From the time of Louis XIV: Three shipwrecks identified off the coast of France

VThree shipwrecks from the time of King Louis XIV have been identified off the northwest coast of France. The French Ministry of Culture announced on Friday that the wrecks off the coast of Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue in Normandy are ships from the French king’s fleet that fought in the Battle of La Hougue against England and France in May 1692 the Netherlands had sunk.

The diver Christian Cardin discovered the wrecks in 1990 and reported his find to the French authorities. Cardin had located the wrecks with a magnetometer at the time, as archaeologist Cécile Sauvage from the Agency for Underwater Archaeological Research (DRASSM) explained. During further dives, wood was then found. The wrecks were not officially examined at the time.

The authority has now made up for this assessment. According to the findings, the wrecks are differently well preserved. One wreck is already “pretty eroded,” Sauvage said. The wooden parts of the ship were badly damaged and therefore urgently needed further investigation. The other two wrecks are buried under a meter of mud and are therefore well preserved. However, their investigation is difficult.

The scientists hope to gain new insights into shipbuilding in the time of Louis XIV. Objects found in the wrecks could also provide information about life on board.