Barge of the Loire

The Chaland of the Loire (also called Barge starting from the end of the XVIIIe century) is a large boat of transport on the the large Loire and its Affluent S: the Expensive, the basin of the Maine, the Vienna… It goes up rather little upstream Nevers.

In the big family of the boats of the Loire, the barge is largest. Length from 15 to 30 m, it can carry up to 80 tons for largest.

Its flat bottom, characteristic of all the inland waterway vessels, is rectified with before forming the lifting which enables him to accost frontally compared to the strike. For a long time, the back is also with lifting, and at the end of the XVIIIe century, rectifies itself until forming a rectangular back table.

The sides (bordered) of the barge are made of 5 to 6 long horizontal boards, the " bords" , which is assembled with covering joints, i.e. that they recover partially like the tiles of a roof. It seems that this design is of Scandinavian origin. The barge is equipped with the back with a large horizontal winch, the Guinda, which is used for multiple uses, among which rise or the lowering of the mast - which drops forwards passing the bridges.

One as well finds sure with the back the rudder, named " Piautre ". This one is with axis of rotation obliques tilted forwards. It results from an evolution of the initial oar of control surface placed in Godille, and one finds this kind of apparatus on many boats of the whole world, such as for example on the Nile 2000 years before our era. The large saffron of the piautre is triangular and can reach 4 meters length. It is an extraordinarily adaptable and effective tool which also plays the part of anti-drift plan.

Finally the barge is gréé of a high mast from 12 to 15 meters, and of a square sail which enable him to go up the Loire of Nantes to Briare while benefitting from the wind of west dominating, the " wind of mar".

In his smaller versions, one finds sometimes the barge indicated under the name of " mahon " or " mahonne ". It is possible that marines of the Loire reported this term which indicates a Turkish boat of load, of their service in the Royal one.

External bonds

Dictionary of the inland waterway vessels in the Babel Project: the barge of the Loire

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