Michel Rezé bows out but his passion remains intact

Michel Rezé (à gauche) a trouvé des repreneurs agathois.

The time has come for Michel Rezé to retire. He has found two Agathois buyers for his shipyard located in the Sept-Fonts business park.

Michel Rezé is well known to the people of Agathois for his passion for everything related to maritime matters. But also for his history and his friendliness. And his popularity extends well beyond the city's borders!

A page is now turning for him. Michel Rezé is handing over the reins by selling his company at the end of the year after a very unusual career. He started out in the world of navigation, in the merchant navy as a first-class captain. In 1987, he took a new turn: he became a professional sailor aboard a boat, a former Breton tuna boat: Le Vieux Crabe. It was then a time of summer outings, cruises to Italy, Spain and many other destinations.

In 2003, he bought a shipyard in the Sept-Fonts business park. He began building traditional rowing boats. In total, more than twenty-five would come out of his workshop. In 2006, an opportunity presented itself and Michel Rezé bought Marine et Cie, formerly the Palombo shipyard, located on the banks of the Hérault near the centre of Agde.

Having become a self-taught marine carpenter, he trained on the job through practice and keen observation. He continued building boats but also specialized in a new market: the manufacture of Provençal jousting boats. About a month of work was needed to make a boat measuring 7.20 m by 2.20 m. Naturally, Michel Rezé specialized in wooden creations. He undertook major restorations on various boats and ships classified as historic monuments. All while running a modern shipyard, dry dock, maintenance, etc. He remembers: “On the park, we had up to 65 places with, on average, 45 boats permanently present that Marie-Odile and I managed during these twenty years”.

Retirement age has now come… or almost! Michel will still be looking after a few customer ships that he knows well. And then, he wants to sail in turn: “We are going to enjoy our boat, the Guardian Angel, that I restored, sail in the footsteps of Terrisse like in the old days towards the western Mediterranean with meetings, reuniting with friends and doing cultural exchanges, explains Michel Rezé. We are handing over to two Agathoises, Pierre Bertrand and Bazile Rivera, we are delighted: they want to keep the same spirit, very family-oriented and rustic on this shipyard that according to the archives dates back to the 15th century!”.

Midi Libre correspondent: 06 80 28 29 54.