Suzette II

Now enter the hangar to discover the magnificent motorboat Suzette II, built in 1902. It splendidly testifies to the tastes and lifestyle of the Argenson family at that time. Discovered in 2001 in the garage of the outbuildings, buried under various materials, this boat was classified as a historical monument in November 2002 and restored in 2006. It had been stored away due to damage to the propeller and the cage during a cruise among the granite blocks at the bottom of the Vienne River. Ordered in 1902 by E. Underberg & Cie, an automobile company, from the Rondet shipyards, both located in Nantes, the boat participated in a race in Trentemoult (Loire Atlantique). Acquired in the fall of 1902 by Count d’Argenson, this boat is made of various woods (oak for the keel, teak for the benches, planks, deck, and engine hood, pine, pitchpine, and ash for the rest). The engine is a Gaillardet single-cylinder petrol engine with water cooling. In addition to competitions, Suzette was used for elegant cruises by the Argenson family and their guests on the Vienne River. It is the oldest preserved motorboat known to date.