Welcome to the Corderie Royale!
Corderie Royale (Royal Rope Manufacture) is a museum located in Rochefort, France. It’s a part of the Arsenal of Rochefort, the most famous place of the town and the most attractive for tourism. The building constructed in 1666 is classified as a monument according to the French ministry of Culture. He is 374 meters long and 8 meters large. It was used as a manufacture of ropes which were used on war boats during 2 centuries.
Centre International de la Mer (CIM)
The museum is managed by an association: the “Centre International de la Mer” (International Center of the Sea). The expositions are focused on the history of the building and the making of ropes in the golden age of Corderie Royale. Created in 1985, the Centre International de la Mer is an association formed in compliance with the Law of 1901. The maritime centre also explores man’s seafaring adventure, its history, and its outlook for the future, through temporary exhibitions that are held at regular intervals.
Permanent exhibition
The permanent exhibition embarks you on on a journey through the history of the history of the Corderie Royale and its rope manufacturing activity. It will turn you into a rope expert! From the cultivation of the raw material to its transformation, you’ll discover the different jobs and activities that were necessary for the good functioning of the Ropery’s activity through different experiences awakening all your senses: touch, manipulation, video, projection …
What are ropes for?
Towing, lifting, tying up at quayside, rigging and more: ropes have many uses, on land as at sea. This justified the construction of a dedicated building for their fabrication: a ropeyard (corderie). All naval dockyards had one: Brest, Rochefort, Lorient, Le Havre, Dunkerque, Cherbourg, Toulon, built between 1636 and 1798. Rochefort engineers constantly improved the techniques used at each stage of rope-making from the 17th to 19th centuries.
The art of ropework
Ropework covers all activities involving cordage, from the tying of knots, whippings and confection of hawsers, to general, regular maintenance of the rigging. Each knot found aboard has its specific use and needs to be solid and not slip. Some knots have to be able to be quickly untied. A good sailor owns a knife, a pair of scissors, heavyweight sail sewing needles and a palm to push them through thick sailcloth, not forgetting fids and marlinspikes of various sizes.
His art has been passed down for generations to generations. To the 19th century onwards, with the advent of the clippers, many sailors transformed useful, practical knots into decorative objects, such as bag handles, jewellery, mats and more. Their knowhow was gradually lost as sailing vessels disappeared from our oceans, but in the 1970s, with the upsurge of interest in traditional sail craft and leisure sailing, the art of ropework got a second wind.
Temporary exhibition
The tour continues with a temporary exhibition. Renewed each year, it offers a journey to the sea, recreating a “salty” world in an ever-changing and innovative way. This year, we are presenting an exhibition by artist Nicolas Floc’h. He is showing two series of photographs: black-and-white underwater landscapes interact with the colors of the Charente and the ocean, a work created especially for the Corderie.
Shop and restaurant
Maritime bookshop
Designed in the shape of a boat’s hull under construction, the Maritime Bookshop has a unique collection of 5 000 tiles, covering all types of maritime works : from books for young people to specialist reviews, not forgetting art books, poetry, comic books and history books, etc. The Maritime Bookshop welcomes many visitors each year and attracts a wide range of people from walkers desiring to find out more about the Royal Rope factory to keen readers of ocean literature.
Gift shop
An invitation to escape through the theme of the sea, voyages or the navy.
Push the door open and there, you’ll be able to find gifts and souvenirs. Here, the maritime spirit is everyone’s reach: marine deco, table art, clothes, jewelry, small items or furniture and souvenirs made by our seamen in the Ropery.
Restaurant les Longitudes
Opposite the Ropery, this building with arches was used as a room to shelter guards who were responsible for keeping watch over the arsenal. The restaurant offers an original lunch menu all year round (with regional dishes, seafood, etc). It welcomes individuals as well as groups.
To book a table, call: 05 46 87 56 15