Atelier du Rivage - Belgium
Preserving tradition on the rivers of Belgium, where craftsmanship meets traditional design in handmade barques.
HANDMADE BARQUES — ATELIER DU RIVAGE
Quentin Halflants does not call his barques old-fashioned. Drawing from centuries-old carpentry techniques of northern Europe, he adapts them to modern needs, keeping a living craft alive.
Each village by the river once had its own type of barque, designed to meet the community’s specific needs. With the arrival of fiberglass boats, much of this heritage disappeared. Using old postcards and photographs, Quentin has revived lost techniques and incorporated them into his own handmade vessels.
Every barque leaving Atelier du Rivage is entirely hand-built, making Quentin the last traditional shipbuilder in Belgium — a bridge between past and present, craft and innovation.
