Saint Valery (Vue au Port)

Photograph of a view of the fishing town of Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, seen from across the Somme river. A ship, possibly a chasse-mare, is moored on the other side of the river. A large fishing net is attached to the side of the ship. There are houses and shops in the middle ground. Chasse-mare, or 'wholesale fishmonger', is an old type of decked commercial sailing vessel that collected fresh fish such as sardines and herring. The ships were prolific around the coast of Picardy, Normandy and Brittany. This photograph is part of an album of prints presented to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as a memento of their state visit to France from 18-27 August 1855