In the 17th century, Bayonne was recognized as a "famous and busy port". Its activities were now concentrated on the right bank of the Adour, around the St. Esprit bridge. 
In 1666 Colbert created the Arsenal du Roi downstream on the right bank that supplied the boats, especially for sea warfare. The Course, led by the King's privateers, regularly revived the ship building industry under the Ancien Régime.

In 1726, Léon Rol was the first president of the very first Chamber of Commerce established in Bayonne to protect trade and reflect on economy policy. In order to give new energy to the port activity which was tending to stagnate, , the port of Bayonne was granted an exemption in 1784: foreign merchandise was exempt from any licensing, formalities and duties.

In the 18th century the port of Bayonne was essentially a coastal trade port for the kingdom or Spain. The main problem for its traffic remained unsolved : crossing the Barre at the estuary mouth was a major handicap for boats of the high seas. 




The mouth of the Adour at the beginning of the 18th century

A large sand bank threatened to close the Adour estuary
(Extract from a plan drawn up in pen and watercolours, dated 1727 - Archives, CCI, Bayonne)

A town port

The port developed at the confluence of the Adour and Nive rivers. The right bank of the Adour, downstream from the St. Esprit bridge, the Arsenal (maritime) of the King, created by Colbert in 1676.
The left bank, upstream from the bridge, the zone of the Allées Boufflers was reserved for the maintenance and repair of the boats, as the works of Joseph Vernet bear witness.
(Extract from views of the port of Bayonne by J. Vernet - engraving by Cochin and Lebas 1764 - Archives CCI Bayonne)

A three-masted ship careened for caulking is surrounded by locally-named "couraux" and "tilholes"
(Extract from views of the port of Bayonne by J. Vernet - engraving by Cochin and Lebas 1764 - Archives CCI Bayonne)

In the 18th century, port of Spain
(Extract from statistics of the port of Bayonne 1746/1780 Archives CCI Bayonne)

Spain was an essential client of the port of Bayonne at the end of the 18th century. From a total value of 13,212,794 pounds in exports, Spain reached figures of 11,407,223 pounds, more than the north sea countries of Flanders, Holland, the French American islands, Denmark and Portugal.
In terms of imports, Spain totalled a sum of 5,525,754 pounds of a global sum of 7,811,730 pounds.

All the products were inventoried in alphabetical order, with their quantity and market value. Business dictionaries published at the same time, for use by trading professionals.

Extracts on alum and cocoa
(Business dictionary 1723 - Archives CCI Bayonne)

The birth certificate of the Chamber of Commerce of Bayonne
(Archives CCI Bayonne)

"The year 1726 on the twentieth day of the month of February in Bayonne…. By which Her Majesty orders the establishment of a chamber of commerce in this town and names as president and director Mister Léon Rol…