Born on December 12, 1773 in Saint-Malo, privateer Robert Surcouf, son of Charles-Ange Surcouf Sieur de Bois-gris, is one of Brittany's greatest icons. A fine navigator renowned for his fiery temperament, stubbornness and love of battle, Robert Surcouf is represented in various parts of Saint-Malo, immutable places that have paid tribute to him since his death on July 08, 1827. But Robert Surcouf is also a symbol of courage, tenacity and Breton vivacity.
A difficult child destined for a brilliant destiny
Distracted, quarrelsome and stubborn, young Robert Surcouf gave his parents such a hard time that they were forced to send him to boarding school in Dinan, with a very strict priest. The child ran away in the middle of winter, into a forest with a pack of wolves. He collapsed in the snow, almost dead of exhaustion, before being rescued by a fish merchant from Cancale. Robert Surcouf's fondest wish was to join the navy. His guardians had no choice but to succumb to his wishes.
A mousse at the age of 13, he became a sailor two years later through hard work. Robert Surcouf was a child who loved to learn. And he never complained, for it was pain that shaped him. In 1789, he embarked on a brig bound for the Indies, and was soon noticed for his extraordinary abilities. He demonstrated courage and willpower, and came close to losing his life on several occasions. The captain of the Aurore, the ship on which he weighed anchor, appointed him officer! Little did Robert Surcouf know about
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Surcouf, a man transformed by the sea
Surcouf, the greatest privateer of his time, was an exceptionally cunning and daring fighter. Against a backdrop of maritime wars pitting the French fleet against the British Royal Navy, Robert Surcouf quickly made his mark. The Centurion, the Diomède, the Triton, the Kent - all the most impressive military vessels in the British fleet - were forced to yield to the nerve and tenacity of the man known as the "Tiger of the Seas", in confrontations that were very unequal on paper.
Surcouf's exploits earned him the title of Baron. Surcouf is a hero in the hearts of the people of Saint-Malo. Surcouf ended his days in Saint-Malo, struck down by a long illness. His resting place is at Rocabey, seven minutes from our seaside hotel in Saint Malo.
