L'Escale (it means 'port of call' or 'stopover') is a tall ships event that happens every two years at Sète. I was last at the one in 2016 and of course the one in 2020 was cancelled at the last minute. It takes place over one week, with the boats all departing on Easter Monday. It's a big event, with about ten large ships like these. Didn't pay a lot of attention to what they were, but I think the one at the front is a replica of the ship used by Magellan to make the first circumnavigation of the Globe.
@shepherdman Next one will be Easter 2024, the ships will arrive the Tuesday before and leave on Easter Monday. Fly to and stay at Montpellier, go to Sète by train (15 mins). Though as a fellow dog owner, I realise that international travel is not always easy to arrange !
