In 1957, Henri Jeanneau, already passionate about aeroplanes and automobiles, had just discovered a brand new passion for powerboating, one that began as he watched a boat pass by window. Soon afterwards, in Les Herbiers, France, home to a rich heritage of artisan work, he began building a wooden hull with which he participated in the 6-hour Paris race, the largest national race at the time. He was first to cross the line, and this galvanised him. So, a pastime became a trade. In 1959, he hired canoe builders as apprentices in his new business, “the Nautical Hall of the West”, which would become, a few years later, the Jeanneau shipyards. France was seeing unprecedented economic growth, and the new company quickly understood that the appearance of new electric appliances designed to ease household chores would allow families to devote more time to leisure activities – to the sun, to the sea, and to boating!
