A new concept in Normandy for an exceptional port and maritime festival

Promoting Fécamp, its harbour and its maritime district by highlighting its historical, patrimonial, cultural and tourist assets was one of the objectives of the City of Fécamp. Mrs. Marie-Agnès Poussier-Winsbach (Mayor of Fécamp, Vice-President of the Normandy region in charge of tourism) and Pierre Aubry, (1st deputy and in charge of culture) entrusted Pascal Servain (President of the Comité d’entraide fécampoise des associations maritimes CEFAM) with the task of contacting those involved in major maritime festivals to think about the organization of a new and original maritime event in Normandy and open free of charge to the general public...

Contacts have been made with Michel Colleu of OPCI and the specialized company Grand-Large (Jakez Kerhoas and Anne Burlat), but also with the teams of the maritime festivals "La semaine du Golfe du Morbihan” and “Escale à Sète" in order to estimate the feasibility of the event. At the beginning of 2018, Grand Large, OPCI and CEFAM were entrusted by the municipality of Fécamp with the feasibility study and project development for the first edition of "Fécamp Grand'Escale". This first edition, which was planned from July 1 to 5, 2020, was cancelled due to the covid19 pandemic. The first edition took place from June 29 to July 3, 2022 with great popular success.

The producer or project manager is the city of Fécamp with the support of its public and private partners.

The director or project manager is the non-profit association "Fécamp Grand’Escale".

Director of the association: Denis Gatinet
President: Laurent Lebouëtte

Chairman of the supervisory board: Pierre Aubry
General Commissioners: Jean Gaumy et Pascal Servain

This organizing association operates under the aegis of an "executive board" composed of representatives of the founding members and maritime personalities. It is assisted by the OPCI (Michel Colleu).

The objective is to establish an international maritime festival every two years, bringing together boats with character, to be held in Fécamp, Normandy, at the beginning of July.
 

A remarkable site : between Fécamp, Yport and Etretat, the Pays de Caux stops abruptly and suddenly overhangs the tumultuous waters of the English Channel. This "Land of the High Cliffs" is only really offered to those who come from the sea. All sailors remain impressed by these great arches and chalky needles, this marine light coming from the open sea, these pebbled beaches where fishing communities were active long before seaside practices... The port of Fécamp, which has the capacity to accommodate large units and vast fleets, will obviously be the central point of the festival, the friendly and festive meeting place for all crews and visitors...

Casting

A gathering of traditional and classic boats, sail and oar boats, steamboats and other French and European boats of tradition.
At the heart of the event: an international gathering of traditional boats. All the flotillas of the maritime heritage will be invited and represented, from small dinghies to tall ships, from working boats to classic pleasure yachts.
Of course, the boats built in Fécamp such as the three-masted cod-fishing barquentine Marité, the schooners of the French Navy Etoile and Belle Poule, the Yport caïque Vierge de Lourdes, the pilot boat Professor Gosset or will be particularly valued.

Actors

• The registered crews. All these sailors are enthusiasts who come to sail in the harbor of Fécamp and along the large cliffs continuing towards Yport or Etretat. But also to find yourself at the port in an authentic maritime atmosphere. They are the guests of “Fécamp Grand’Escale” (registration is free).
• The maritime clubs and associations of Fécamp and its maritime district actively participate in the organization of the event on the water and are responsible for organizing the parades and port maneuvers.
• Volunteers from local associations who provide welcome and services to sailors and visitors.
• And also the musicians, the artists, the exhibitors.

Scénario

Every day: 2/3 of the boats sail in the harbour of Fécamp or parade towards Etretat and Yport. When the tides allow it, the boats that remain in Fécamp harbour enter and leave the port as much as possible. These boat movements are commented for the public massed on the large dike and the booms.
1/3 of the boats remain docked and welcome the public for those that can be visited. The others that cannot be visited keep their sail high and put up the bunting and flags. The crews of these boats take advantage of this to make a break, visit the festival and meet with each other...

The quays of the different basins will host a series of exhibitions, workshops and demonstrations which, under the leadership of the "Musée des Pêcheries", will evoke the rich maritime history of Fécamp. Herring, cod and shipbuilding will be the main focuses.

• Quality exhibitions on the local maritime heritage with "new" and exclusive exhibits
• Lively demonstrations (live construction sites, interactive workshops, stands for the popularization of maritime sciences, etc.)
• A rich musical program
• A model pool for children
• Fun and spectacular activities for the general public

A free festive event with music and songs: The popular and free festival will be open to all audiences. It is therefore necessary to imagine fish grills, refreshment bars, cabarets, groups of sailors' songs and traditional music on stage but also on the terraces of bistros or on the decks of boats.