On this first weekend, the Armada had to face record crowds. It is estimated at 1/3 the number of additional visitors from the first days of Armada 2019. It is an extraordinary success and several factors have contributed to this success. This was the first time that the weekend of Pentecost corresponded to the first weekend of the Armada. The sun was back, to everyone's happiness, and this, just after Friday June 7 when the site was evacuated at 18 p.m., due to storm Miguel. Finally, this Armada was eagerly awaited. 6 long years separated this anniversary edition from the previous one and it promised to be particularly beautiful, notably with the presence of nearly 50 ships. Among the sailboats present, there were two exceptional boats: the Hermione, the guest of honor, which had completed an inaugural journey to several ports in Normandy before arriving in Rouen and the Sedov, the largest sailboat in the world who had never come to the Armada to date.
Extraordinary success of an event under reinforced vigipirate
This is the first time that an event of this magnitude with so many visitors has been organized as part of a reinforced vigipirate plan. Security present at all access points, on 8 km of quays and on the Seine: an ephemeral city at the very heart of a Metropolis that must ensure permanent comings and goings.
80 cameras are positioned and provide a permanent view of the site. They make it possible to alert organizers in real time of any incident, with security breaches immediately identified. 8 accredited drones offer a view from the sky.
300 people ensure site security every day. At access points, they check bags and pat down visitors. They are present throughout the site and permanently: quays of the Armada, on the Seine, visits to the ships, concerts or fireworks. 35 firefighters are assigned and the numbers in the surrounding barracks have been reinforced. A tactical reserve has also been set up, with 3 rescue and victim assistance vehicles and 2 ton pump vans distributed across 3 fire and rescue centers. The SDIS also strengthens the nautical system by integrating a water rescue team of 6 boats, a team of divers, and an agent for coordination.
60 volunteers ensure the cleanliness of the site and thus avoid any incidents with objects falling on the ground. 70 volunteers are dedicated to lost people. 150 Red Cross first aiders and civil protection, as well as 20 SAMU doctors and nurses also responded to the organization's call.
Certainly, the queues were significant, reaching, this Sunday, June 9, up to 2 hour wait. However, access was regulated hour by hour in order to ensure the safety of people. The public showed great patience, including when visiting the sailboats, and the atmosphere remained good-natured.
Thank you to all the volunteers who carried strollers, informed and rescued people, to the visitors for their patience, to the media who were able to relay the right information and to all the security and rescue teams, mobilized by the Normandy Prefecture, present on the site at the Interservice Command Post: SDIS 76, Police and gendarmerie.
Tips for getting to the Armada
Rouen Normandy Metropolis Public Transport and its Astuce network, via the T1, T2, T3 and the new T4 line, now offer the best way to get to the Armada with complete peace of mind. From the park-and-ride areas to the various access points to the site, transport ensures everyone's safety and has been reinforced to respond to the record crowds.
Visitors are invited to come early in the morning, to travel light, and to favor entry on the left bank of the Seine. Access is easier. Furthermore, crossing the Flaubert Bridge on foot offers one of the most beautiful views of the site in Rouen: its two banks, the sailboats, the cathedral.
Finally, the official application and social networks of the Armada 2019, as well as the media, inform visitors in real time of the preferred access points in the event of large crowds.
Flux Vision evaluates the attendance figures for the 2019 Armada
The Rouen Normandy Metropolis is organizing with Flux Vision, supported by the Orange operator, the evaluation of attendance at Armada 2019. Based on technical information from the Orange mobile network, Flux Vision provides statistical indicators of attendance, origin and movement. The algorithms used by Flux Vision guarantee irreversible anonymization by deleting all personal data and making it impossible to identify a natural person.
The figures will be communicated at the end of the Armada.
