Briare, Centre-Val de Loire 45250

A barge designed by the famous architect Jean Nouvel in 1991, moored in a marina in Burgundy, less than 2 hours from Paris. Built in 1930, the barge was lived in for decades. Then, much later, in the 1990s, Renault bought it. The company's plan was to bring famous clients together here and organise seminars away from the hustle and bustle of Paris. At the time, the barge was located near the Tf1 studios on the Quai du Point du Jour in Paris. In 1991, the Chairman of Renault called on the architect Jean Nouvel, one of the main organisers of the international design competition for Les Halles de Paris. He headed the Association pour la mutation de l'le Seguin in 2001, which opposed the demolition of the Renault factory. Jean Nouvel has designed major buildings both in France and abroad, including the Arab World Institute, the Cartier Foundation, the Quai Branly Museum in 2006, the Qatar National Museum in Doha and the Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. In 1984, Jack Lang also asked him to assist Carlos Ott, the architect of the Bastille opera house. Moored along a tree-lined quay, the barge is an impressive size and is built to the Freycinet gauge. With its black and yellow colour, it is easy to spot from a distance. The wooden deck from which you can admire the calm surrounding area has railings with a little gate. Metal frames above the deck are used to hoist a tarpaulin that extends the full length of the deck in winter. A large metal tank has also been installed near the entrance, and the barge has a regulation removable footbridge. Numerous windows line the boat, some with ornate metal railings. The outside space is large, thanks in particular to the presence of a vast terrace, to the rear of which is the helm.