Dive into the history of these river trades
One is born a sailor, a heritage transmitted from father to son which explains the existence of real dynasties in the ports of the Loire and which functions in brotherhood.
They have very distinct clothes and even wear "shoes" and not clogs (sign of the "landlubber").
They were very knowledgeable about the vagaries of the Loire and did not hesitate to call upon their services to help peasants who had come to take refuge on the roofs of their houses during the great floods.
Did you also know that many Loire River bargemen were enlisted during the American War of Independence from 1775 to 1783 ?
At that time, at the age of 18, if you worked in a "river trade", you were obliged to enlist and submit to the royal requisitions.
Thus, long-distance sailors, coastal sailors, fishermen, sailboats, codgers, carpenters
had to serve the French Royal Navy. They were true masters of the waters and
played an essential role in the victory of the American war.
The French Navy, which had only 60 ships (taking into account the help of the Spanish Navy), succeeded in subduing and beating the English Royal Navy, which had 120 ships at its disposal !
As the saying goes "technique is nothing without mastery".
Translation by DeepL
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