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The barge
was built in 1922 with
dimensions of 24 metres by 4.25
metres. Her height above the water is 3.3
metres and depth below just 1.2 metres. the barge weighs in at a cool 82 tonnes
and for the most part, handles like a dream. These
huge dimensions allowed for a wonderful home to be created within her
capacious steel hull. Large
enough in fact to accommodate four cosy cabins, three bathrooms, a spacious dining
saloon, well fitted galley, generator room / workshop, engine room and a comfortable
wheelhouse that is useable as an additional lounge area year round..
Much
like a house, the barge has 230 volt electricity, flush toilets, oil central
heating, gas cooker, microwave, washer, dryer, satellite TV, in fact all the mod
cons. The main difference is that being a floating home, the barge has to
provide for all the power generation and water needs herself. You quickly learn
to be economical with how much power and water you use in order to sever the
umbilical chord that otherwise ties you to ports or harbours.
Being
economical allows the freedom to moor pretty much where and whenever you like, for
long periods, no matter how remote that location might be.
The
best thing about living on a barge is that you can have a different view
from the windows each and every day if you wish. You can moor quite near the
Alps for skiing in winter or next to the Mediterranean for swimming and
beaches in summer. You can moor in totally remote countryside or in the
centre of many great cities right on the doorstep of all the attractions. A
barge offers a giant mobile home par extraordinaire that can economically
tootle up and down the stunning and mostly deserted water highways of
Europe. People pay
vast sums for lake or riverside properties with views of the water. the barge
beats them at their own game. It's actually on it and can change its view at
a moments notice!
Her
name means 'Heaven' in the Indian Sanskrit language. Having spent many
moons traveling throughout the Indian subcontinent, the dream of creating my
own personal heaven was finally realised aboard a 1922 ex cargo barge
cruising the waterways of Europe. She really is 'Heaven' in
the heart of France....
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©
Copyright 2004-2009, French barging
A lovely wild mooring
provided the opportunity to light up the barbeque and dine alfresco

©
Copyright 2004-2009, French barging
Guest assist
as the barge passes through a lock on the River Meuse in France

©
Copyright 2004-2009, French barging
Christmas mooring
in 2004 at the wonderful Stichting Jachthaven Wartena in The Netherlands
Friesland province.

©
Copyright 2004-2009, French barging
The barge's magnificent
counter stern proudly displaying the name which means 'Heaven' in the
Indian language of Sanskrit. She really is 'Heaven' in the heart of France
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