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The Barge

  • A 55 m x 8 m wide demotorized barge positioned 35 m from the river's edge

  • A space on the water capable of accommodating up to 300 people in cocktail mode on 3 levels

  • A 210 m² panoramic roof terrace located 5 meters above the water

  • A fully glazed plenary room of 190 m² with a 340° view of the river

  • A 70 m² room on the lower deck

  • In the pipeline, 7 junior suite cabins

The Mascaret Barge

The barge is moored to two 23-metre-long dolphins (piles) sunk 12.5 metres into the river bed to protect against the tidal bore. The barge slides along the dolphins like a pontoon. Positioned 3.5 metres from the river's edge, it offers its visitors a unique experience on the water.

The Mascaret Barge
Plan of the Mascaret Barge
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Plan of the Mascaret Barge
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His story

The Péniche du Mascaret was (before its transformation for the project) a Canadian-type Rhine self-propelled boat or in other words a Canadian-type barge. A barge model still present in Canada while the "Freycinet" model is the European barge par excellence, adapted to the Freycinet gauge named after the engineer (Charles de Freycinet) who published the European standard in 1879 governing the dimensions of most locks in Europe.

The Mascaret Barge

The Mascaret Barge (before its transformation) just a few months after its release (1952) from the Forges de Strasbourg. It was then called "Le Notre". The workers pose proudly.

The standard set the dimensions of the lock chambers at 39 metres long and 5.20 metres wide. Consequently, boats using these "Freycinet" locks (still today) must not exceed 38.5 m by 5.05 m wide. These are called Freycinet boats or barges. In France alone, 5,800 km of waterways comply with this and 23% of river traffic passes through them.

The Mascaret Barge

The Mascaret barge (before its transformation) in the 2000s operating on the Rhine.
She was then called "Mohican".

The Canadian barge is very different from the Freycinet in its unusual shape and size. Its first particularity is its very streamlined bow (unlike the Freycinet) which allows it to face the tumultuous waters of the Saint Lawrence River and closer to home, the Rhine or the Rhone.

The Mascaret Barge

The Mascaret barge (before its transformation) in 2017 operating on the Seine in Paris.
It was then called "Ravage".

Another special feature is its width. While the European Freycinet barges have a maximum width limited to 5 meters (to pass through locks), the Canadienne has an exceptional width of more than 8 meters , making it the ideal boat for a transformation project into a floating ERP (Entreprise Recevant du Public).

The Mascaret Barge

The "Canadian" Péniche du Mascaret on the left and a Freycinet on the right

The last important feature: its hull thickness. This is around 9.5 mm (enough to cross the Atlantic!) when the Freycinet barges do not exceed 4.5 mm. For comparison, some tankers have a minimum hull thickness of only 14 mm.

The Mascaret Barge

The barge is about to be put into the hold to be shortened first.
January 2022

The Mascaret Barge

After its narrowing from 71 to 55 m, the boatman's accommodation (rear of the barge) disappeared
February 2022

Built in 1952 in the Forges de Strasbourg, its dimensions were originally 71 meters for a width of 8.2 meters. As part of the "La Péniche du Mascaret" project, the length was reduced to 55 meters. Its weight once shortened is around 160 tons and its weight will increase to 220 tons after the construction of the main deck. The transformation of the barge took place in 2022 in the Naval shipyards of the North Vanpraet in Villeneuve-la-Garenne (92) in the Paris region and lasted 6 months.

The Mascaret Barge

Once the cut is made, it is necessary to remake a stern or in the jargon a "bottom"
We can appreciate the exceptional width typical of Canadian boats with its 8 meters width
February 2022

The Mascaret Barge

Technicians give an idea of the size of the ship and the height of the hold
February 2022

The Mascaret Barge

Another view of the new rounded transom to respect the initial appearance of the stern
February 2022

The Mascaret Barge

Inspection of the rear once completed by naval architect Éric Baranger and the shipowner
March 2022

The Mascaret Barge

Another view of the rear of the ship once completed
March 2022

The Mascaret Barge

Now it's time to build the "framework" that will support the future main bridge.
March 2022

