canal flooding in France

[boatmike]

Does anyone have any current information on the state of the French canals right now? I am contemplating leaving Honfleur in 4 weeks time to go down through Paris to arrive in Port St Louis some time in September/October (no great hurry) I am told there might be a problem on the Canal de Briaire....... Anyone know anything?

 

[BoyBlue49]

Grehan posted on here about a week ago.

 

[Grehan]

The Canal de Briare is closed about half -way along, near Montbouy. Will be for a couple of months I suspect.
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?457669-Central-France-problems&p=5718801#post5718801

All rivers are experiencing intermittent high levels and strong downstream currents. But the Paris-Marne-Marne-Saone route to the Saone should be ok and is recommended. We're by the Saone right now, wondering about conditions on the Rhone.
http://www.french-waterways.com/practicalities/weather-wind-current.html

For river conditions generally the Vigicrues site is excellent - http://www.vigicrues.gouv.fr/

 

[boatmike]

Thanks again Grehan, I guess I was looking to see if anyone else was on the canals right now with first hand knowledge. It does appear that the southern route through the Briare is impossible and with my air draught of 3 metres the Nivernais is not an alternative either so its either the Bourgogne route or the Marne and I accept the Marne would be safest. Looking at the VNF site and using my schoolboy French it appears that the Bourgogne is also impassable right now but I can't see anything that indicates damage so maybe it's just water levels? Obviously the bridge clearance could be a problem if the level goes up and this would probably be the case in the Marne too to a lesser extent don't you think? I am currently still in blighty contemplating a dash across to Honfleur. Not too worried about the Seine as I have 400HP to play with so long as I can get under the bridges but I would prefer the Bourgogne route if it can be done by then but can't get any info on what that route may be like in say 4 weeks time. I guess it's asking too much for a prediction as it's still raining......... I think the latest I can delay is until the middle of July. After that it might turn into a more stressful dash which would defeat the objective. My thoughts are, Leave here mid July. Spend some time in Rouen and Paris so into the canals by August. Looks like the Briare might still be out but perhaps the Bourgogne might be OK by then..... Any thoughts?

 

[Grehan]

If your dimensions are ok then the Bourgogne is an option, but we did the canal a few weeks ago and it's hard going - many locks (we did 39 in one day) and you'll probably have to travel grouped with another boat or two at the behest of an eclusier. You'll then be affected by the hotel barges at the Dijon end. Plus weed. Access to the Bourgogne from Paris via the Seine and Yonne rivers will be affected by flow and level in those rivers. In sunshine, gorgeous, in wind and rain, less so.
What's wrong with the Marne/Champagne route?
The Saone (we're moored by it now) is up considerably and is closed further upstream (a guard lock is closed). All the canals and rivers are affected to one degree or another, some like the Briare, and now the C de Garonne, have suffered damage, others from excess water raising levels beyond normal. The Rhone-Rhin is closed I think at Dole, affected by the Doubs river and the Marne-Rhin at Nancy where a lock gate is away for repair (3-4 weeks).
Obviously, no one can predict what the situation will be like next week, let alone in a few weeks time. Conditions can change quite quickly, for good or ill.
Keep watching meteo.fr and vigicrues.

 

[boatmike]

Thanks Grehan, the only thing that put me off the Marne route is that some of the pilot books I have read have said unkind words about some of the sloping sided locks. I have a twin screw Aquastar Mobo and am a bit paranoid about my props that are a bit exposed to damage if they ground. I am also about 3.2 metres airdraught so if the levels are up I might bump my head.... Am I being over cautious? Also my impression is that while it may be very peaceful and quiet, the Marne seems to be very sparse in terms of shoreside facilities and interesting places to stop. Of course the problem is that I have no direct experience of canals and my wife is recovering from an operation so unable to leap about much. The Bourbonnais was our original plan based on it being the easiest especially with her sitting in the driving seat and me handling ropes. I guess as it's another 4 weeks before we can leave the best plan is to wait and see, watch the weather and keep looking at the VNF "situation habdomadiaire du reseau" which appears to be the best info available. If you get any updates it would be good to hear. Thanks again, maybe we will see you on the way! Mike

