The iconic Italian-made Vespa has been a fixture in Europe since the company was founded in 1946. The 98cc engine in the first prototype was described by founder Enrico Piaggio as making a sound similar to that of a wasp, or vespa in Italian. Although the company continues to offer different models, vintage scooters remain popular and converting a classic Vespa to electric power is easier than ever.
Although common on the busy streets of cities like Rome and Florence, this scooter also once found itself in a very unlikely scenario: navigating the English Channel. In 1952, Georges Monneret, a famous French figure in the European motorcycle racing circuit, decided to strap pontoons to a Vespa and make his way from the coast of France to the coast of England.
Monneret had apparently seen an article in an Italian magazine that showed someone traveling around a lake on a floating scooter and wanted to take it a step further. His successful sail from Calais to Dover, just under 20 miles, took about nine hours and used a simple but effective design: here’s how it worked.
How has the Vespa held up?
To stay afloat and navigate the sometimes choppy waters of the Channel, two aluminum pontoons provided buoyancy. Between the pontoons was a small wooden platform on which the Vespa was tied. A rudder was attached to the Vespa’s front wheel, allowing Monneret to control the craft’s direction by turning the scooter’s handlebars.
To provide power, the Vespa’s rear wheel sat on two large rollers under the platform that were attached to a propeller. When the scooter’s 125cc engine turned the handlebars, they activated the rollers, turning the propeller and pushing the craft forward.
Although Monneret’s design was the result of extensive work and experimentation, his first foray into broadcasting was not a success. Despite the fact that the English Channel is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, it can experience rough conditions. Unfortunately, the first attempt to get the Vespa across the waterway resulted in a failed driveshaft after the vessel was hit by large waves. Fortunately, on Monneret’s second attempt, the water remained calm and no further problems arose during the crossing.
Georges Monneret is remembered for much more than just crossing the Channel
While his stunt to travel from Paris to London attracted widespread attention on both sides of the Atlantic, Georges Monneret was already a prolific fixture in French racing. Monneret was active from the 1930s through 1970, winning 499 racing events in 32 seasons. This is especially notable considering that racing on two wheels is notoriously dangerous even today. Just in early 2025, reigning MotoGP champion Jorge Martín broke eight ribs and collapsed a lung during a race. However, Monneret did not let the risks stop him as he won 19 championships in France and set 183 world records.
By some accounts, Monneret wasn’t as concerned about setting world records as he was about getting people talking about motorcycles. Because he loved everything on two wheels, his striking behavior was at least partly intended to put motorsports in the spotlight. This proved to be a lifelong passion for Monneret, who continued to set motorcycle records into his 60s.
Monneret was also a fan of scooters, which he praised for being efficient. In 2022, his youngest son took a trip from Paris to London by electric scooter to commemorate the anniversary of the original trip. However, instead of navigating the water on a Vespa-powered boat, this time the feat was accomplished with the help of a ferry.
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