It took a long time for Saint-Capraise de Lalinde to recognise
the value of its navigational past.
From 1972, the commune organised a yearly « Arts and Local
Artisans » week and in 1979, almost clandestinely, this included
a modest stand of several post cards and a model gabare.
Organised by people with good intentions, this early attempt had
no follow-up. Not until 1980 and the new cultural programme
introduced by the Minister of Youth and Sport was there an
exhibition at Saint Capraise worthy of the name.
In the context of
the « VillageAlive » programme, eight local communes decided to
mount an exhibition around a local theme and, with the
encouragement of the association « The Happy Gabariers », the
support of the town hall and advice from the Conflans Sainte
Honorine River Transport Museum, this developed into an
exhibition entitled « River Transport on the Dordogne in the
Last Century ». The opening night took place on the 20th July
1980 and displayed three magnificent models about which more
later.
