Espadon Submarine

A true treasure of Saint-Nazaire, the Espadon submarine is the last of its kind—a proud representative of the Narval class, a series of French-built missile-launching submarines from the 1950s. For 25 years, the Espadon served on observation missions and helped train generations of submariners. But what really secured its place in history was a groundbreaking mission in May 1964. Alongside its twin, Le Marsouin, the Espadon became the first French submarine to dive beneath the Arctic ice cap. Onboard, 65 crew members braved the cold, with internal temperatures hovering around 13°C, as they crossed the Arctic Circle on a secret mission. It was a bold experiment by the French Navy—testing not only the limits of their equipment, but also the resilience of their men. Decommissioned in 1985, this 77-meter-long steel giant is now permanently moored in the fortified lock, transformed into a museum ship open to the public. Fully restored in 2021, the Espadon is more immersive than ever, offering a visitor experience enriched with hyper-realistic soundscapes that bring its past to life. So—ready to step aboard and relive a cold-war era mission under the Arctic ice?