 

[Grehan]

There are a couple of locks on the Marne with sloping sides, but they have pontoons that slide up and down so you'd be ok. Other locks have straight sides.
There are, however, 3-4 sloping side locks on the Yonne going upstream from Montereau (towards the entrance of the C de Bourgogne) that have nothing - just a matter of jilling around while they fill (they are quite big), tricky but not too difficult.
The Marne-Saone is ok facilities-wise (villages and small towns here and there) until after Langres and the tunnel, then it's deep countryside.
FWIW an hour ago it was blue skies and sunshine here, then thunder and heavy rain, now the sun's peeping out again.
It's mad, Ted.

 

[DownWest]

Further away: The Dordogne is closed to traffic because of high levels. I saw something like 2mtr above normal mentioned.

 

[boatmike]

Well again thanks for that Grehan, perhaps the Marne would not be too bad after all! My problems are probably due to the fact that I have 3 books on the canals and 2 of them are a bit old now. I have
David Jefferson "Through the French Canals" 13th edition 2014
Derek Bowskill "The Channel to the Med" 1995
and David Edwards-May "Inland Waterways of France" 1992
I think the latter two are so far out of date that they may be misleading and Derek Bowskill in particular suggested that the Sloping sided locks were a nightmare..... If they have stand off pontoons now they are probably OK I guess.
I am still worried about bridge clearance but as I said before it's likely to be early August before we get to the canals themselves so it should hopefully be a different can of worms by then....
BTW the detailed forecast here seems to indicate a ridge of high pressure moving slowly up towards the UK this week end with the prospect of slightly more settled weather next week so let's keep everything crossed!

 

[boatmike]

Further away: The Dordogne is closed to traffic because of high levels. I saw something like 2mtr above normal mentioned.

Yes and as far as I can see the whole of southern and western France is still a bit wet. Grehans advice to stay east as far as possible appears to be good advice right now!

 

[mikenfi]

Spoke to Rouen last week they said it is all good to head up to them and gravely further on.

Caudbeck en caux or however we it is spelt has lots of debris so what he out around there. Best of luck and we hope to meet you in the canals look out for the sabre!!!

 

[Grehan]

Folks you need to understand that there's been a huge amount of rain all over France recently, which means much of the ground is saturated. After a few days when levels went down, heavy rain in the last 24-48 hours has brought levels and currents right back again - all over the network, including the East. Logs and branches are heading downstream on the bigger rivers and water's going fast and powerfully, canal sides by rivers are at risk from undermining and are failing in a few places, bridge clearances will be at their least, or less than that if the canal is over-filling.
This is an almost unheard-of situation for May-June. Might be better in a week, might be better in a month. The vigicrues website gives hourly information on all rivers.
My advice - don't use out of date books, do use the 'proper' navigation guides for each waterway. They're very good, whether Breil or Fluviacarte. http://www.french-waterways.com/resources/guides-books-resources.html
David Edwards-May is actually working with me right now on the long process of updating his Inland Waterways of France book.

 

[boatmike]

