National Museum of Navy

Housed in Rochefort's oldest civilian building, the Musée National de la Marine opens the doors to its precious collection of art and historical objects that bear witness to the life of the Arsenal from its foundation by Louis XIV to the 20th century. The Hôtel de Cheusses/Arsenal now houses the collections of the Musée National de la Marine in Rochefort. Preserved from destruction and modified over the centuries, this historic monument is now considered to be the city's oldest civilian building. Now a museum, it boasts a wealth of collections evoking the incredible adventure of the great Rochefort arsenal commissioned by Louis XIV. Models, tools, paintings and sculptures tell the story of this experimental arsenal, one of the most creative in the kingdom and nicknamed the "Versailles of the seas". All facets of naval shipbuilding are explored: the history and development of techniques, inventions and experiments. Take a guided or self-guided tour and embark on a journey through time. and discover the stories and anecdotes that still make the Rochefort naval dockyard so famous today. Rochefort dockyard. Audioguides in French, English, German, Spanish and Dutch. Temporary exhibition 2023-2024: Pierre Loti and the Navy, a photographic exhibition set up outside in the museum courtyard honours Julien Viaud (Pierre Loti) as a naval officer and witness to the technical transformations of the naval forces in the 19th century. Continue your discovery of Rochefort's maritime history with a visit to our second museum, the Old Naval Medical School!