Back in 1982, a local shopkeeper in Dinant was listening to the radio and heard about someone in Italy who had gone down the river in a bathtub. Inspired, he bought up all the bathtubs he could find and dropped them off in front of local merchants, encouraging them to participate in what he dubbed La Regate des Baignoires, or Bathtub Regatta.
Thus was born the annual International Bathtub Regatta. The rules are simple: your vessel must consist of at least one bathtub and it must be people-powered. No motors, just paddling against the current of the Meuse River for a kilometer or so. Some boats are simply a bathtub attached to plastic drums for buoyancy, others get more creative and wacky. It’s pretty common for participants to toss buckets of water at their fellow contestants — and at the spectators!
We chose to view the race from a boat moored on the east side of the river, which gave us a place to sit down and a little bit of shade. Spectators lined both banks of the river and the end point, the Charles de Gaulle bridge.
The crowd cheered heartily whenever a boat passed the finish line.
Adding to the festive atmosphere is a flea market that runs concurrently with the Regatta. They had a nice variety of goods and food choices for sale.
The Regatta is held on August 15th each year, set against the magnificent backdrop of the Citadel, the cliffs, the Charles De Gaulle Bridge, and the Collegiate Church of Our Lady of Dinant.
August 15, 2026
Shelly with the picture-postcard view of Dinant in the background.
Despite constantly listing to the left and looking in danger of sinking, this duo was far ahead of all the other boaters in the race.
The Charles de Gaulle bridge marks the finish line for the Bathtub Regatta. The riverbanks and the bridge are full of spectators who cheer for each boat that completes the race.
Some boats are simply a bathtub attached to flotation drums.
Others are more elaborate, such as this hawk.
It looks like this guy went overboard and is now swimming his vessel to the finish line.
If you’re on the west bank of the river, there’s a good chance that you’ll get sprayed!
The Dinant Queen seemed to have more boaters resting than rowing. But maybe we would, too, if we were paddling against the current for a half-hour or more.
(video with lighthouse)
These folks paddle to the tune of Olivia Newton-John’s “Let’s Get Physical”
The Queen of Bath. I wonder if they’re from England?
This boat honored Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the saxophone, who was born in Dinant.
Another boat also honors Adolphe Sax. We saw this statue rolling down the riverbank before the race.
Shelly hard at work capturing her own photos of the regatta.
The International Bathtub Regatta is held annually on August 15th in Dinant. As a spectator, I’d recommend viewing the race from the west bank of the river for two reasons: (1) you’ll be shaded and you won’t have the late afternoon sun in your eyes, and (2) all of the boaters seem to prefer to paddle along the west bank (perhaps because it’s easier to get out of the water if they capsize), so you’ll have a closer view of the vessels. Since the Regatta is held in mid-August in the late afternoon, we definitely recommend snagging a shady spot instead of standing out in the sun the entire time.