Grehan, your message is load and clear and welcome as always. I rest on my previous statement that we are not departing for another few weeks anyway so it's very much a matter of wait and see. Even if a canal system like the Marne is still open it does not mean the levels are normal and flows are slight. With higher than normal levels comes the question of bridge clearance and I can't find any way to know if this is a problem currently or will be when we get there. Our current thoughts are to make for Honfleur on or after 14th of July spend a couple of days there and then head up to Rouen for a couple of days and then on to Paris where we might spend up to a week before moving into the canals. This will mean we get there probably at the beginning of August which may or may not see an improvement based on what the weather does and who can predict that? There seems to be a glimmer of hope based on the current Atlantic predictions that high pressure might be on the way and things might improve but I am reminded that "if you want to make God laugh tell him your plans." If it continues to rain for the next 4 weeks I think we will probably abort entirely until next year but this will be a very disappointing outcome for us as we have been planning this trip for a long time. My remarks regarding East/West were only based on the information from your good self and VNF that both indicate the eastern route through the Marne is probably the only way to go without getting radical and going from Calais and Canal de l,Est which would seem to miss most of the worst affected areas currently (perhaps?) I was also reacting to the other post that said the problem down on the Dordogne was no better. I have friends in Nantes who tell me that the coastal areas of Biscay have been particularly badly hit. I also take your point that up to date Fluviacartes are a good idea and had planned to call in to the VNF bookshop (still 18 Quay d'Austerlitz?) to update our info once we decide which route we are taking.
Thanks again for your interest and valuable help as always.

 

[Grehan]

All necessary books and guides are available through us - we send all over the world, including the UK
http://www.french-waterways.com/resources/guides-books-resources.html

 

[boatmike]

That's fine Grehan but I won't be sure which ones I want until I decide which way to go. Looks like the Marne is favourite right now but pigs might fly and the Briare might open by August.......

 

[Grehan]

Well it is certainly possible. A significant breach down south on the Canal de Garonne (again, caused by the swollen river undermining the adjacent canal bank) has almost been repaired, about 5 days after it occurred. In that situation it was possible to bring some big diggers to move quite a lot of dirt around to rebuild the retaining bank, not quite so easy I think, at the Briare location. Nevertheless . . .

 

[changeman]

Mike
Try www.barges.org.
Forum has most of the info on problems in France and their Waterways Guide has all of the moorings.
Regards
Chris Roy

 

[boatmike]

Mike
Try www.barges.org.
Forum has most of the info on problems in France and their Waterways Guide has all of the moorings.
Regards
Chris Roy

Thank you for that Chris but the forums seem to be confined to members and it appears to cost £35 to access them........

 

[changeman]

£35 well spent versus the possibility of finding yourself on a river in spate!
The Waterways Guide alone is worth the money and can be downloaded as a pdf before you leave the UK.

 

[Grehan]

With all due respect, as they say, you don't need to spend £35 just to avoid the possibility of being on a river in spate.
I regularly recommend folks join the DBA Barge Association. It is an excellent, if sometimes rather fractious, organisation with members generously helping out other members with questions and problems, and their forum does make interesting and informative reading but
Accessing http://vigicrues.gouv.fr/ costs nothing and gives you current and height information for all navigable rivers and their feeder watercourses, updated hourly and with 'developing situation' data available for the last 24hrs, 3 days or 7 days . . . . There is a similar resource available for the Rhone - https://www.inforhone.fr/inforhone/en/commun/index.aspx and click Hydrology.

Accessing the VNF information portal http://www.vnf.fr/vnf/home.vnf?action=vnf is also free although the DBA website does also provide listings of current VNF 'Avis' (warning notices to boaters) and Stoppages, which is useful and convenient. You can sign up with the VNF to receive these Avis by email as they are raised for the region one is travelling through. Can get a bit overwhelming though.

There are also two very useful free Yahoo newsgroups, one for the southern canals (Midi and Garonne) 'Can2Mers' can2mers-at-yahoogroups.com and one for the central (Burgundy) burgundyloop-at-yahoogroups.com region. Problems are flagged up on those very promptly and members get an immediate email update.

The DBA PDF document is good, most particularly because it contains the real-life comments and advice from members, especially those with larger barges for whom finding a suitable place to tie up might be a problem. But it is not a waterway navigation guide with large-scale maps of every kilometre, locks, moorings, bridges, safe channel, hazards, etc as are the Breil and Fluviacarte publications. They're essential. In that sense the two are complementary.

And the Fluvial Guide Plaisancier is a comprehensive annually updated directory covering all the waterways with all ports, charges and telephone numbers and costs 13€ plus postage - www.french-waterways.com/resources/guides-pilot-fluviacarte.html