship whose extreme length spans 65 meters, with 1,500 m2 of sail area divided over 3 masts, the Hermione was built from plans by engineer Chevillard Aîné.

Along with the Courageuse, the Concorde and the Fée, the ship was one of a series of four frigates constructed in Rochefort.

Belonging to the category of so-called light frigates, characterized by their speed and easy handling, the Hermione was outfitted with 26 canons firing 12-pound balls, giving it its nickname of "12-frigate".

At 44.20 m long and over 11 m wide, the frigate required 11 months of work by hundreds of carpenters, metal workers, drillers, hammerers, caulkers… prisoners… for a total of over 35,000 workdays.