Living on Water

Canals created unique communities of boat people—the mariniers—who spent their lives on barges. Entire families lived on vessels barely 40 meters long, creating a floating society with its own customs, dialect, and values. Children were born on boats, attended floating schools when they could, and learned to navigate before they could properly walk.

This way of life persisted well into the 20th century. "I was born on a péniche in 1960," recalls Jean-Baptiste Moreau, now president of the Marinier Heritage Association. "Our boat was our world. My mother cooked while we passed through locks, I did homework by lamplight, we knew every lock-keeper from Belgium to the Mediterranean."

The marinier community was remarkably diverse. Dutch and Belgian families dominated certain routes, bringing their own boat-building traditions. After World War II, many displaced persons found new lives on the canals. Vietnamese refugees in the 1970s adapted quickly to boat life, drawing on Mekong Delta experiences.

Today, a new generation lives on the canals—digital nomads who work remotely from converted barges, retirees seeking affordable waterfront living, artists drawn to the slow pace and changing views. The modern canal dwellers are even more international, creating floating communities connected by Wi-Fi rather than commercial cargo.