Escal'Atlantic
| Escal' Atlantic | |
  Location within France | |
| Established | 22 April 2000 |
|---|---|
| Location | Boulevard de la Légion d'Honneur, Saint-Nazaire |
| Coordinates | 47°17′N 2°12′W / 47.28°N 2.20°W |
| Visitors | 1,300,000 since opening |
| Owner | Saint-Nazaire Tourisme & Patrimoine |
| Nearest parking | Yes |
| Website | http://visit-saint-nazaire.com/page/2/29 |
Escal'Atlantic, is a museum that explores the historic ocean liner experience in Saint-Nazaire, France. The museum is found inside the former German World War Two submarine pens in the harbour of the city port. It tells the history of the ocean liner, allowing the visitor to wander the insides of an “ocean liner” from the past by visiting areas of a vessel and by means of artefacts.
History
Prior to the Second World War, Saint-Nazaire was the transatlantic harbour for passenger liners travelling to Cuba, Mexico and Panama.[1] After the fall of France in 1940, the Germans built a huge concrete submarine pens on the site of the old docks and buildings in 1941, allowing the U-boats easier access to the Battle of the Atlantic.[1]
Museum
The Museum was opened on the 22 April 2000. A total of 3,700 sqm of the former submarine base has been constructed into the Escal'Atlantic museum.[2] The museum consists of a self-guided walking tour of around a 1 ½ hours through twenty areas of a traditional liner from the 1900s to the 1960s.[3] You will pass through staterooms, steerage, hairdressers, music rooms, a piano bar and luxurious dining room as well as the inner workings of a liner such as the engine room and captain's bridge.[2] The museum has state-of-the-art interactive features, audiovisual displays and "hands-on" devices, designed for family visits.[4] Over 200 artefacts have been sourced from various ocean liners including the SS Normandie launched in 1935 and the SS France from 1961.[5] In October 2012, the Escal'Atlantic closed briefly to renovate and redesign the walking tour through the museum and reopened on 1 July 2013.[6] Tickets to the museum can be bought at a number of tourism offices around the city or at the venue itself.[7] The museum is open between 10h00 – 13h00 and 14h00 – 18h00 in the non summer months and open 10h00 – 19h00 in the summer.[7] But check the opening times on their website as it does close in certain months.[7]
References
- 1 2 "Escal'Atlantic, the Ocean Liner Experience". Saint-Nazaire Tourisme & Patrimoine. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
- 1 2 "Escal' Atlantic". Michelin. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
- ↑ "Escal'Atlantic, the Ocean Liner Experience: Interactive features and hands-on devices". Saint-Nazaire Tourisme & Patrimoine. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
- ↑ "Rendez-vous in Escal'Atlantic". france.fr. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
- ↑ "Escal'Atlantic, the Ocean Liner Experience: Original objects tell the story". Saint-Nazaire Tourisme & Patrimoine. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
- ↑ "Escal' Atlantic". Mairie Sainte-Nazaire. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
- 1 2 3 "Escal'Atlantic, the Ocean Liner Experience: How to visit". Saint-Nazaire Tourisme & Patrimoine. Retrieved 5 January 2016.