French canals distance (Port Napolean to Channel).

According to my research, you will really struggle to get a 1.8m draft yacht up the canals in the first place, never mind how long it would take to do so.

Everything I have read suggests that anything over a metre and you will start to struggle as there have been problems with silting and low water levels in various places.

I'd bring it back the way mine went down....on the back of a truck!

Good luck
 
I think that the quickest route is via the western canals. More kilometres but fewer locks. Your draft is about the limit. I'm currently half way through the western canals returning to the UK, drawing around 1.5 metres. We go aground from time to time, but nothing too serious. You don't say when you intend to transit but at the moment many canals are closed for maintenance, and also, last week at least, it was bl00dy cold With your draft you might prefer the eastern canals, where I understand that there is more water. In any case, don't worry too much about the total distance. The time it takes to transit is governed by the number of locks and how long you have to wait for them; the adverse stream against you northbound in the Rhone and Saone; and the lack of daylight in the winter. It has taken us two weeks to get from Port Napoleon to the middle of France (Digoin) during late October.
 
Hi. The only route for a yacht of 1.8m draft is up the Rhone, Saone, The Central Canals ( Canal du Centre, Canal Lateral a la Loire, Canal du Nivernais, Yonne ) and the Seine through Paris to Le Havre. I can't remember the exact distance but it was over 1000 miles. Travelling time was 30 days plus stops. It took us six weeks in all plus mast up and down at either end. We did it in the other direction ie. North to South. We know that it has been done in a fin keeled Moody 42 with a draft of 1.8 ( 1.85+ in fresh water fully loaded ) although they did do some "ploughing" on occasion. That was in October. We also met a couple who had done it with 1.8m in August South to North. PM me with your tel. no. should you wish to discuss further. Good Luck!
 
If you wait for a while Grehan will be around. He has all the links etc for the canals. I agree with the poster who said you will have trouble with your draught. 1.8mts seems an awful lot. We did it with a lifting keel and it was a bit skinny in one or two places.
In addition, the Rhone will probably be in full autumn flow at the moment and you will have to contend with a stong current on the nose all the way. Daylight hours are short at this time of the year which will also limit your progress. If all the canals are open and operating, which would be very unusual for this time of the year I would say to allow at least six weeks for the trip but Jim off Grehan has much more specialised knowledge on this subject than I do. Hope I haven't pi**ed on your fireworks......
 
Oh dear...6 weeks.

Guess that option is out of the window...

Expecting to spend Christmas and new year bringing a Moody 39 back from the South of France, but if it's that time frame then I will have to have a re-think.

Thanks everyone!
 
If you had said that you were thinking of doing the trip over the Christmas and New Year period then I would have said that all the locks are shut then as well as Sundays unless by prior arrangement. Check the VNF website www.vnf.fr for lock and canal closure. You could also try www.tagwef.co.uk for depths etc. as he is on this forum. Good Luck.
 
It can be done quicker......

I've done the trip 5 times now.

Last time was in a Carter 33 in November 2003. Draft of just over 1.8 metres - no problems there at all.

We took 13 days, Pt St Louis to Le Havre, with 2 on board. We treated it like a job: starting at dawn, travelling till the locks closed, stopping wherever we'd got to and no days off. Of course, daylight hours were short. We still enjoyed it.

Our first time (June 1989) was in a fin keeled Moody 33. We relaxed, stopped in nice places and explored. That took six weeks, and was a good compromise between pushing on, but making progress.

I'd love to do it again, sooner the better!
 
Re: It can be done quicker......

Yep! no problems except need a long plank (really long) to get ashore if like our boat it needs 1.8m just in one place!The ploughing bit is no problem mostly on the Marne route (June 2003) Muck follows the boat but it is fluid and does not slow the speed at all, such as it is, like, slow!
Allow a month and work all day with the eclusiers (lockkeepers) on motorbikes, 0800 to 18.00 used to be the times, maybe shorter now?Sometimes the lockkeepers let you stay in the lock overnight, but mostly just above. usually deeper on the high side.No wear and tear on the sails at all! Mast ok on trestles.
 
You should have no problem getting a 1.8 m draft up the canals provided you follow the main routes... Distance is not really the issue - it is how many locks you have negotiate that controls the time it takes... You have to pick your route carefully.... counting locks not distance.

It is possible to do Port st Louis to Le Havre in under two weeks if you move every day, be at the first lock at dawn and not finish till the next lock closes.... Hard work but I have done it a couple of times.

Have a quick look at my web site - the various routes are explained in some detail

Michael
 
If one stuck to the Seine, what is the distance to Paris and where are the places to stop?

The only Seineside towns I have been to are Rouen, Vernon & Giverny (as well as Paris) but I don't think I saw a pontoon or a quay.
 
Again the point about the Seine is not the distance it is the tide and daylight hours. You must run up the river with the tide starting maybe an hour or so before LW. You are not allowed to navigate at night so the tide time must enable you to do a full day.
The distance Le Havre to Paris is 368 miles about...
The first possible stop is Chaudebec 58 kilometers up the river then Duclair which is 61 K. Neither are wonderful stopping places because of the fast flowing river when it runs downstream but normally you can find a place.
Actually if you get the tide right you should reach Rouen. This is civilised and good mooring places etc...
The first lock is at Amfreville and then the river is tamed.
After that there are lots of places all the way to Paris and its pretty easy... You need the relevant Navicarte #1 which also gives you the tidal data you need to make the trip upstream easy..
Michael
 
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