Arles, Rhone - stopping?

[Andy and Lyn]

anyone stopped recently in Arles - planning on 3/4 days next week - depending on where?

read Grehan s "bible" and he suggests that stopping here is a little difficult so approaching with caution but if anyone has some positive (or otherwise) recent information we would love to hear. thanks.

 

[BoyBlue49]

Arles

Traversed South to North in 2007, stopped at Arles for two days, plenty to see and do.

Pontoon mooring on West side above bridge, difficult when river running fast but approaching from down stream is easiest of course. Good supermarket a few steps on West side, main town across bridge on East side, fuel below pontoon above high wall.

 

[jimali]

Arles mooring

When we came south in 2009 there was no mooring the whole pontoon and much of the river wall being replaced although we saw a boat tied up south of the Bridge. We have since driven down and over the bridge, there seems to be one long pontoon but I cannot confirm the status of mooring there.

Regards

Jim

 

[Wino]

The visitors mooring in Arles is still missing - however I have been told,- if you are lucky - the restaurant barge just along from where the visitors pontoon used to be will let you tie along side. But I have not tried it myself.
There is also a small quay after the two bridges in Arles - Right Bank - just below a fuel co - where the peniches fill up but its very dirty and depends on the height of the water - it often floods
At the moment there is not a decent mooring from above Tarrascon to Port St. Louis.
But there is a small pontoon just under the first bridge on The Petit Rhone,at Fourques - from there Arles is about a mile and a half.
If you need any further info get back to me as I live not far from Arles -

 

[Chris_Robb]

anyone stopped recently in Arles - planning on 3/4 days next week - depending on where?

read Grehan s "bible" and he suggests that stopping here is a little difficult so approaching with caution but if anyone has some positive (or otherwise) recent information we would love to hear. thanks.

When coming down last year in April, there were local boats tied up to the pontoon so no room to stop, and no alternatives.

 

[mikewilkes]

anyone stopped recently in Arles - planning on 3/4 days next week - depending on where?

read Grehan s "bible" and he suggests that stopping here is a little difficult so approaching with caution but if anyone has some positive (or otherwise) recent information we would love to hear. thanks.

You could try further north at Avignon, Clod the port captain very pleasent guy, or down to Vallabreges.

.

 

[Andy and Lyn]

Ok - much as suspected. thanks to all - please post if anything changes - failing that I'll give it a miss!!

 

[Grehan]

Arles

Let us know what you find / can see as you go past.

 

[binch]

Arles

If the pontoon is missing (and it gets damaged a lot by oversize boats) try this for a slightly less than Rolls Royce mooring.
Just north of the shipyard, there is a cut which leads to a lock. You can pass through this lock and enter the old, blocked off canal which includes Van Gogh's bridge. Bosky moorings.
In the pool just above the lock, the re are often dumb lighters moored. You will probably not be disturbed if you moor outside them. If they are not there, you COULD moor to the quay, but this not recommended due to gypsies nearby.
Further into this small cana, past the small yacht clu moorings (who are nice people and who may find you a paying mooring if asked politely. (Hosanna spent two winters at this club site), further on it is stationment sauvage. Find a bit of bank, drive in your stakes and you should have a tranquil time.
A bit of a walk into town, but much more peaceful out of the current

 

[Grehan]

Hi Bill - yes I've got that option described on my site - Navigation information for the River Rhone - but as noted there, I understand the VNF need some notice now (by phone) to arrange to open the ecluse into the side canal.
" . . . - Tel 04 90 96 00 85 and seek VNF advice, give notice to open the Arles ecluse and moor in the Arles a Bouc side canal (where the Van Gogh lift bridge is) . . . "
Better to get that sorted out in advance than to jill around in the Rhone at Arles, trying (probably ineffectually) to raise an eclusier to open the gates.

 

[Andy and Lyn]

Ok - will post a report mid-week as I pass through! May well just get an early start and push north to beyond the first lock - but we will see!

 

[GSL]

We came down in a 42 foot Mobo in September 2009, could not find any mooring places at all on a Sunday evening and it was getting dark, so we tied up to the Restaurant Barge in the middle of town, very nice meal and we slipped away quietly in the early morning to avoid waking the Restaurant owner and his family, Monday is their only day off and they like to sleep in he told us.

Graham

 

[Andy and Lyn]

and would you believe it - planning the long slog from Port St Louis to above the first lock - leaving tommoro am - and mistral forecast tommoro eve for 3 days!!!!!

What would you do??

 

[Grehan]

River Rhone - Mistral navigation

You're there on the spot, you're the skipper - and I'm not. But I'd tend to err on the side of caution.
(The river at) Arles will be exposed, as will Vallabregues, so you'd need to concentrate on reaching Avignon (roughly 80km), there being a place there (ought to be, this time of year) and then sitting it out for a few days.
Might be frustrating, sitting in PsL instead of 'making progress', but you might do better, tucked up there (not that it's actually much less exposed), than on the river.
Another option would be to head west along the Petit Rhone north of Arles, go through the big (shallow) lock and wait it out at Saint-Gilles.
We've got rain, etc., forecast here (Aquitaine) too. Should mean our intended Garonne crossing onto the River Lot should have enough depth. Which is good for us . . .

 

[Wino]

Like you, I have just looked at latest meteos, one says rain and southerly changing north later (mistral) similar winds until Monday evening. The other is slightly differnt as it forcasts thunder storms as well but winds, more or less the same.
Me? I would wait until the weather calms down, its a long way from Arles to 1st lock and with nowhere really safe to moor could be a long lousy trip.
But whatever you decide - I hope you have a safe and enjoyable journey.

 

[Andy and Lyn]

thanks guys - always nice to have the opinion of others.
We will sit it out at Port St louis till Tues - forecast seems better after that.

Enjoy the weekend.

 

[BoyBlue49]

Wise move, still leaves the option of Arles for later, to my mind worth a visit.

 

[Grehan]

Get the bus from PsL to Arles - do some sightseeing whilst waiting?

 

[Andy and Lyn]

yep - been to Arles. forecast has mistral abating mid-am Monday.

 

[Grehan]

Lundi

Bonne route!