Saw this article in atlantic magazine. June 2001 edition.
Thank you very much to Mike for taking the trouble to post the article on the website. We are always excited to receive new information about any of the boats. There is a crude translation below (corrections gratefully received) and I throughly recommend viewing the video of the 1990s visual and aural artistic event within the submarine pens. (Click here).
Webmaster
Crude Translation
The Submarine Base of Bordeaux – An enormous and unusual site
THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
1941 – Construction of a gigantic German bunker
to house 15 submarines of the 12th U Boat flotilla.
It is immense and architecturally unique.
Visiting the pens provides some authentic surprises.
The site is partially open to the public to see assorted historical information (interactive terminals, photos and documents..)
THE BASE AS A TOURIST ATTRACTION
Lovers of sailing will find
in the tunnels an
exhibition of the history of yachting in
Aquitaine, illustrated by
a collection of boats.
Around twenty boats
trace the history
of speed records and off-shore racing. An area
of relaxation is offered to you
in the amazing
Arcachon environment. [Arcachon is an area on the coast near Bordeaux]
THE EVENTS
The Base is at the heart of different live artistic performances and exhibitions of the ‘Plastic Arts’. [The term ‘Arts Plastiques’ is used broadly for all the visual arts such as painting, sculpture, film and photography, as opposed to literature and music.] , This is how that it offers you a set of manifestations: periodic exhibitions, festivals, shows, music, educational workshops… In this extraordinary and atypical setting, you are allowed to organise your conferences and receptions.
- Scherzo
Bordeaux Museum of Yachting - Submarine Pens (A35 was here)
Bordeaux Museum of Yachting - Submarine Pens (A35 was here)
This was first Atalanta I sailed, during a cycling touring trip from St Malo down West coast we visited the museum and whilst looking round spotted A83, whilst looking at her from a distance a member of staff invited us to sail her in the dock outside the submarine pens, he sculled her out and then left us to it just asking us to tie her up when we’d finished. Proper museum shame it closed.