Icarus’s dream!

Not far from Douranenez, a man called Jean-Marie Le Bris , used a machine” heavier than air” to fly! It was in 1856! It was the very first time in human history! He was the first one of a series of pilots called “crazy men in their flying machines”.

Click on each photo to enlarge!

J.M Le Bris used a horse on the beach you saw in the slide.

Jean Marie Le bris was born in Concarneau in 1817 and went whale hunting at 20 not far from the Cape Horn in the very south of Chile. He was a great observer of birds’flights and decided to create an artificial bird. In 1856, his bird was ready! It was called “the winged boat: The Albatross” ( remember he was a sailor!)

La "barque ailée" de Jean-Marie Le Bris

Reproducing the flight in the XXth Century!

Jean Marie lLe bris managed to go as high as 100m with him on board and the farmer hanging on a rope!

A tribute to Jean Marie Le Bris near Tréfeuntec beach ( near Douarnenez)

“Ce premier vol au monde d’un plus “lourd que l’air” ouvrait la voie à l’extroardinaire aventure de l’aviation qui, dès avant la Première guerre mondiale suscitait, lors des meetings, un engouement populaire qu’il est aujoud’hui difficile d’imaginer.” Source: Revue Armen N° 6 : décembre 1986