Logbook N° 001
By Amaury Bironneau
Ship Administration Officer

On board the TGV (High Speed Train)
Paris-Toulouse
Tuesday 25 August 2009

Personally, I like catching trains – it makes me feel good. I like the idea of setting off with a purpose in mind, whether professional or personal. Train journeys expand my imagination; they allow me to be in a space where I can dream without constraints. I like being immersed in this self-contained version of society and of the human behaviours that surround us day after day.
This journey today holds particular significance for me, as it offers a foretaste of another imminent departure: a departure that has not been straightforward to achieve, a departure for which I have no ticket, a departure for which I know the exact time I will be leaving but not when I will be returning.
This train journey, which is taking me to Toulouse and more precisely to the National Centre for Space Study, gives me the opportunity to tell you all about this new departure but especially about the two years prior to the departure.
These were two years in which our only orders were to “keep moving forward,” “keep the faith” and “persevere”.

La Boudeuse, a never-ending story…
Having sailed 51,000 miles across the world’s oceans and seas in search of the water people, La Boudeuse arrived back in her homeland at the end of 2007.
She finally came to the end of her journey after a tour of the main ports in France, and docked for an indeterminate period in Paris.
Such a wonderful contrast to find ourselves here, moored along the Quai de Bercy facing the great National Library. In fact, La Boudeuse could not have had a better mooring place, as she is so close in spirit to the hundreds of writers who spoke of adventures, passions, philosophy and longing through the written word.
I really enjoyed living in Paris under these circumstances: coming back on board late at night, stepping over the Seine to find myself in the calm atmosphere of my cabin, waking up in the morning and walking barefoot on the decks, contemplating, on either side, the tide of thousands of people sitting at the wheels of their cars on their way to work.
However, I did find it unnerving for the first few moments on the first day, when I found myself wondering where my real place was.
I like waking up in the middle of the night, feeling the cold winter air surge into the boat; a boat that had only known some of the hottest places on earth.
Selfishly, I liked living almost alone on board the ship. La Boudeuse has, above all, become my home, my den and my point of reference; I know each of its sounds, each of its smells
We were there not only to let her rest but to let the crew rest as well, especially the men and women who had come from further afield. But, above all we needed to prepare the next chapter in her life, as whatever the future held for La Boudeuse, she could not stay in dock.
Her vocation was to roam the world, go on great adventures, to open discussion and allow people to bear witness.
So, it was up to us to ensure that we did not break this subtle pledge made with La Boudeuse. We would never have let such a thing happen.

La Boudeuse, a history of Mankind…
She has never, absolutely never left anyone indifferent. Thousands have been able to glimpse her soul, even though it may have just been for a moment when stepping aboard, and feel in her, just as they feel in themselves, that calling, so clear at times though unfortunately so hard to fulfil; that calling to live your dreams.
How many men and women who have come to dine, to spend a night or just a moment on board the ship, have told us that they felt good, found a moment of escape, forgot their stresses, their financial worries, rediscovered a poem of youth, and even found the courage to write more…
But there is another side to the coin: on the flip side of this ideal picture, La Boudeuse also represents financial pressures, an idle ship with cobwebs accumulating in her corners and a beauty that was becoming more and more obscured, day by day, under a black veil of Parisian pollution.
It was time to leave. But unfortunately, we did not have a clean slate – that would have been too easy. La Boudeuse was weighed down by trail of debts and loans which hung like a dark cloud over us, dampening our enthusiasm for the departure.
But just like the Captain’s motto “never for me the lowered banner”, we will do everything necessary, or at least everything possible, to ensure our departure.
It is imperative that La Boudeuse set sail again, as after all, she has an important role to play. She represents authentic values: the seeking of new challenges, non-conformity, positivism, the spirit of adventure. La Boudeuse is six kilometres of rope and over two hundred pulleys, all hand-made; she is an “esprit de corps,” a team working shoulder to shoulder, moving forward together. She is a school of life.
La Boudeuse stands for the idea that whatever happens, whatever problems we may face, we will always find a solution; and at the same time, that nothing should ever be taken for granted.
Over the last five years, whenever young people have come on board La Boudeuse, either at sea or in Paris, our standard line would be: “Get moving! You’re 18 years old – quit wasting your time wishing for a PlayStation, a car and a little apartment. If you have a dream, if you want to study, to travel, to set up a company, do it. Don’t be afraid to fall or to take knocks – you’ll get up again every time, and every time you’ll be stronger.”
So press onwards, but be careful! Of course you must take risks, but only necessary risks, never unnecessary risks. Above all, think and weigh up the issues – it only takes a minute – and then take action.
La Boudeuse has good reason to set sail once again: she is the only three-masted schooner in the world that travels here, there and everywhere to study people, the environment and the issues that they face.
But the essence of La Boudeuse is contained in the men and women who, one after the other, choose to join the missions. Men and women who come from renowned scientific institutions or from cultural spheres ranging from literature to philosophy; a melting pot of characters, personalities, from different career paths, creating a microsociety that is able to meet the adventures it encounters head on.
Over these last two years in Paris, we put our heads together to plan her future. The fact that we were in the French capital, at the centre of the world of politics, finance and media allowed us to present La Boudeuse and its missions to a great many people.
Although we were right at the heart of the system, we chose to meet with people by invitation only, as even in Paris, La Boudeuse remained true to its spirit: the crew retained its freedom of choice and therefore only met with whom they chose.
We hosted a great many dinners that often finished late at night, and, always, our guests left delighted: convinced by the authenticity of our ship and her projects. They were ready to sell their grandmothers in order to make the next chapter in the history of La Boudeuse happen.
But human beings have their limits, and unfortunately, most of the pretty speeches and promises were forgotten almost as soon as our guests left the table.
Maybe I am painting too dark a picture, as there were, and those are the ones that count, many men and women who were true to their word, many loyal men and women whose support, amongst others, has allowed La Boudeuse to set sail once again.
I will not bore you with the ins and outs of what took place over those two years, as ultimately what matters is that we succeeded.
La Boudeuse left Paris three months ago. She had been stripped back to her bones, reinforced and fitted out with the finest of trappings, and is ready to take on whatever round-the-world mission she would be assigned in the years to come.
The departure of La Boudeuse is imminent – and she will be leaving with the official blessing of the nation! As of today, La Boudeuse, backed by a mission letter from the government – just like the one received by Louis Antoine de Bougainville from XV – will be representing France on issues such as sustainable development, biodiversity and cultural dialogue.
This new government-backed mission will also be supported by significant coverage in all medias, even appearing in the Paris subway system and in many exhibition halls. Thousands of people will be able to follow this mission from day to day and some will even experience it first-hand.
A page has turned for La Boudeuse, but the story of its future has only just begun…