French canals - help

[davidphillips]

I'm planning to go through the Canal du Bourgogne next month. The vnf website giving details of lock opening times in July describes some locks as having "programmed navigation" only. There is little other information. What does this mean?

 

[thechevychase]

I think it's when they anticipate water shortages and then only allow passage through the locks at certain times during the day. This ensures more than one boat passes through the lock at the same time and saves water. Generally it causes no problems ,at worst a short wait.

 

[jerryat]

I rather think it's the same as we had in various canals there last year, where you have to let them know at the end of each day, when you will be leaving and where you intend stopping the next day.

They then group you into a sort of 'convoy', each with a 'mobile' on a scooter or in a van, and you stick with that for the following day. It's to do saving water by making the most efficient use of the locks.

Frankly, though the 'mobiles' (usually students) are very nice, efficient and helpful people, it does mean that you can't just stop where you want to without letting them know well in advance. This, for us, spoiled the spontaneity of stopping for a day, or even an hour or two, when we saw a place or something we wanted to see.

Letting them know isn't that easy either, because they are almost always ahead of the convoy, organising the locks etc. So if you want to stop before the next lock there isn't a simple way of letting them know, although one of us did cycle along the towpath a couple of times to advise them we wanted to stop.

As an example, we came across a beautiful little village and decided, after thinking about the problems it might cause, to stop there for the night. Blimey, a couple of hours later there was a guy in a little VNF van tooting at us from the towpath.

He had checked all the way back down the canal until he'd found us and could 'cross us off his list'! He was very friendly about it and understood why we had wanted to stop, but we did find it did put pressure on us to keep with the rest.

Bear in mind that when you are in the convoy (or cruising individually for that matter) the 'mobiles' always stop for lunch and the locks are also closed. You will need to factor this into your schedule if you are unfortunate enough to have to keep to one. They also finish pretty well bang on time in the evenings too, so do plan ahead where you intend spending the night. Not as easy as it may seem if you draw the sort of depth we draw, and we more than once had to anchor because we were unable to reach the bank.

Not a big problem, but without inflating the flubber, it meant no going ashore for a stroll along the towpath and perhaps a meal in the next village.

None of this should put you off by the way. It's a very beautiful and interesting way to reach the Med. and we'd do it again in a flash, even though going down the outside was really great too!

 

[canalcruiser]

This year the Rhone is(was)very "tame"Sadly many boats flying the red ensign were less than friendly,perhaps a sign of the times.
Many i asked about the canal further up would have a bier passed to them by their wife or the man would appear with two cheep small bottle of cold bier,while they drank i would be left on shore,even their willingness to offer tips on locks mooreings or cafes wasent really given willingly.sad

On the canal du center one of the vnf mobile people doing the locks was ill,later he told me that to many British Dutch and German give him cheep beir.Try offering a small bottle of water or glass of good wine!

When the season starts nearly all the locks will have a lock keeper