The Mascaret Barge

A technician creating the "framework" under the watchful eye of the naval architect
March 2022

The Mascaret Barge

Each steel beam used to make the frame weighs around 400 kg.
Therefore, they are brought in using a crane.
March 2022

The Mascaret Barge

At the front end of the dry dock there is a bulkhead (with a manhole that will be filled by a hatch) made by electric welding to guarantee perfect watertightness. It is in fact this air chamber that guarantees the flotation of the ship in the event of damage.
April 2022

The Mascaret Barge

Start of work on the upper bridge
May 2022

The Mascaret Barge

View from the hold deck on the central corridor which will serve the cabins
May 2022

The Mascaret Barge

Construction of the framework of the upper deck which will cover the main room of 250 m²
June 2022

The Mascaret Barge

View of the upper deck under construction
June 2022

The Mascaret Barge

View of part of the plenary hall and the future rooftop (roof terrace)
June 2022

The Mascaret Barge

Overview
June 2022

The Mascaret Barge

Installation of the roof of the mega structure
July 2022

After 6 months of steel transformation in Villeneuve-la-Garenne (92), the Péniche du Mascaret is repatriated to Bordeaux in spring 2023. The first part of the convoy is carried out from Villeneuve-La-Garenne to Le Havre via Rouen and the Tancarville canal. The river convoy is provided by the pusher "Effort 5" of the Fluvial Service company.

The Mascaret Barge

The Mascaret barge a few hours before leaving the site
naval base of Villeneuve-le-Garenne for Le Havre
August 2022

The Mascaret Barge

The Mascaret barge leaves the Villeneuve-la-Garenne shipyard for Le Havre.
River transport is provided by the “Effort 5” pusher (photo above).
August 2022

The Mascaret Barge

After 4 days of transport on the Seine, the barge arrived in Le Havre.
August 2022

The Mascaret Barge

The Mascaret Barge, Quai du Brésil in Le Havre awaiting its
sea transport to Bordeaux.
August 2022

The Mascaret Barge

The Mascaret barge has undergone a sea cleaning in preparation for its maritime convoy.
An operation which consists of partially obstructing the openings of the future windows in order
to limit the impact of waves during the transport from Le Havre to Bordeaux.
December 2022

The Mascaret Barge

The sea grooming operation once completed.
December 2022

The Mascaret Barge

It was also necessary to plan for the installation on the foredeck of a 35 Kva generator capable of operating the windlass (visible in the foreground). The windlass is the winch that operates the 2 anchors, each weighing 780 kg. On the left, the tug Flatholm, a few hours before the delivery to Bordeaux.
April 2023

After a few months of being moored at Quai du Brésil in Le Havre, the Péniche du Mascaret is being towed for its long sea voyage in spring 2023. The tugboat "Flatholm" from the English company CMS Offshore Ltd, a partner of Aquatic Towage & Marine Ltd, is responsible for the towing between Le Havre and Bordeaux.

Tugboat of the Mascaret Barge

The tug Flatholm of the English company CMS Offshore Ltd (23 m long and 4 crew members) has the mission of repatriating the Péniche du Mascaret to Bordeaux from Le Havre, i.e. 1200 km and a minimum of 4 days of travel.

The Mascaret Barge

Friday April 21, 2023: Under a blue sky, the Péniche du Mascaret slowly leaves the port of Le Havre with the help of a port tug at the front (in the 2nd ground) and the Flatholm at the rear (1st ground).

The Mascaret Barge

The delicate passage of the lock at the port of Le Havre.

The Mascaret Barge

After 1h30 of operation to leave the port, the convoy leaves Le Havre.

The Mascaret Barge
The Mascaret Barge

Once well out and out of the channel, the pilot of the port of Le Havre (in the foreground) is brought back to the port with the help of the follower shuttle called the pilot boat. On the right, the Captain of the Flatholm, Mr Les Carson.

