Lapérouse Museum

Walking through Albi, you can’t miss the statue and the old house of Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse. There’s even a museum dedicated to him! If his name didn’t ring a bell before, it will now. You see, Albi never forgets its own! There is no shortage of tributes to this passionate young sailor who explored the world’s oceans, thus becoming a legendary French navigator. Lapérouse’s stellar record at the Naval Academy and battlefield triumphs in the French-English wars saw him promoted to Captain at just 39. This was the highest rank in the corps of senior officers of the Royal Navy – an honorable and prestigious distinction that caused a stir, even at court. And by court, I mean King Louis XVI who entrusted Lapérouse with a monumental task; he was to lead the biggest-ever maritime expedition; this was back in 1783, right after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles between Germany and the Allied forces. The goal of this expedition? Revive the scientific, cultural, economic, and political power of the Kingdom of France. On August 1, 1785, Lapérouse set sail with over 200 people on his frigates, the Boussole and the Astrolabe. For two and a half years, they explored the world, visiting Brazil, Chile, Easter Island, Hawaii, Alaska, China, Japan, the Philippines, Siberia, and even Australia. And then, disaster struck. In 1788, a storm tragically wrecked both the Boussole and the Astrolabe on the reefs of Vanikoro in the South Pacific. The once-thriving expedition ended in a mysterious shipwreck. Fast forward 200 years, and the Lapérouse Museum opened its doors. To this day, it pays tribute to the memory of this Albigensian navigator and chronicles his incredible journey from beginning to end, through maps, scale models and even relics recovered from the two shipwrecks. It’s a fascinating glimpse into his remarkable adventure!