The Caisse d’Epargne Belem foundation

Activities

The Caisse d’Epargne Belem Foundation was set up by the Caisses d’Epargne in March 1980 following the purchase of the Belem three-masted barque to enable the ship to continue sailing. The Foundation – which has been awarded public utility status – pursues a mission of general interest: to open the Belem to as many people as possible, to enable them to enjoy access to this historic ship either by visiting her when at berth in the harbor or by boarding her at sea and experiencing life on board a 19^th century tall ship. In this way, the Foundation promotes France’s maritime history and preserves the last-remaining major 19th-century French sailing ship – build in 1896, and recognized as an historic monument in 1984 – among the nation’s cultural assets.

In May 2024, the Caisses d’Epargne, the official sponsor of the Torch Relay of Paris 2024, organized the voyage of the Olympic flame across the Mediterranean on board the three-masted barque, accompanied by 16 young scouts from all the different regions of France and Greece, and its festive arrival in Marseille on May 8, displaying the ship to the world as never before. In 2024, the Caisse d’Epargne Belem Foundation will continue to offer sailing trips for all, and to include the ship in major maritime gatherings in France and Europe. The three-masted vessel also acts as an ambassador for the French flag overseas. 

The Caisse d’Epargne, a long-standing sponsor of the Belem Foundation, finances one half of the institution’s patronage budget.

Website

Embark aboard the Belem in 2024! (In French)