2022 Barquette Festival. After a two-year hiatus for the health crisis, the feast of the Barquette resumes its course.
Once a year, during the Heritage Days, this event organized by the nautical society of MACT in the Old Port of Marseille, showcases the Barquettes Marseillaises and their Owners who passionately maintain their ships. Passion, at the cost of time spent and financial investment, necessary to the maintenance of the boats for their safeguard.
The Barquette Marseillaise is emblematic of our ports, used from time immemorial, for small fishing or for family recreation. Many carpenters have made it possible to realize these boats of patite size between 5 and 9 meters. The carpenters from Naples modified the technique of manufacture and democratized these boats. The manufacturing technique is done according to a template, guarded jealously by each carpenter. The particularity of these boats is to be pointed forward and aft, and thus to be adapted to the waves of the Mediterranean, hence the reported term of pointed which only takes place in the Var. The name everywhere else in the Mediterranean has remained as in the beginning, barquette, barque, mourre de pouar, bette, tartane, guru, catalan... to speak only of the French coasts. The other peculiarity is the presence of an appendix on the front, protruding above the stem, called Capian, surmounted by 2 colored cheeks. If a phalic interpretation has been made, this appendix is useful for getting on and off the boat but also for attaching anchorage or moorings. Once only driven by rowing or sailing, they have been motorized, making the riggings disappear, and allowing to be freed from certain weather hazards. Nowadays enthusiasts put sails back on their boats and know again this magical moment where the engine is shut off and or only the sounds of the wind and the sea disturb the silence. The most traditional riggings are Latin, but there are also Houari, third, auric, and livard riggings. The current owners, coming from all strata of society, always use it either for fishing or for family outings.
The Barquette festival allows you to see these trays and talk to their owners. In a friendly atmosphere the boats will sail in port of Marseille or stay at the dock to enjoy the Provençal folklore animations. There will also be exhibitions on the quays. The most convivial moment will undoubtedly be the immediate embarkation of the public, moment of sharing and exchange, visiting the old port and enjoying the sea-side view.