The Götheborg calls at Sète
From Thursday 23rd to Monday 27th March, come and discover the largest wooden sailing ship in the world, Quai d'Alger. Guest of honour of the Escale à Sète association, this Swedish three-masted square-rigged ship will drop anchor for the first time in Sète, and will offer you the chance to travel through history during a visit.
On deck
On the upper deck, in the gun room and at the foot of the ship, twenty professional sailors in period costume are waiting for you. After buying your ticket on the Quai d'Alger (€12 full price / €6 reduced price), they will tell you all about the history of the Götheborg III and life at sea and will be happy to answer your questions.
The programme
On Thursday 23 March, from 9am, don't miss the arrival parade of the Götheborg, escorted by a flotilla of Latin sails. Visits will be possible from the following day until Monday 27 March.
- For more information about the schedule, please click here.
- And if you already want to book your tickets, it's here!
You can also visit us on Saturday 25 March, from 10am, to admire the tacking of the Latin sails by the Association des gréements languedociens at sea or on the Etang de Thau, depending on the weather.
A little history
The original ship, built in 1738 at the Terra Nova docks in Stockholm for the Swedish East India Company, sank in 1745 near the port of Gothenburg. It was soon replaced by the Götheborg II, which was launched in 1788 and which also sank a few years later in 1795.
The wreck of the original ship was rediscovered several centuries later, in 1984, and gave rise to an impressive 15-year construction site (between 1992 and 2005) where volunteers from all over the world took turns to build, by hand and with materials from the period, a replica of this 18th century cargo frigate (also called Indiaman).
The Götheborg III was launched in 2003 and christened by the Queen of Sweden in 2004. After her inauguration, she set sail on the same voyage as the original, before becoming an ambassador for her home country, Sweden, and regularly participating in gatherings when she is not visible in the port of Goteborg.
A few figures
The Götheborg does not demerit its title of "World's Largest Wooden Sailing Ship" with its impressive dimensions:
- 47.54 metres long;
- 11 metres wide;
- 47 metres high (mast);
- 788 tons;
- 26 sails (1964 m²).
- It takes no less than 70 people to handle it!
Escale à Sète 2024
The historic arrival of the Götheborg in Sète will also be an opportunity for the Escale à Sète association to reveal the poster and the first surprises in store for the 2024 edition, which will be held on the Ile Singulière from 26 March to 1 April 2024.
An unprecedented adventure
Did you like this introduction to life at sea? The crew of the Götheborg is offering the most courageous among you the opportunity to embark free of charge, from Barcelona to Normandy (or Brittany) for a 6 week crossing. The opportunity to experience the real life of a sailor, since in exchange for board and lodging, you will have to work like a real sailor.
Are you interested in this adventure? The crew is looking for around forty volunteers, men and women, with no particular experience. The only conditions are: be of age, be in good physical condition, know how to swim and, for the most experienced among you, not be afraid of heights so as to be able to climb to the top of the mast, which is about fifty metres high. To apply, contact sail@soic.se between 17 March and 30 April.
