Protecting the past and preparing the future

Le Français refit with International: Protecting the past & preparing for the future.

The iconic French tall ship Le Français has been refitted with International® products, supporting the preservation of one of France’s most significant maritime heritage vessels in collaboration with Marine Évènements.  

For nearly eight decades, Le Français has weathered the Atlantic. Built in Denmark in 1948 and forged in the demanding conditions of North Atlantic trade routes, she is a vessel defined by endurance, a three-masted barque whose history stretches from the icy waters of Greenland to the silver screen, and now to the ports of Brittany, where she has found a new and equally important purpose. 

Renamed in tribute to Jean-Baptiste Charcot's celebrated Antarctic expedition ship, Le Français represents something rare: a living connection to France's seafaring past, actively crewed, actively maintained, and actively loved. 

Under the stewardship of Marine Évènements, she introduces approximately 2,600 young people to the sea each year through Grand Voilier Ecole's educational sailing programmes, raises awareness of climate change and polar ecosystems through Témoins Polaires, and hosts corporate and cultural events that brings new audiences onto the water.  

When Marine Évènements selected AkzoNobel as the exclusive partner for the full refit of Le Français, it was about far more than selecting the right coating solutions. It was about partnering with a trusted expert, one defined by a proven reputation, global expertise and hands-on technical support, capable of delivering a result worthy of such an iconic vessel

A vessel that carries more than sails

Le Français occupies a singular place in French maritime culture. At 47 metres, with three masts and 19 sails, she is immediately striking. Originally built as a working cargo vessel for the Royal Greenland Trading Company, she later appeared as a film vessel in the United Kingdom before arriving in France in 2018, a where she is now managed by Marine Évènements.  

Her renaming was an act of homage. Charcot's original Le Français carried him and his crew to the Antarctic Peninsula between 1903 and 1905, a voyage that became one of the defining chapters of French polar exploration. The modern Le Français carries that legacy forward, into the lives of young people who might never otherwise have felt a deck beneath their feet. 

She is now based in St. Malo, one of France's great seafaring cities, and her calendar is full. Events at Le Grand Pavois La Rochelle, one of Europe's leading sailing shows, sit alongside the youth voyages, conference charters, and advocacy work for the fragile polar ecosystems that Charcot himself was among the first to document. For Marine Évènements, the standard of her appearance is an extension of everything the vessel represents.

Project details

• Vessel: Le Français – three-masted barque, 47 metres, 19 sails, built 1948, Denmark  
• Owner/Operator: Marine Évènements, St. Malo, France  

• Partnership type: Full refit with International products above and below the waterline 

• Project location: St. Malo / Concarneau / La Rochelle / Brest  

• Products used:
  • Uni-Pro 250 self-polishing antifouling for the hull
  • Compass high-gloss varnish for interior and exterior woodwork
  • Interzone 954 epoxy
  • Interlac 665 gloss enamel finish for above the waterline 

Seventy-seven years of Atlantic life – and a fixed window to make her shine again 

Refitting a vessel of this age and scale is never straightforward. With decades of service in some of the most demanding waters in the world, the cumulative effect of Le Français's years at sea meant coating conditions varied significantly across different sections, weathered and worn at different rates, presenting the considerable challenge of ensuring new coatings would adhere consistently across these varying surfaces. 

At 47 metres, maintaining uniformity of finish across the full hull and superstructure demanded careful sequencing of every coating stage. There was no margin for inconsistency, not on a vessel that would shortly be on public display at one of Europe's most high-profile sailing events. It was precisely the scale and status of the project, as Emmanuel Rozo, Directeur Général of Marine Évènements explains, that made the choice of partner so important: "We needed a partner who could match the ambition of this project, not just in the quality of their products, but in their understanding of what Le Français represents." 

Below the waterline, the cold, tidal Atlantic waters of the Brittany coast required a proven antifouling solution capable of delivering lasting protection through a full and demanding working season. Above it, the expectations were equally clear. The result had to reflect the heritage and cultural prestige of the vessel, clean, serviceable, and striking. A finish that would do justice to a ship of Le Français's standing. 

The refit window was fixed and unforgiving. With educational sailing programmes and charter commitments already in the diary, the full project had to be completed between mid-February and mid-April 2026, ahead of the spring relaunch at Concarneau. AkzoNobel's technical team was on hand from the outset, advising on product selection, surface preparation, and application sequencing, ensuring that a project of such importance was delivered with both precision and efficiency. "Working with the AkzoNobel technical team gave us confidence at every stage," says Rozo. "They understood the vessel, understood the deadline, and understood what the result needed to be."

Ready for the season, ready for the crowds

Le Français was relaunched at Concarneau in late April 2026, on schedule and in exceptional condition. The transformation was exactly what Marine Évènements had envisaged: a high-quality, consistent finish across the full hull that honoured the vessel's character while equipping her with the protection she needs for the seasons ahead. "The finished result speaks for itself," says Rozo. "This vessel is a symbol of French maritime heritage, and she deserves a finish that reflects that." 

For AkzoNobel, the project carried its own significance. As Jemma Lampkin, Global Commercial Director Yacht, AkzoNobel, reflected: "Le Français is exactly the kind of project that reminds you why this work matters. This is a vessel with a remarkable history and an equally important future, And we are proud that our products and our people played a role in preparing her for the seasons ahead. Thanks to this partnership, she is ready to inspire a new generation of sailors and adventurers."