Shipyard "The Jean-Bart" (Grevelingen, France)
If you want to see something impressive, go and visit the shipyard of the "Jean-Bart," for example. Jean Bart (in Dutch "Jan Baert") was a privateer appointed by King Louis XIV. He made sure that the people of Dunkirk did not die of starvation (late 17th century) and therefore became immensely popular with the people of Dunkirk and the surrounding area. He was knighted by the King because of this heroic act. In Dunkirk, there is a square in the center named after him and his statue.
The ship could accommodate as many as 700 sailors. Some 1,000 craftsmen worked in the shipyard at the time.
The intention is to have the finished ship on display in Grevelingen as a museum ship starting in 2030. A Playmobil exhibition on the theme "Pirates & Hijackers" is running during the Easter vacations of 2025. You can visit the shipyard both on an individual basis (€8.50) and in groups. Besides the ship under construction, you can visit several workshops with craftsmen: the blacksmith (where you can see nails as long as 45 cm!), the fish smoker, the ship's carpenter.
GRAVELINES FranceVisitor numbers: 20,000 per year (2024 figures).
Location of the site of "Le Jean-Bart" on Google Maps.
Location of the statue of Jean-Bart on Google Maps.
Social media of Espace Tourville (the organization behind this initiative): web site.
Web site about the Interreg IVC HEROES 2C project
- together with 2 other historic shipyards, they received 2.5 M€ grant from ERDF.
Web page about the privateer Jan Baert on Wikipedia ( Dutch-speaking - French-speaking - English-speaking ).
Adjacent catering establishment: "La Taverne du Jean-Bart" ( web site - Facebook )
Photos of the shipyard (April 19, 2025):
