The Fontinettes Boat Lift: An Immersive Visit Thanks to the S-Guide Automatic Helmet

Located in Arques, in the north of France, the Fontinettes boat lift is a monument of industrial engineering which has marked the history of river transport since its commissioning in 1888. Today, this historic site, transformed into a museum, offers a new way to explore its past thanks to an immersive visit accompanied by the S-Guide, an innovative audio guide developed by Sycomore. This completely hands-free headset guides visitors through a detailed audio experience, immersing them in the history of this one-of-a-kind boat lift, once a flagship of engineering.

The Fontinettes Boat Lift: An Industrial Heritage From the 19th Century

The Fontinettes elevator, designed to facilitate the passage of boats between two water levels of the Neufossé canal, was put into service in 1888. This monumental work allowed boats to cross a difference in level of more than 13 meters in only a few minutes, a feat for the time. This innovative mechanism worked tirelessly until it was replaced by a modern lock in 1967.

This elevator, now closed, represented an essential milestone for river transport in France, facilitating trade between the industrial cities of the north and the rest of the country. Thanks to ingenious hydraulic systems, the ferries carried the boats from one level to another, with impressive mechanical precision. This technical feat helped boost river trade for nearly 80 years, before the rise of new technologies led to the commissioning of a more modern lock.

A Renovation for a Living Museum

After its closure in 1967, the elevator was decommissioned and abandoned for several years. However, this monument of civil engineering has never ceased to fascinate. Recently, it underwent a complete renovation, aimed at preserving this industrial heritage and making it a living museum.

The renovation work has brought this emblematic site back to life and made it a place of memory and discovery. The transformation into a museum included the addition of an interpretation center installed on board a barge, a unique immersion into the elevator’s past. This barge, anchored in one of the old elevator ferries, serves as an educational platform to better understand the history and techniques of 19th century river engineering.

The interpretation center also addresses broader themes such as the importance of river transport in the 19th century, the evolution of engineering techniques and the transition to modern infrastructure such as locks. This exploration is done in a fun way, through models, historical documents, and video animations which make the subject accessible to all audiences.

The Sycamore S-Guide: A Fully Automatic Audioguide For An Immersive Tour

To enrich this exceptional visit, the Sycamore S-Guide has been introduced. This hands-free headset audio guide accompanies visitors throughout their exploration of the site, offering them an immersive experience without requiring manual interaction. One of the most innovative aspects of the S-Guide is its automatic triggering, which activates based on where visitors are, allowing them to remain fully focused on their surroundings.

By offering a completely hands-free experience, it allows maximum accessibility, whether for the elderly, families with children or even international visitors. With content available in three languages ​​(French, English and Dutch), Sycomore makes the history of the Fontinettes Lift accessible to a wide audience.

The S-Guide does not just provide factual information: it transports visitors into the past thanks to sound effects and fictional testimonies that recreate the atmosphere of the elevator when it was in operation. Voices like that of the last elevator guard and a boatwoman who recounts her memories offer a lively and moving story, mixing personal history and the broad outlines of industrial evolution.

Thanks to the combination of audio technology and captivating narrative content, the S-Guide makes this visit an unforgettable immersive experience.

An Original and Educational Visit Experience

Visiting the Fontinettes Boat Lift with the S-Guide allows visitors to immerse themselves in a captivating journey through the industrial history of the 19th and 20th centuries. Thanks to Sycamore’s fictional stories, realistic sound effects and innovative technology, visitors discover the ingenuity of this historic monument in an immersive and interactive way. Completed by the interpretation center installed in a barge, this visit is an experience not to be missed for lovers of history and industrial heritage.

The renovated and reimagined Fontinettes elevator embodies a successful fusion of history and technology, providing an unforgettable experience that enriches understanding of the past while captivating the present.