UNVEILING OF THE ROLAND II MODEL AT THE OOB

Unveiling of the Model of the Roland II at the OOB
Wednesday, September 30, 2026, 6 PM, Alain Guille Amphitheater

Return of the Roland II to Banyuls!

Built in Banyuls for the Laboratoire Arago, then directed by its founder Henri de Lacaze Duthiers, the Roland II was launched in April 1900 and served as a station ship until 1914. It was requisitioned by the national navy as a patrol vessel in 1916 and never returned to its original home port.

Powered by steam and equipped with the best scientific instruments of the time, it greatly contributed to the early mapping of the benthic bottoms of the Banyuls region and the Gulf of Lion.

On September 30, the Roland II will "return" to the Laboratoire Arago, now the Observatoire Océanologique de Banyuls, thanks to the skill of Mr. Francis Cortada, who created the model based on the original plans archived at the OOB Library.

On the occasion of this model unveiling, the AALA and ASAME will join forces to discuss: i) the context of fishing and shipbuilding in Banyuls at the beginning of the 20th century, a favorable environment that allowed for the local construction of the Roland II, ii) the various station ships that succeeded it to support research in Oceanography and Marine Biology in Banyuls, and finally iii) the current station ships and their usage.

Find all practical information and plan your visit.