The sea voyage at an average speed of 6 knots (11 km/h) is expected to last approximately 96 hours (4 days) , the time needed to sail along the Channel coast, round Brittany, head due south along the Atlantic coast and go up the Gironde estuary to Bordeaux. The Péniche du Mascaret will then stay in Bordeaux for a few weeks while the Balineau nautical company makes the final adjustments to the mooring collars. At the end of this stage, it will make its final journey to the final site located in Saint Germain de la Rivière.

Above is the route chosen by the crew of the tug Flatholm to tow the Péniche du Mascaret from the port of Le Havre to that of Bordeaux. The total distance of this route is approx. 600 nautical miles. If the weather permits at 6 knots, this operation will take approximately 96 hours. (4 days.) At the expected towing consumption, the tug will have approx. 12 days of bunkers on board at the start of the operation. This will give an acceptable safety margin for all stages of the proposed voyage. A bunker stop is planned at Weymouth. This voyage is coastal and Flatholm will always be less than 60 miles from a port of refuge: Cherbourg, Brest, Lorient or safe anchorages: Guernsey, Baie de Douarnenez, Quiberon...

The Mascaret Barge
The Mascaret Barge

After 7 days at sea, the Péniche du Mascaret arrived in Bordeaux on the night of April 28, 2023

The Mascaret Barge

The Mascaret barge in Bordeaux. In the background, the Aquitaine Bridge.

The Mascaret Barge
The Mascaret Barge

The Péniche du Mascaret is permanently moored to two piles that are called "Duc d'Albe" in the jargon. The principle is simple: the barge slides via collars along the Dukes of Alba (one at the back of the barge and the other on the starboard side) like the pontoons and nautical stops that rise and fall according to the tide. The collars are made up of trapezoidal defenses (protections) in order to absorb the energy of the waves of the tidal bore.

The two steel dolphins intended to serve as moorings are 23 metres long, 91 cm in diameter and 20 mm thick, each weighing 10.2 tonnes . They are sunk 12.5 metres into the river bed and extend 10.5 metres above the river bed, or around 9 metres above the level of the lowest tides. These 9 metres of height - visible to the naked eye at low tide - are essential to cope with the tidal range, which is very high during high tides in this part of the Dordogne. Remember that the tidal range is the height between low tide and high tide (around 4.5 metres on the site).

One of the objectives of the marine engineering study in this project is to ensure that there will always be enough water (even in the most extreme low tides and during the driest summers and taking into account climate change) to float the Péniche du Mascaret. A bathymetric study is then necessary to map the river bed.

This operation is carried out using a multi-beam sonar from a boat that scans the area. The result is a bathymetric survey (sketch below) that helps in the final choice of the positioning of the barge on the river. It must be positioned 36 meters from the edge of the river to ensure that it floats regardless of the weather conditions and taking into account the draft of the vessel.

The Mascaret Barge

Excerpt from the bathymetric survey of the Péniche du Mascaret parking area: each line demarcates areas of identical depths along this line. The closer the lines are, the greater the difference in height. It is easy to see where the flat river bed begins when the bathymetric lines become very spaced apart. The 2 Dukes of Alba are shown (at the rear and on the starboard side) as well as the location of the footbridges (for the public at the front and for service at the rear)

The Mascaret barge, after its steel transformation in the Villeneuve-La-Garenne shipyard (with the construction of a mega structure on the main deck), went from 130 tonnes to around 220 tonnes. A considerable mass on the water and yet... its draft fluctuates between 80 cm and 1 metre only. An exceptionally low draft considering the weight of the ship, which can be explained by the very design of the barges, without a keel and equipped with a flat bottom.

Let us recall that the primary purpose of a barge is the transport of goods, dry or wet. For example, the Péniche du Mascaret when it was still in operation (with its initial length of 71 metres) was able to transport up to 967 tonnes of goods (with in this case a draft for the greatest depth increased to 2.8 metres).

