L'Aurore, a Slave Trader of 1784

This ship, designed by the master ship builder Hubert Penevert, is a typical example of a merchant vessel involved in the slave trade during the second phase of the sadly famous triangular commercial exchange between France, the West African coast and the Antilles.

The slave trade was officially outlawed by the French government in 1825.

The photos are by Olivier Bello.