Good news for early birds: the Belem, the elegant French three-masted barque that serves as the Armada's flagship, has been moored at Rouen's quays, and visitors can step aboard. It's the very ship that hosted the June 2026 press conference unveiling the 2027 programme.
Built in Nantes in 1896, the Belem is France's last surviving 19th-century merchant sailing ship and today a much-loved sail-training vessel. Seeing her up close is a perfect taste of what the full fleet of around 40 ships will bring in June 2027.
Planning ahead? See the ships guide and where to stay for the Armada.