The birth of a crew
The Magic Bus is first and foremost a project born from the observation that many of us are constantly chasing time, without knowing how to take care of ourselves, even though we constantly feel the need …
The idea of offering a revitalizing and atypical place in the heart of Lille then germinated in the mind of Julie, therapist and jogger at the citadel. She talked about it around her and quickly, a small team was formed in association in the spring of 2018, in order to take up this challenge and get down to drawing the first outlines of this crazy project!
In July 2018, the association won the authorization to park a barge in front of the Champ de Mars where you can now find Le Bus Magique… All that remains is to find a boat with this great idea… and after a few wanderings, we in February 2019, we will definitely be captivated by the Île cistern barge, an old lady from 1954.
It was around this time that Julien joined the project. The happy crew continued to grow and rolled up their sleeves during participatory workshops organized between February 2019 and October 2020. On the program: transform a barge that transported hydrocarbons into a friendly and … ecological place to live (yeah, not even afraid ????)!
The transformation of the ship
Casually, the barge took us on a good journey… linking up work in Cappy (in the Somme), Namur (in the shipyard), at the Ports of Lille and finally… here! In total, a hundred magical volunteers gave of their energy to achieve what you now see around you: clearing, fighting against rust, painting, partitions, fitting out… always in good company and with a smile!
Today, we are fortunate to be able to bring our values to life in this place full of poetry!
So get on board, the possibilities on board are endless: participate in our workshops, discover our cultural program with family or friends, simply enjoy a good homemade dish with love … or even have a drink while watching the reflections dance on the mirror of the water!
The adventure is far from over: this beautiful story continues to be written day after day… and it is up to everyone to keep the place alive! There is no more work but the volunteers and their beautiful energies are still the essential fuel for the trip of the Magic Bus: offer an activity or programming, share a skill or thoughts, lend a hand … and you too – if you feel like it – you can take a seat on board and become an active sailor, because we understand that together we go further, more beautiful and crazier!
