It's official! For the 5th time , the Boat Builders have been invited to participate in the Loire Festival in Orléans from September 18th to 22nd! This time, the craftsmen will be accompanied by a dynamic team to promote the region (which is being honored this year). This team will be composed of the Association Faubourgs et Marais Audomarois (AFMA), the Saint-Omer Cauliflower Brotherhood, the Altaro web radio, the Saint-Omer Tourist and Convention Bureau, and the Gravelines Heritage Animation Center.
Find here our press kit relating to our participation in the Festival de Loire 2019
It all started in 2011
It was in 2011 that the city of Orléans first invited the Boat Builders, the last remaining makers of traditional boats from the Saint-Omer marshes , to exhibit their escutes and bacôves at the Loire Festival. This biennial event, which has enlivened the city's quays since 2003, brings together more than 200 traditional boats and hundreds of boatmen for five days. At that time, the Boat Builders were encouraged to invite some partners. This is how AFMA (Association Faubourgs et Marais Audomarois) found itself involved in this adventure aimed at promoting the region: in addition to the four escutes and bacôves transported, 450 kg of tourist information, hundreds of kilograms of vegetables, and the giants of Saint-Omer were included in the team's luggage. Since then, the Boat Builders and the AFMA have not missed any of these meetings where they were offered about twenty meters of quays as well as a beautiful area reserved for exhibitions.
The promotion of the region has always taken place through the flyers distributed, but also and above all through the various demonstrations and events that the Boat Makers and the AFMA used to carry out: preparation and tasting of Flemish waffles, assembly/ dismantling and parade of giants, loading vegetables on a bacôve, sailing in an escute, bargemen's pot showcasing Saint-Omer beer and Houlle genever...
It's a fact: the people of Orléans knew very little about our region in the past. But since 2011, because of our various activities, our presence is expected by many. The Audomarois marshes, Saint-Omer, Flanders and the Hauts de France are no longer to be presented...
The next edition will be special, however: the Builders of Boats were informed at the end of 2018 that the "North of France" will be the guest of honor (in respect of the French canals) alongside England and the Thames (in the category “European channels”)!
This involves bringing together four times as many boats, creating an entertainment village, multiplying partnerships... It is a matter of honoring our hosts who have decided to place the "canals of Flanders and Artois" in top of the bill! A unique opportunity for our territory…
What activities for the 2019 edition of the Loire Festival?
Our territory being guest of honor, a village of several hundred square meters is reserved for the canals of Flanders and Artois, bringing together half a dozen private and public actors around these themes as well as about fifteen boats. This ideally located entertainment village will be visible to some 700 visitors expected between September 000 and 18, 22.
Will be present: the Boat Makers, the Association Faubourgs et Marais Audomarois (AFMA), the Cauliflower Brotherhood of Saint-Omer, the Web radio Altaro, the Tourist and Convention Office of the Pays de Saint-Omer and the Gravelines Heritage Animation Center.
The purpose of this village? Promoting Audomarois and Flandre Maritime by taking the common thread between the two territories that is Aa as its “common thread”. More generally, the traditions of Hauts-de-France and the different territories will be highlighted by the team made up of enthusiasts of the region.
Here are some examples of animations likely to be offered:
– Navigation on the Orleans canal
– Maintenance of a boat on site
– Parade of giants by boat
– Shows/dances of giants
– Tasting of local products/cuisine
– Virtual tour of the Audomarois marsh
– Buffet with bartenders to promote local products
– Exhibition of old tools
– Thematic exhibitions (history of Saint-Omer, Gravelines and Aa) and other interactive presentations of the territory
- Picture gallery
– Animations around the brotherhoods
– Loading of seasonal vegetables on the boats
– …
What is the Loire Festival?
The Loire Festival is an event that takes place every two years on the quays of Orleans, and has been since 2003. During this event, many French regions are represented, as well as some foreign countries.
Each region or country exhibits its traditional boats, as well as its know-how, on the Quai de la Loire.
Without a doubt, the Loire festival plunges everyone into the heart of a parallel world, populated by sailors, period costumes, bagpipes and accordions... A real change of scenery!
To do this, each event, each "stand", each corner of this gathering emphasizes the visitor experience.
This is how marine carpenters perform demonstrations there and intrigue the public by handling their tools, shepherds cross their livestock from one bank to the other, the horse pass, as its name suggests, crosses draft horses, a few boats sail laden with sand in memory of the sand pits of the Loire, while the flutreaux, the gabardes, the small sailboats, the toues cabanées evolve on the royal river... Fish are smoked there, they organize banquets, shows, concerts…
In a few figures, the Loire Festival is first of all hundreds of people working for a year and a half and combining their skills to carry out this project (coordinated by the company Evénements Voiles Traditions – EVT – for the city of Orleans). Logistically, half of the boats are from the Loire and most are transported via the Loire. The other boats generally cross France via exceptional convoys. During the five days dedicated to the festival, 700 visitors are expected, figures which let us easily imagine the necessary organization as well as the dedicated budget! Note that the approximately 000 kilometers of quays reserved for this event will come to life from September 2 to 18, 22 thanks to the hundreds of activities already planned (concerts, demonstrations, live shows, sports competitions, etc.). The atmosphere will of course be largely provided by more than 2019 sailors.
