Belle de Grignon

The aim was to offer a new lease of life to the Port of Grignon, the principal boatman's city on the Orléans Canal, via the construction of a barge: the Belle de Grignon. A barge built according to original 19th century plans. The idea was to build a wooden barge just like the ones that used to sail on the canal. Little by little, the project took shape. In 2009, it began with an educational construction yard to enable the public to discover the traditional techniques employed to make the canal boats. A scale model of a Berrichonne barge was produced in August 2010. The original will be built entirely of wood and following a 19th century construction plan. The barge will be of a length of 27 metres. And it will weigh in at 20 tonnes.