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Montanan · 14-01-2020, 13:07

LiveUNDERBOARD, not LiveAboard. A truly unusual village indeed and a novel use of old boat hulls turned topside down to make a cozy home on land.

An interesting article and pictures.

Reference Link: https://unusualplaces.org/equihen-plage-village-of-upside-down-boat-houses/?fbclid=IwAR16PUQ98vX18NdIz6kGMXOrCFZANnMZ1IIpXtVoY SCr5ai89b-otOGrH-Y

Snipet there from: "Equihen Plage . . . Located on the coast of northern France, this peaceful place has beautiful beach, nice camping sites and cozy homes.

Residents of the village live in upside down boats. Today, living in such a small space, instead of a modern house seems unnecessary. But, the locals are devoted to preserving their culture and history.

Back at the beginning of the 1900s, Equihen Plage was known, as one of the best spots for fishing. As many boats were left to be destroyed on the shore, local fishermen used them as roofs for their handmade shelters. At the time, the area was called Quartier des Quilles en l’Air: the neighborhood of keels in the air.

Unfortunately, the Second World War ruined almost every boathouse in the village. However, local families were determined to maintain their legacy. So, village residents restored some of the old boathouses and built new ones.

Today, over 3,000 people enjoy living under the boat and some of them are available for tourists."

psk125 · 14-01-2020, 14:00

Pretty cool. Maybe they got the idea from St. Catherine’s church in Honfleur? (second half of the 15th century) https://www.calvados-tourisme.co.uk/...nte-catherine/

There is a story about how the carpenter’s union went on strike, or didn’t want to work for what was offered, so the parish hired shipbuilders to take their place. The shipbuilders didn’t know how to make a roof as wide as it needed to be, so they made two upside-down boats to cover the span instead. French sites report no saws were used in the construction - the shipbuilders swung axes and adzes.