Culture

Fondation Belem was founded in 1979 to operate the three-masted Belem. Its mission is one of public interest: to receive as many visitors and school groups as possible while at quay and to enable as many sailors as possible to experience the life of a 19th century sailor at sea, but with all the safety conditions of the 21st century.

However, in Spring 2020, Covid-19 put an end to the foundation’s 26 scheduled trips, forcing the ship to remain docked in Saint-Nazaire while its crew and sailors were sent home. One thing was clear: Belem is anything but a place of social distancing. The foundation was unable to navigate in 2020. However, it did organise a writing competition, inspired by Belem, and open to everyone. The competition was presided by Yann Queffélec and a collection of 15 of the best contributions was published: “Une vague de mots pour naviguer”.

Bessé is a corporate sponsor of the three-masted Belem and a member of Cercle Nantes Entreprises Belem.

In early 2021, Bessé became a partner of Fondation du Patrimoine, for the organ reconstruction project of the Gothic cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in Nantes.

The fire on 18 July 2020 caused substantial damage to the cathedral in Nantes, destroying a painting by Hippolyte Flandrin (1836) and 16^th century stained glass windows commissioned by Anne de Bretagne. The organ gallery, which was built in the early 17^th century, was also destroyed. On the day of the fire, the heritage foundation, partnered by the French ministry of culture, DRAC des Pays de la Loire and the diocese of Nantes, decided to raise funds to pay for the cathedral’s organ to be rebuilt. The project is supervised France’s national commission for historic monuments.

Construction of the cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Paul began in the 15^th century, on the site of an 11^th century Roman chancel. The duke of Brittany and the bishop of Nantes, who ordered the construction of this monument, wanted to show the Church’s power in the capital of the Duchy of Brittany. The organs were installed in the early 17th century. They were restored and enlarged towards the end of the 18th century by François-Henri Clicquot, the king’s organ builder. They had already been damaged several times, notably by bombs during the Second World War, and by a fire on 28 January 1972.

Photo credits: Nantes Métropole

For more information, see the Fondation du Patrimoine website