| THE FORWARD RESTAURANT: 'LE SINAGOT' |
 |
| Although most of the major public spaces on the Quiberon have endured refashioning and refurbishment over the years, none has undergone as radical a transformation as the original restaurant, forward on Deck 6. In its original form, this large area covered the entire forward section of the deck, with a bar adjacent on the starboard side aft. The major internal refit of 1990 saw the whole original configuration swept away, creating the layout still seen in the 2002 deck plan. The adjustments involved the creation of a new, larger bar in what was formerly the starboard side of the restaurant (see the 'New' bar page). A smaller waiter service restaurant was left on the port side of the deck whilst forward on the port side was a small rectangular area which appears to have been available for use as an extension of either bar or restaurant as necessary. Meanwhile, the original bar area (astern on the starboard side) became the new Salon de thé. When the ship was sold to Medmar in late 2002, her new owners decided to remove the restaurant, converting the space into an additional lounge with a perfunctory stage at its aft end. |
| ABOVE: An overall view of the restaurant in its original layout, as it was when the ship entered service as Quiberon. This is a view looking forward/across to port - the windows overlooking the bow are covered by curtains. The large central buffet area as well as the raised plantpot dividers are finished in the dark wood effect colour seen in the aft cafeteria. Plush red chairs similar or identical in design to the originals from the cafeteria complete the scene. |
| BELOW: A close-up of the buffet servery in the early Brittany Ferries days, complete with company flags. The view is straight ahead, along the centreline - the dark space interrupting the windows at the far side is the central doorway leading out onto the forward open deck. |
| BELOW: The restaurant as it appeared aboard Quiberon in 2002 in a view looking across to port from the entranceway. The major changes resulting from the 1990 refit are immediately apparent - now restricted only to the port side, the space appears to have gained an air of exclusivity perhaps lacking in the original incarnation. Little of the old restaurant obviously remains, although one pair of the distinctive twin ceiling supports is clearly visible in the foreground, whilst (as in the old layout) the pair immediately forward has been incorporated into the buffet servery. As in the cafeteria following it's earlier refit, the chairs have been replaced but not the tables, the wide-circular bases again being a clue. The light fittings meanwhile remain in their original guise and location. A piece of the latticework partitioning can be seen in the background, although this is likely to have been installed at an earlier refit of the old restaurant. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| BELOW: Two more pictures of the restaurant as it was in 2002, each taken from an identical location (just forward of the buffet area). Left: The new buffet servery complete with model boat looking to port/slightly astern. Right: Looking across to port/forward - beyond the glass partition to the right hand side is the multi-use area which can be opened onto the bar or the restaurant as necessary. |
 |
| [HOME] [LINKS] [HENGIST] [HORSA] [VORTIGERN] [INDEX PAGES: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z] |
| e-mail: matt@hhvferry.com |
 |
| BELOW: A scene on a busy crossing with the original restaurant heaving with the volume of passengers. |
 |
 |
| ABOVE & BELOW: The former restaurant in its new guise as an additional lounge area on board the Giulia d'Abundo. The distinctive lattice partitioning remains, as do the chairs from its former use, but the ambience of Le Sinagot has rather been lost. |