La Roque-Gageac in Dordogne, New Aquitaine, France — Western Europe

Les Gabares

La Roque-Gageac

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 26, 2012

1. Les Gabares Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Vous voici, place de Tarde!
Cet aplomb situé au mileiu de jardin exotique vous permet de repérer à votre gauche la bastide de Domme et à votre droite le Château de Castlenaud. Entre ces deux sites d’exception, un méandre de la Dordogne sur lequel vour pouvez apercevoir, à la belle saison, les gabares naviguer. Cette rivière peu amenagèe (par rapport à sa voisine la Garonne) était navigable surtout par fortes eaux pour éviter les pièges qu’elle pouvait dissimuler (arbres, rochers, courants, radiers...). Quand la Dordogne était navigable, on disait que les eaux étaient «marchandes» . Batelier était un métier dangereux: les hommes devaient être aussi habiles que courageux. Compte tenu des accidents fréquent: bateaux coulés, échoués, les bateliers étaient souvent plutôt superstitieux... Les bateaux qui empruntaient la rivière étaient applés «garbares» , «batelets» , «croupes» ou encore «chalands» . Leur appellation était fonction de leur gabarit et du tonnage de marchandise qu’ils transportaient. La descente pouvait débuter d’Argentat (en Corrèze, ville la plus en amont d’où ils pouvaient s’élancer) et se terminait

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à Bourdeaux-Libourne, Quand les bateaux n’étaient pas démantelés à leur arrivee ils remontaient la rivière. La remontée pouvait commencer de Bordeaux-Libourne (le départ se faisait avec l’arrivée de la marée haute) et ne dépassait guère Souillac (Lot), Les gabares étaient hâlées grâce à un attelage animal ou par la force humaine (cette dernière pratique fut interdite au XIXe siècle à cause de problèmes de brignadage). On utilisait alors les chemins de halage situés en bordure immédiate de la rivière, en rive droite ou gauche en fonction de leur praticabilité. Cette servitude obligeait les propriétaires riverains de la rivière de laisser passer ces attelges sur une certaine largeur et interdisait tout obstacle sur ce passage (plantations, barriers...). Les marchandises étaient diversifiées en fonction de la descente ou de la remontée. Pour aller à Bordeaux-Libourne les bateaux étaient chargés de bois, merrains, carassonnes, de vin, voire même d’affaires personnelles à destination d’un proche par example. La remontée favorisait l’embarcation de marchandises localement rares comme le sel. Nombre d’activites dépendaient et se développaient

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 26, 2012

2. Les Gabares Marker

The Dordogne River in the background.

avec ce commerce fluvial. Cela allait de charpentiers de marine (qui fabriquaient les gabares), aux marchands de bois, hôteliers, et beaucoup d’autres commerces. Cette petite économie animait ainsi nos campagnes. La concurrence qu’amena l’arrivée du chemin de fer à Sarlat le 2 Juillet 1882, fit disparaître petit à petit les métiers du fleuve. En 1937 un bateau remonta pour la dernière fois le canal à jusqu’à Mauzac. Aujourd’hui en amont de Tuilière la rivière n’est plus considérée comme un rivière navigable et commerciale. Vous verrez par entroit des gabares transportant visiteurs et familles sur un circuit touristique profitant de points de vue imprenables sur les villages pittoresque qui bordent la Dordogne. C’est ainsi une façon de faire revivre cette époque.

English translation:
The Gabares
Here you are, instead of Tarde! From this choice site among elegant exotic garden you can find on your left the Domme and right Castle Castlenaud. Between these two exceptional sites, a bend of the Dordogne where vou can see, in the summer, the boats sail.

This little river (compared to its neighbor the Garonne) was navigable waters

A modern reproduction of a Gabare for tourists. image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 26, 2012

3. A modern reproduction of a Gabare for tourists.

especially strong to avoid the pitfalls that could hide (trees, rocks, streams, riffles ...). When the Dordogne was navigable, it was said that the waters were "market." Boatman was a dangerous business: men should be as clever as courageous. Given the frequent accidents: boats sunk, stranded, boatmen were often rather superstitious ...

Boats traveling the river were called "garbares", "batelets", "ridges" or "shoppers". Their name was based on their size and the tonnage of cargo they carried. The descent could begin at Argentat (Corrèze, city upstream from which they could leave) and ended at Bourdeaux-Libourne, When the boats were not dismantled [for their lumber] after their arrival, they would returned up the river.

The ascent began at Bordeaux Libourne (starting was with the arrival of high tide) and did not go beyond Souillac (Lot), the barges were winched with a team of animal or human power (the latter practice was prohibited in the nineteenth century because of problems brignadage). One then used the towpaths immediately bordering the river, right or left side depending on their feasibility. This required an easement from

Les Gabares on the Dordogne River image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 26, 2012

4. Les Gabares on the Dordogne River

the landowners bordering the river pass allowing these teams over a certain width and forbade any obstruction on this passage (trees, barriers ...). The goods were varied depending on the descent or ascent. To go to Bordeaux Libourne boats were loaded with timber, staves, grapevine poles, wine, or even personal belongings of a loved destination for example. Favored for the ascent of the craft, merchandise rare locally such as salt.

A number of activities depended on and developed with the river trade. This ranged from shipwrights (who made the barges), the timber merchants, hotels and many other businesses. This small economy in this way animated the countryside.

Competition, which came with the arrival of the railway in Sarlat July 2, 1882, gradually resulted in disappearance of the river trades. In 1937 a boat went up for the last time until the channel Mauzac. Today from Tuilière upstream the river is no longer considered navigable and commercial. You will see the barges carrying visitors and families on a tour, enjoying stunning views of the picturesque villages bordering the Dordogne. This is a way to relive that time.

Topics.

Le Gabare (reproduction) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 27, 2012

5. Le Gabare (reproduction)

This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical date for this entry is July 2, 1882.

Location. 44° 49.534′ N, 1° 11.042′ E. Marker is in La Roque-Gageac, Nouvelle-Aquitaine (New Aquitaine), in Dordogne. It can be reached from Les Cotes. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: La Roque-Gageac, Nouvelle-Aquitaine 24250, France. Touch for directions.

Regionally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

on the Atlantic Arc,

in Europe,

in the European Union,

in Atlantic Europe,

in the Schengen Area,

in Western Europe,

in a coastal Mediterranean country,

and in the Western World.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a French colony

and also the Roman Empire.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Géologie, écologie et histoire de La Malartrie (approx. 0.6 kilometers away); La Dordogne et la navigation (approx. 1.2 kilometers away); Jacques de Maleville (approx. 3.4 kilometers away); Chateau Feodal de Beynac (approx. 3.4 kilometers away); Jacquou le Croquant (approx. 3.6 kilometers away); Perigord Noir

La Roque-Gageac image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 26, 2012

6. La Roque-Gageac

(approx. 6.2 kilometers away); Hôtel de Cervalè (approx. 7.4 kilometers away); Hôtel de Carbonnier de Marzac (approx. 7.4 kilometers away).

More about this marker. Directions to access this marker:
From road D 703 in La Roque-Gageac, take the path to the right of the hotel to the upper road (Les Cotes). Continue east on the road. The marker is at the overlook between the church (l'eglise) and the town hall (la mairie).

Credits. This page was last revised on September 11, 2018. It was originally submitted on October 23, 2012, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 578 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on October 23, 2012, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.