The Société Française d’Histoire Maritime (SFHM) is a respected institution in France dedicated to promoting the study and appreciation of maritime history. It unites academics, naval experts, and history enthusiasts around France’s rich seafaring legacy – from exploration and colonization to naval strategy and maritime culture.
SFHM was created in 1993 to coordinate and expand maritime historical research in France. It emerged from a long tradition of naval scholarship, but with a desire to also bring cultural, social, and economic maritime perspectives to the forefront. From shipbuilding and overseas ports to maritime art and literature, SFHM embraces the full scope of France’s maritime past.
SFHM promotes maritime history through:
• Publishing the journal Neptunia, dedicated to French maritime heritage
• Organizing lectures, seminars, and national meetings
• Supporting historical research, archives, and maritime museums
• Collaborating with naval and civil institutions, including the French Navy, academic networks, and coastal cultural centres
It provides a platform where the past dialogues with the present – from coastal communities to national memory.
France's maritime history is one of the most expansive in the world – touching nearly every continent over centuries. SFHM ensures this legacy is preserved, discussed, and re-evaluated in light of modern questions around identity, memory, and global relations.
Its blend of academic and naval engagement makes it a unique bridge between knowledge and experience.
SFHM’s journal Neptunia is named after Neptune, the Roman god of the sea, and has published over 250 issues since 1947 – even before the society officially formed!
1. What role does maritime heritage play in shaping modern French identity?
2. How can historical maritime societies contribute to contemporary discussions about colonialism?
