Espérance III, an exceptional boat on lake Annecy

The seeds of the ESPÉRANCE III adventure were sown in 2015, thanks to the desire of two friends to breathe new life into the vines on the eastern shore of the lake and to offer their barrels a more environmentally-friendly and as traditional a route as in the last century. Since ancient times and until 1930, 'bricks' - cargo boats with lateen sails - were used on Lake Annecy, so the idea of building a new boat was born.

Work began at the end of summer 2019 and was completed in June 2021 with the launch of this 30-tonne boat, which combines the traditional know-how of the time with today's materials and techniques. "There has been a great deal of public and institutional involvement in this project, not only during the construction phase, but also at the time of the launch and, of course, during the operation of this boat, which has educational and scientific objectives".

"We are not just a commercial and tourist product, but also and above all a heritage asset. The association's ambition is to sail ESPERANCE Ill on Lake Annecy as a necessary symbol of respect for the preservation of water in the mountains, for heritage, cultural, scientific and educational purposes," explains Stéphane Victor, one of the many volunteers in this dynamic association.

A moving and virtuous heritage, ESPERANCE III seems to have found its public with almost 200 outings in this first full year of operation and almost 4,000 passengers.

"We welcome all types of public and can take up to 30 passengers on board for a different experience on the lake and to discover its environment. Schoolchildren, associations, individuals and companies can share the deck or take the boat out for private use, as it is powered by silent, battery-operated electric motors". It's an ecological approach that heralds the arrival of gentle mobility on the lake.

And to continue to raise awareness and mobilise people, the association is working on setting up packages and programming the "musicales ESPERANCE Ill". A series of concerts and artistic events where music blends with the tranquillity of the boat.

What better way to promote Lake Annecy and its cultural heritage!

Discover a unique experience on Lake Annecy: www.esperance3.org