The sailor's pathway

Fulgence Véron

Born in Regnéville, he quite certainly followed the sailor’s path to Granville where he embarked regularly from 1886, to sail to the cod shoals of Newfoundland. Even though the character of this mariner was also forged from coastal trips from 1888 to 1895, a speciality of the port of Regnéville, Fulgence Véron also remained loyal to the port of Granville and its ship-owners. His last fishing campaign in 1910 was aboard the three-mast “La Manche”, from the fleet of the Granville ship owner Riottau.

Granville and its Newfoundlanders

Previously a Newfoundlander port, Regnéville saw its influence fall from the end of the 18th century as Granville was better adapted to berth bigger ships. The onboard labour force, originally from the villages bordering the Sienne and Regnéville, adapted to this change.

The sailor’s pathway

In the 19th century, the route of the sailors began from the north shore of the Sienne and saw mariners from the villages of Blainville and Agon. The chapel at Gonneville, also known as the mariner’s chapel, received the sailors from these two communes upon their departure and arrival. The men from Regnéville mixed with the mariners from north of the Sienne estuary on their way to Granville.

> From Regnéville, how many kilometres did the sailors walk to get to Granville? At least 5 kilometres? At least 10? At least 20 ?
Answer : From Regnéville-sur-Mer, the sailors walked approximately 22.5 kilometres over at least 5 hours to get to Granville.