Artesania Latina 1/89 L'Hermione La Fayette Freedom Frigate Scaled Wooden Model Ship Kit

"From the first moment I heard the name of America, I loved it; from the instant I knew it struggled for freedom, I was consumed with the desire to shed my blood for her. I will count the days I get the chance to serve it, everywhere and anytime, among the happiest days of my life." — La Fayette.

On March 21st, 1780, the young Marquis de La Fayette embarked on the Hermione, setting sail to America to fight alongside the American insurgents in the struggle for independence.

Since 1997, under the Hermione-La Fayette Association's auspices, work has gone underway at the same Rochefort's site on the reconstruction of La Fayette's famous frigate. There, in full public view, ship carpenters, joiners, blacksmiths and hundreds of volunteers have rebuilt the frigate and part of the French maritime heritage. In 2015, she set sail to America following the same sea route as La Fayette to celebrate French-American friendship.