Musée de la Batellerie in Offendorf: visit a museum barge

My opinion on the Musée de la Batellerie in Offendorf

What is a boatman (or bargeman)?

A boatman—what is that? I’ll admit I had no idea before the visit. I understood the link with boats (obviously!), but not the difference with sailors, for example. In fact, a boatman, also known as a bargeman, is a professional whose job is to pilot a boat navigating inland waterways (major rivers, canals and rivers). It’s basically a truck driver, river-style!

The boatman’s trade was very common in France until the middle, even the end of the 20th century, before river transport lost ground to rail and road. Today, it’s making a comeback for its environmental benefits!

Why a museum barge in Offendorf?

You’re surprised when you discover the history of this small village, but according to the museum guides, Offendorf was the largest village of boatmen in eastern France, and even one of the largest in France (behind Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, the capital of the Batellerie). It reached its peak in the 1960s, when boatmen’s families made up a third of the village’s population. Incredible, isn’t it?

Visiting the museum barge: collections, living quarters and boatmen guides

A museum run by CABRO volunteers

The museum, set up in a barge (which arrived here by road—otherwise it wouldn’t have fit!), was created by CABRO (Cercle Amical des Bateliers Réunis d’Offendorf), whose volunteers continue to run it.

Its aim is to raise awareness of the history of inland waterway transport, which is an integral part of the history not only of this Rhine city but also of France! This is one of the aspects I really appreciated during the visit: you discover the history of families, of a profession, but you also take a step back to question certain choices made at one time to favor one type of transport or another—choices which still have an impact today (and which we come back to in part, by the way…).

Collection, models and the lives of boatmen’s families

Through its collection of objects, documents and models, the visit lets you discover the boatman’s trade—its history, its economy, and the daily life of the families who did it. People say you became a boatman from father to son, but women actually played a very important role too: it was a job done as a couple, since everyone lived together on the barge and shared the tasks. My guide Raymond even told me that women worked even more, because they also took care of the children on top of everything else 😉

• ⚓ Collection: objects, documents and models
• 🎧 Explanations: information panels and QR codes for the audio guide
• 🧑‍✈️ Guides: former boatmen
• 🛏️ Visit: hold, engine room and the boatmen’s living quarters

Former boatmen as guides

There are information panels, but also QR codes to scan to get audio-guide explanations and, above all… former boatmen act as guides and share all their knowledge and anecdotes with visitors. I really enjoyed chatting with Raymond and Viviane about the life they lived on their respective barges when they were sailing. You learn loads of things, it’s lively, and you don’t feel shy about asking questions—even if some might be a bit naive!

💡 Local tip: dare to ask the guides all your questions, including the ones that seem naive—it’s what makes the exchange so lively. And if you’d like a guided tour, call ahead on 07 71 42 05 32.

Hold, engine room and the boatmen’s living quarters

In addition to visiting the boat’s hold (now the heart of the museum), you’ll discover the engine room and also the living quarters that used to belong to the boatmen. Space was limited, because every square meter of living area meant less space for carrying goods!

What to do around Offendorf? Visits to combine in the Pays Rhénan

To enjoy a great day out, here are my ideas for visits and activities in the Pays Rhénan that you can easily combine:

• 🚴 Do the 39 km cross-border cycling loop starting from Offendorf marina (my ideas for routes along the Rhine), with a possible stop at the museum before heading back to the marina
• 🐟 Visit the Gambsheim fish pass
• 🍽️ Have lunch or an afternoon snack at Offendorf marina at the Nautic restaurant, then rent a canoe, a paddleboard or a boat if you still have energy

💡 Local tip: since the museum only opens at 2 PM, spend your morning at another stop in the Pays Rhénan, then come to Offendorf in the afternoon.

Key takeaways about Offendorf’s museum barge

• 🚢 A museum set up in a barge, run by CABRO volunteers
• 🗓️ Open from May 1 to September 30, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, from 2 PM to 6 PM
• 🧑‍✈️ Former boatmen as guides
• 💶 €3.50 per adult, €2 per child

To extend the outing, set off by bike from Offendorf marina: my 7 ideas for routes along the Rhine are waiting for you.

Frequently asked questions before visiting the museum barge