LES BATELIERS

Originally, the building between the Sambre river and the heart of the town apparently served as a refuge for the abbey of Villers-la-Ville. In the ^mid-18th century, the Thudinian architect Jean-Baptiste Chermanne transformed it into a magnificent mansion for the Counts of Groesbeeck de Croix. Bought by the City of Namur, the building changed vocation once again, and was converted into a decorative arts museum in 1935. It came into its own in the 1950s. Today, Les Bateliers is more than just a museum: it's a hub for both the Museum of Decorative Arts (^18th to ^20th centuries) and the Archaeological Museum. It presents the archaeological collections of the Namur region and surrounding area, from the Palaeolithic to the Middle Ages. Architecturally, the center successfully blends the contemporary with the old, including a magnificently restored chapel that was part of the Saint-Jacques des Bateliers school until the 1980s. The section devoted to the decorative arts has been designed to retain an immersive feel in keeping with the setting. Transported back to the Age of Enlightenment, visitors are already benefiting from this overhaul, visible in both the walls and the spirit. Themes and exhibitions are multiplied (several are organized each year). This magnificent mansion is regularly used as a film set, one of the most resounding being Les Visiteurs: La Révolution. Several scenes are re-enacted every year for the FIFF, the French-speaking film festival. Among the rooms in the building that have been deliberately left as they were, the kitchen with its large fireplace and bread oven is a remarkable example of ^18th-century architecture. The stables, a former janitor's lodge occupied as such until 2013, feature pretty stone troughs. They are used as an exhibition space, as is the former carriage house. The latter, a veritable haven of peace, is a little jewel in the French ^18th-century style. At its center, a two-hundred-year-old tulip tree majestically occupies the space. Other landscaping projects are underway, for even more excitement! A must-see visit to Namur, to discover both the rich collections of the archaeological museum and the beauty of the decorative arts section, with an astonishing journey through time. And on top of all these quality factors, admission to the museums is free. All the more reason not to miss out on a visit to Les Bateliers!