It is located at St Annes, Bristol and has access to 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) of the River Avon.

[4] The club was named after its original boathouse, an old French frigate moored near Bristol Bridge.

The club moved to the clubhouse at St Annes in 1900, and although they suffered losses and closed during the two World Wars, it has expanded since.

The frigate was known as "the barge", and housed all the club's boats and paperwork, as well as having space for the rowers to change in.

In 1955, the University of West of England built eight sheds for their boats and a large boathouse was added for the club in 1971.