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Origin and history

The shelter of the lifeboat Benoît Champy is a functional brick construction built in the 3rd quarter of the 19th century in Cayeux-sur-Mer (Somme). This building, covered with a two-sided roof, was used to protect the Benoît-Champy lifeboat and all the equipment needed for its missions. Its sober architecture reflects its purely utilitarian use, linked to rescue operations at sea.

The cayeux-sur-Mer rescue station was founded in 1876 by the Société centrale de rescuing the shipwrecked, founded in 1865 under Napoleon III. The first shelter, built in 1879 in the Amiral-Courbet square, was moved in 1913 on the seafront due to the tourist boom of the seaside resort. The new building, rebuilt identically with original materials, remained in service until the station closed in 1957. In spite of this, the shelter is preserved and registered with historical monuments in 2006, thus preserving the memory of local marine rescues.

The Benoît-Champy canoe and its shelter symbolize the commitment of coastal communities to protecting lives at sea. Their preservation also illustrates the urban evolution of Cayeux-sur-Mer, marked by the seaside development in the early twentieth century. Today, the site remains a material testimony of the maritime history of Picardia, managed by the municipality.

It is located 8 Rue de la Halle, on the Boulevard du Général-Sizaire, by the sea. Its protected elements include the entire structure (cadastre BE 323), classified by order of 25 July 2006. The accuracy of its location is assessed as very satisfactory (note 8/10), and the building belongs to the commune of Cayeux-sur-Mer.

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