Life and work on the river, an amazing story
Close your eyes and imagine a barge loaded with sand from the Loire chugging gently through the peaceful valley, the bargee at the helm and the family’s washing drying in the breeze….
Now go further back in time and imagine a wooden barge gliding through the water, pulled by a horse walking slowly along the towpath. Maybe it’s carrying lime from the Loire to neutralise the acid soil of Brittany, or wood from the interior to fuel the bakehouses of Nantes, or even pinewood posts to be loaded onto brigs and schooners at the port of Redon for use as props in the coal mines of Wales.
The Musée de la Batellerie (Museum of Inland Waterways) in Redon brings to life the vessels and people who lived and worked on the canals of Brittany and in the port of Redon before the advent of modern day pleasure boats. An audio-guide gives more details of this fascinating way of life as do information boards beside the towpath and the waterways themselves.