The Mascaret Barge

This is thanks to the absence of a keel and the flat bottom (as can be seen in this
photo of the hold deck) that the barge can display such a low draft

In addition to the bathymetric survey which informs us about the topography of the river bed, it is essential to carry out a soil survey to know its geological structure . Essential information for the installation of the Dukes of Alba. Indeed, the more the river bed is made up of "soft" soil, the more it will be necessary to drive the piles to reach the hard layers allowing the solidity of the anchoring.

The survey is carried out by a specialized boat (photo below) which, using a mechanical mass, measures the resistance offered by the ground to the sinking of the mass. The survey allowed us to learn about a first layer of gray and black sandy to very sandy mud clay about 5 meters thick followed by a layer of gray marl about 2 meters before reaching the hard ground (about 7 meters deep). We then understand the need to sink the mooring piles more than 12 meters into the ground to ensure their stability.

The Mascaret Barge

Operation on the geotechnical survey site to assess the lithology and
the compactness of the soil at the location where the mooring piles will be anchored

Once all the preliminary surveys have been carried out (bathymetry, geotechnical survey campaign), the engineers are able to determine with precision the optimal size, height and position of the Dukes of Alba that will serve as mooring points for the barge. The Seaport Engineering design office, which is behind many port, maritime and river projects in France and abroad (Saint-Barthélemy, Abidjan), was commissioned to carry out the mooring study for the Péniche du Mascaret.

Other elements are of course taken into account in the study, such as the speed of the current and its pressure on the hull of the boat or the maximum wind speed recorded during the biggest storms recorded to date (that of 1999 is a reference). But the engineers at Seaport Engineering had to deal with an additional phenomenon that is only observed on two rivers in France (Garonne and Dordogne): the passage of the Bore ! However, the Bore of the Dordogne is considered one of the 15 largest Bore in the world out of a total of 66 Bore present in a notable way in the world (source: Mascaret prodigue de la marée by Antony COLAS Edition YEP 2017). A surge of successive waves, some of which can reach nearly 2 meters high during high tidal coefficients.

The Mascaret Barge

Passage of the Tidal Bore over the site (June 2021)

After studies, the engineers decided to place the first Duke of Alba at the rear of the barge; equipped with a fender to absorb the forces of the Tidal Bore. The 2nd Duke of Alba will be positioned on the freeboard reacting to the billowing forces of the tourist river cruise ships sailing in the nearby channel (such as the MS Cyrano de Bergerac and its 110 meters long). Let us recall that there have been no more freight ships on the Dordogne for a very long time. The fenders on 2 levels (which join the barge and the pile) make it possible to avoid any significant heeling.

The Mascaret Barge

Once the study is completed, the pile anchoring work can then be considered. A delicate operation carried out by the Gironde company Balineau, which specializes in maritime and river works. It has carried out most of the port works in New Aquitaine. It has also worked in Guyana and the Antilles. The work to install the two 23-meter dolphins is scheduled to last 5 days on site. It will be carried out using a floating barge.

 

Visuals of the pile driving work and the installation of fixed footbridges carried out by the Bordeaux company BALINEAU from June 19 to 26, 2023. The footbridges were manufactured by the METALU company in Saint-Nazaire.

The Mascaret Barge
The Mascaret Barge
The Mascaret Barge
The Mascaret Barge
The Mascaret Barge
The Mascaret Barge
The Mascaret Barge

The Péniche du Mascaret is being dried out (January 2024) at the Grand Port Maritime de Bordeaux . On the agenda: stripping and painting of the hull, installation of hull reinforcements and mooring collars by the teams of the port of Bordeaux, installation of glazing, guardrails and stairs by the company Metalovilela .

The Mascaret Barge

Stripping the hull with a 500 bar high-pressure cleaner

The Mascaret Barge
The Mascaret Barge
The Mascaret Barge
The Mascaret Barge

After applying the anti-rust spray with an airless gun

The Mascaret Barge

Installing the mooring collars

The Mascaret Barge

The 850 kg mooring collar located at the front once installed

The Mascaret Barge

Brush painting finish

The Mascaret Barge

06 15 36 74 08

13, Dordogne road 33240 St Germain de la Rivière

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© La Péniche du Mascaret 2022 - 2025 INPI N° 204699461

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