Boatshed Midi Canals in association with Boatshed Bourgogne recently took part in the “Open Castle” event organised by Au Club des Vingt at the Chateau de Burnand in the Saone & Loire region of Burgundy, France. Having recently teamed up with Au Club des Vingt to promote residential boating to a wider market, Boatshed Midi Canals was present at the “Open Castle” event with big screen slide shows of residential boats for sale from 38m barges to motor yachts including a President 57 and even a Cantieri di Pisa motor yacht in need of restoration but available with a Lyon town centre mooring. The fairy tale Chateau de Burnand nestling in the heart of the Burgundy countryside is currently offered for sale by Au Club des Vingt and proved to be an ideal setting to publicise the recent collaboration between Au Club des Vingt and Boatshed Midi Canals. This cooperation is designed to promote the concept of residential boating to a wider audience. Also present with Boatshed Midi Canals was architect Virginie Drouhot creator of the stunning motor yacht Joséphine designed expressly for cruising Europe’s inland waterways. The design brief specified that the vessel was to be able to comfortably cruise Europes canals and rivers, even the restricted Canal du Midi but Joséphine in no way resembles a motor barge. “I had the benefit of starting with a clean sheet of paper” said Virginie Drouhot, “and was able to create a two deck, twin screw, 30 meter motor yacht to inland waterway dimensions.” The result is an impressive blend of art, architecture and engineering with graceful curving exterior lines that sweep back to a sedan stern,for crew R&R set off with sculpted windows and port holes that ensure light floods into the interior. Twin spiral staircases connect the upper and lower decks and a flying catwalk connects the upper lounge to the foredeck. There are four identical guest cabins forward with granite bathroom suites and two double crew cabins in the stern each with ensuite facilities. Virginie was present to inaugurate and promote her new collaboration with Boatshed Bourgogne to offer design and project management services for both new build and refit projects, said Graham Wharmby of Boatshed Midi Canals, “I captained the yacht Joséphine for the 2003 tall ships event l’Armada at Rouen where she served as the Presidents Yacht. It was an experience of a lifetime and I am delighted that Virginie has agreed to work with Boatshed Midi Canals on barge, boat and yacht refit projects as well as new builds, her talent and passion for her work are an inspiration and takes the services that we (and other members of the Boatshed Group) can propose to our clients to a new dimension.” The coherence of our recent collaborations was confirmed and our hard work rewarded by our first commission for the purchase and refit of a 20 meter residential cruiser for a local client.