Several Loire boatyards

A gabarot barge in Chalonnes-sur-Loire

The association Les Chalandoux du 5ème Vent has finished putting up the hangar which will house the construction yard for a Gabarot, a traditional Loire barge, weighing 15 tons and measuring 18m in length. While the association’s volunteers will begin the preparatory work, activities for school groups will get under way in April. 

This education and heritage-minded boatyard will also be open to the public at regular intervals during construction – which will continue until 2014. 

Online:

• Projet de Gabarot des Chalandoux du 5^ème Vent
• Vie du chantier

“La Poriotine” and “Le Navion” in Savigny-en-Véron

Since 2010, a Loire boatyard has been set up on the site of the Ecomusée du Véron. Led by the association Les Bateliers Ligériens, the project to build toues and other fûtreaux will give visitors the chance to learn about traditional construction techniques. 

The yard will generally be working every Saturday, depending on the weather and provided that a boating festival does not take over their tools temporarily. 

Online:

• Le chantier des Bateliers Ligériens
• Les ateliers et animation de l’écomusée du Véron

Loire boats at La Chapelle-sur-Loire

On 12 December 2012, at 12 minutes and 12 seconds past 12 exactly, Les Bateliers des Vents d'Galerne inaugurated the boatyard on rue de Verneau, on the land that the municipality had made available to them. This will be used for servicing boats and for future constructions: fûtreaux, toues or chalands and a boat mill – unique on the Loire. 

Online:

• Website: http://www.lesbateliersdesventsdgalerne.sitew.com
• Blog: http://vents-dgalerne.skyrock.com/

A toue barge at Montlivaut

The association Marins du port de Chambord is building a traditional toue, which will be a fully-fledged floating cottage open to school and adult groups. Its five-metre cabin will be fitted out with four sleeping berths, a solar shower, dry toilets and a corner kitchen. 

The boat should be taken out for the first time around late March-early April, and run outings between Saint-Dyé and the Port of Muides. 

Online:

• Les Marins du port de Chambord
• Une toue cabanée voguera sur la Loire au printemps (La Nouvelle République, 01/02/2013)

A fûtreau barge in Meung-sur-Loire

The association Les Carnutes is organising a boatyard in partnership with the Foyer club des Tisons d'Orléans, a home for disabled adults, which is currently building a ten-metre fûtreau in the association’s workshop. 

Online:

• Les Carnutes
• « Amoureux de la Loire et des bateaux » (La République du Centre, 17/01/2013)

A gabarre barge in Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire

From April 2012 to June 2013, the Gabarriers du Haut Val de Loire are building a 12-metre-long gabarre. Pupils from Notre-Dame secondary school and the Cottereaux de Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire Therapeutic and Educational Institute (ITEP) are involved in this project, together with the Musée de la Loire. 

Online:

• Blog of the boatyard: http://gabarredeloire-cosne.blogspot.fr/