User:David-waterways/Finesse (barge)

Finesse is a self-propelled Belgian barge of Freycinet dimensions (38.70 by 5.05m) built in 1950 in Péronnes-lez-Antoing, and converted in 2016 to become one of the 50 or so hotel barges (péniches-hôtels) operating on European waterways (mainly in France). ['Finesse' is a French word meaning delicacy, subtlety, fineness.]

History
Modest was one of the work-horses of the smaller canal network extending from central France throughout the northeast, Belgium and the Netherlands to the Rhine. These canals, standardised by Public Works minister Charles de Freycinet in 1879, carry 250 tonnes of freight to a loading draught of 1.80m. Carrying aggregates, steel coils, grain and other bulk goods, Modest changed name to Seville in 1970, Notre-Dame-aux-Neiges in 1982 and Chilosa in 1985. When the owners retired to the land around 2011, their sons continued the profession of marinier in new modern barges, and Chilosa was purchased by current owners Roger and Louisa Gronow in 2015.

Conversion from freight-carrying to hotel barge took place in two phases. Designed by French consulting engineers Technifrance, the steelwork was carried out and systems installed in the Meuse et Sambre shipyard at Booz, near Namur on the Meuse, in 2015/16. The barge was then launched and navigated through the system to the South of France where internal fitting was completed. Finesse headed north again to make her inaugural cruise in Burgundy in May 2016.

Hotel barge
Finesse is built on two levels and has four guest bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, a demonstration kitchen and jacuzzi for guests. Crew quarters are in the bow and in the original barge family's accommodation in the stern. The barge is operated with a crew of five: captain, first mate/tour guide or matelot, chef and two hostesses. She operates throughout the tourist season on the route between Saint-Jean-de-Losne on the river Saône and the Canal du Centre, passing through the vineyards of Rully and Santenay.