Wissant: Why the passion for flobarts? — Part 3
What is La Fête du Flobart and why are the Wissantais people so passionate about flobarts?
“Histoire” – a French word – means both history and a story.
As in many communities in different countries around the globe – it’s all about family, culture, tradition, and local history. A common desire to show respect for those historical traditions and culture; for our parents, grandparents, great grandparents and further generations back down the family tree. And there is a need to keep those traditions alive for future generations.
The Flobart fishing boat:
Until the 1950s, the flobart was used for rowing and sailing. Its rigging consists of a one-third main sail, called a purse, a one-third rear sail called a malet, and a jib on the bowsprit (a pole that extends forward from the bow of a sailing ship). The flobart is constructed of elm, except for the oak keel. The planks that make up its hull are superimposed in a similar way to roof tiles (a “clapboard” construction). The flobart’s length ranges between 3.5 m to over 6 m.
Since the 1950s, newly constructed flobarts have been motorised. From the 1970s, wood was replaced by synthetic materials from molds taken directly from original elm boats. As mentioned in my previous article, today there is only one flobart worked by a professional fisherman, boaters or associations own all the others.
The flobart is the traditional Boulonnais coast fishing boat, from Wissant in the north to Equihen in the south.
Its shape is adapted for daily beaching with:
- a flat bottom
- a wide transom (the flat, vertical structure at the stern)
- a pot-bellied shape
- a clapboard construction
- a lifting central fin.
The flobart is a versatile boat, which enables fishermen to do several things:
- Its large volume due to its pot-bellied shape made it possible to carry a large length of nets or a large number of traps. The flobart can float in only 30 cm of seawater.
- The traditional rope craft used in the bottom lines allowed fishermen to catch sole, plaice, and cod, depending on the season.
Today, the traditional ropes have been replaced by trammel nets (a rectangular fishing net made of three layers of netting that overlap and are anchored to the seabed) or gillnets (a vertical panel of netting that hang from a line with regularly spaced floaters/corks that hold the line on the surface of the water), which can also be used to catch herring in season (November-December).
The fishermen also fished for bass, and mackerel with a dragging line, and crab and lobster with pots, especially in Audresselles.
The Boulonnais beaching boats crafted between the 19th century and the 1930s shared common characteristics: a similar shape, construction method, and rigging. However, from one village to the next, size, interior layout and equipment varied, depending on the particular fishing carried out.
The flobarts unique to Wissant, Ambleteuse, Audresselles, and Audinghen, had small undecked tailpieces. In addition, Wissant had unique semi-deck boats for herring fishing.
Sadly, all these Boulonnais boats have disappeared. With motorisation, they have been replaced by flobarts of approximately 3.2 m to 5 m. The Libert shipyard in Boulogne and the Etaples and Berck shipyards built even stronger flobarts, 5 m to 6.5 m, until the 1960s.
La Maison du Pêcheur:
In 2012, the Association des Flobarts des 2 Caps, wishing to promote the maritime heritage of Terre des Deux Caps (the land and sea between Cap Blanc-Nez and Cap Gris-Nez), investigated, proposed and negotiated the rental of a small, traditional fisherman’s house located at 2, rue Louis Blanc in Wissant. The association planned to convert the house into a small museum, dedicated to showing visitors how Wissantais fishermen lived in the past.
This fisherman’s house required several years of work: cleaning, drying, securing, and refurbishing. The project was undertaken with the financial support of the Parc Naturel des Caps et Marais d’Opale, la Commune de Wissant, the FLIP (Pays Boulonnais,) and the Credit Agricole.
To visit the Maison du Pêcheur at 2, Rue Louis Blanc in Wissant:
Go to Hôtel de la Plage 1, Place Edouard Houssin in Wissant (Tel. + 33(0)3.21.35.91.87). There is a charge of €2 for adults, €1 for children. You will then be given the access code for the Maison du Pêcheur, located 50 m from the hotel. Usually, the museum can be visited with lighting and commentary in French and English, from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., every day.
Conservatoire des Flobarts:
The Conservatoire is a large wooden shed, which houses all 26 of the association’s flobarts, which no longer sail. The oldest flobart dates from 1931.
The construction of the Conservatoire (30m long by 6m wide) took one month and was finished in April 2022. The structure is made of wood, with a tiled roof, to protect the flobarts from the wind. The project cost €65,000 The building was inaugurated and blessed at the end of May 2022.
The Association des Flobarts des 2 Caps is holding an Open House from Friday 23 August 2024 4 pm until Sunday 25 August, when you will be able to visit both the Conservatoire des Flobarts and the Maison du Pêcheur Museum.
The locally known Baillet family will be present, selling fresh, local crabs, lobsters, and whelks.
Local artisans, associations, organic market gardeners etc. will be present during this Open House weekend.
L’Aubette de Wissant:
Local fish, crabs, shellfish, mussels…
Vincent comes from a local Wissantais family, with a long history of fishing. He is keen to offer work to local people. Vincent offers tours of the local Conservatoire des Flobarts and La Maison du pêcheur museum.
Vincent and Sabrina’s relatively new enterprise is becoming popular with locals and tourists.
La Fête du Flobart:
This year will be the 34th festival
There was no festival in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic and the subsequent festival in 2021, when you needed to show your Covid vaccination certificate on your mobile phone to get in, was very moving because for many people it was the first time they were able to gather again, as a large group of people, to listen to live music. Sadly, there was no festival in summer 2023 due to funding issues, which has caused local disagreements.
Typically, there are music groups, with a nautical twist, playing and singing on Saturday and Sunday into the evening; simple barbecued fish, wine, and local beer to purchase and eat whilst you enjoy the live music and local artisans displaying and selling their local produce and artwork.
On Sunday, there is a mass for the fishermen and their families; a procession of the Flobart boats and their families around the village ending on the beach – where the boats are taken out into the sea and the local priest blesses the fleet.
It is a very moving experience: a cyclical community celebration of local maritime history and culture.
Image credit: Author – Benediction des Flobarts et Marins, Maurice Martin
Image credit: LEFT Author RIGHT Photo La Voix du Nord
Image credit: author
Image credit: La Voix du Nord – archives Severine Courbe
Wilhelmina Fanfare Eindhoven
I first had the pleasure and privilege of listening to this brilliant PINK brass band outside Chez Nicole cafe in Wissant, during the Flobart festival in 2013. They were fun, and joyous and put a smile on my face. I was delighted when Wilhelmina Fanfare Eindhoven returned in August 2015, when I was able to introduce my sister and nephew to their music.
And Wilhelmina Fanfare Eindhoven is returning this weekend, playing on Friday between 5:30 and 7:00 p.m. and again on Sunday between 18:00 and 20:00 (weather permitting). What an ending to this year’s Fête du Flobart that will be.
And here they are. Despite the windy weather, they are outside Chez Nicole Cafe on Friday evening 23/08/24.
What a life-affirming joy!
Je ne regrette rien
Quand j’etais chanseur
Have you ever been to Wissant or experienced festivals such as this? Please leave your comments below.
Video author
Video author Edith Piaf – “Non Je ne regrette rein”
Video author Mozart
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About the Contributor
Caroline McCormick-Clarke
I had never heard of a Flobart. I loved this deep dive into a local festival, something that the French seem particularly good at. So much work goes into them!
I’m glad you enjoyed the article Betty. Yes, the Flobarts are unique to the area and suitable for the rides, low level water at low tide and fishing purposes. It’s such as a Shane that there is just one. Person left in Wissant who regularly fishes using a Flobart.