Thuin was a great centre for inland water transport. In 1829, the canalisation of the Sambre marked the beginning of the golden age of inland water transport in Thuin, which would last for more than a century. The first boatmen to make the journey by water to Paris in 1835 were the inhabitants of Thudinie. In 1936, 1,100 heads of family in Thuin out of a population of 5,000 inhabitants were boatmen, there were 500 shipyards in activity along the Sambre, towing and insurance companies, etc.
A typical neighbourhood still bears witness to this glorious era: the Quartier du Rivage, also called the Quartier des Bateliers (Boatmen’s Quarter). Retired boatmen who still look back nostalgically on their profession, have embellished the small narrow lanes in this neighbourhood with anchors, masts and pieces of hull, while the names of the boats decorate the facades.
But the Quartier des Bateliers is also a small community (just over 200 inhabitants) where solidarity and mutual aid are essential virtues and the ‘maïeur’ (meaning ‘mayor’ in the local dialect) ensures that they are maintained. In fact, the neighbourhood has its own town hall. The ‘maïeur’ obviously doesn’t play a political role but the inhabitants will naturally go and seek him out if they have any problems (a blocked drain, etc.).
Walking through this picturesque neighbourhood is a trip back in time…
Martin Jeanmart.
