The 03/10/2026
Film: The Etel Breakwater, 1958
Cinéma La Rivière
56410 Étel
56410 Étel
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The film recounts the dramatic experience of Dr. Alain Bombard, famous for his Atlantic crossings as a voluntary castaway.
On that day, Bombard set out to test the effectiveness and reliability of a new type of inflatable lifeboat (the “Bombard” model) by crossing the treacherous Étel Bar, a shifting sandbar particularly feared by sailors because of the violent waves it generates. Unfortunately, the experiment turned into a disaster when the boat capsized. The Étel sailors’ rescue boat, the Vice-Amiral-Schwerer II, which had set out to rescue them, capsized as well.
This tragedy claimed the lives of nine people, including five volunteer sea rescuers.
On the occasion of the presentation, at the Musée des Thoniers d’Étel, of the wheel from the Vice-Amiral-Schwerer II, a commemoration of October 3, 1958—a date that has left a lasting mark on the town’s memory—will take place in front of the memorial to those lost in the Bombard tragedy. To mark the occasion, the cinema will screen the film *La Barre*, directed by Jean-François Pahun.
On that day, Bombard set out to test the effectiveness and reliability of a new type of inflatable lifeboat (the “Bombard” model) by crossing the treacherous Étel Bar, a shifting sandbar particularly feared by sailors because of the violent waves it generates. Unfortunately, the experiment turned into a disaster when the boat capsized. The Étel sailors’ rescue boat, the Vice-Amiral-Schwerer II, which had set out to rescue them, capsized as well.
This tragedy claimed the lives of nine people, including five volunteer sea rescuers.
On the occasion of the presentation, at the Musée des Thoniers d’Étel, of the wheel from the Vice-Amiral-Schwerer II, a commemoration of October 3, 1958—a date that has left a lasting mark on the town’s memory—will take place in front of the memorial to those lost in the Bombard tragedy. To mark the occasion, the cinema will screen the film *La Barre*, directed by Jean-François Pahun.
Opening times
On 03/10/2026
from 15:30
See more dates
Cinéma La Rivière
56410 Étel
56410 Étel
Input
Free
Spoken languages
French