The Espace tradition de l'aéronautique navale, a place of remembrance
On Dec 6, Vice-Admiral Serge Bordarier, commander of the Force de l'Aéronautique navale, inaugurated the Espace tradition de l'aéronautique navale (ETAN).
The Espace tradition de l'aéronautique navale of Hyères, currently recognized as a section of the Club Sportif et Artistique de la Méditerranée (CSAM), is a place of remembrance and traditions which aims to make naval aviation known through its history to a wide audience, especially the youngest. Although created in 1911 on the Mediterranean coasts, what is now called the "Force de l'Aéronautique navale" has not benefited from any structure to present the units and men who allowed its creation on this coast. Based on this observation, the idea of setting up a space dedicated to the history and traditions of naval aviation in the Southern zone was born in 2021. The guiding idea of this space is to highlight the men and machines that have enabled the Force de l'Aéronautique navale to be what it is today: efficient, compact and resilient. This space is accessible to all thanks to volunteers who have a perfect command of the fields presented and are able to answer visitors' questions.
A few figures:
• 300 m² spread over 2 floors and enhanced by an exhibition area and a BPH platform with WG 13 Lynx; • 5 spaces dedicated to the history of naval aviation in the South of France; • 1 technical library for the storage of documents and archives; • 1 room for repairing models; • 1 storage space for aeronautical equipment in the basement; • 1 room on the ground floor that can be used as a conference room.