French canals this winter?

[Kelpie]

Our plan for this year is to set off early June, aiming for a Biscay crossing and possibly on to an Atlantic crossing at the end of year. But things are stacking up against us and we may not get away on time.
As a backup plan, I was thinking about the canals. We are about 1.7m so would need to go the Rhone route. I haven't been able to find out what the costs would be, how long you get in the network, etc etc. Plenty of info out there about the Midi and about hiring a little river boat, neither of which has any relevance. Also at 4.2m beam I think we are going to be a tight fit in some sections.
The idea would be to make a slow transit of the canals and enter the Med in the spring, then we have all summer to explore Corsica, Sardinia, Balearics, and finally get back on track a year later than planned for the Atlantic crossing.

 

[syvictoria]

I would suggest that you provide residency/citizenship info, otherwise this thread is likely to descend into the mirky waters of Schengen 90/180 very quickly.

 

[Kelpie]

I would suggest that you provide residency/citizenship info, otherwise this thread is likely to descend into the mirky waters of Schengen 90/180 very quickly.

I am an Irish citizen.

 

[nortada]

Our plan for this year is to set off early June, aiming for a Biscay crossing and possibly on to an Atlantic crossing at the end of year. But things are stacking up against us and we may not get away on time.
As a backup plan, I was thinking about the canals. We are about 1.7m so would need to go the Rhone route. I haven't been able to find out what the costs would be, how long you get in the network, etc etc. Plenty of info out there about the Midi and about hiring a little river boat, neither of which has any relevance. Also at 4.2m beam I think we are going to be a tight fit in some sections.
The idea would be to make a slow transit of the canals and enter the Med in the spring, then we have all summer to explore Corsica, Sardinia, Balearics, and finally get back on track a year later than planned for the Atlantic crossing.

Why not coast hop down to La Rochelle but then whiz across to Gijón and go around the outside and into the Med via Gib?

 

[Kelpie]

Why not coast hop down to La Rochelle but then whiz across to Gijón and go around the outside and into the Med via Gib?

Maybe. But I was under the impression that tackling the north coast of Spain was no fun, headwinds all the way.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Grehan the man to talk to but m,y only one experience from bring a boat back in 2007 with a 1.5 draft was that we when aground many times and had to turn back and take different route before reaching the channel .
I think 1.7 you going to be very close depending on how much water there is .
Grehan has a web site you can try and google it .

 

[nortada]

Maybe. But I was under the impression that tackling the north coast of Spain was no fun, headwinds all the way.

If you want to go for broke, consider going right around Biscay.

Great trip and don't recall any significant head winds.

PMd you, get back if you want further detail.

 

[JVL]

Our plan for this year is to set off early June, aiming for a Biscay crossing and possibly on to an Atlantic crossing at the end of year. But things are stacking up against us and we may not get away on time.
As a backup plan, I was thinking about the canals. We are about 1.7m so would need to go the Rhone route. I haven't been able to find out what the costs would be, how long you get in the network, etc etc. Plenty of info out there about the Midi and about hiring a little river boat, neither of which has any relevance. Also at 4.2m beam I think we are going to be a tight fit in some sections.
The idea would be to make a slow transit of the canals and enter the Med in the spring, then we have all summer to explore Corsica, Sardinia, Balearics, and finally get back on track a year later than planned for the Atlantic crossing.

I wouldn’t worry about the beam I’ve done it with a beam of 4.95 ! Less rattling about lol. Draft at 1.7 will be problematic on top of that you mention winter, I’ve done it with kids in Nov /Dec ! I wouldn’t do it again, it was cold (very) lots of closures, ice , removing mooring lines with a mash hammer! Biscay is the option I would look at in your shoes , it’s quick three days Cameret- Cederia ( nice anchorage, welcome to easy going Spain watch your weather then round Finisterre ?

 

[BoyBlue49]

I have traversed the canals and round the outside to the Med.
To my mind your only choice is Biscay, W Spain and Portugal. Leaving June, July or August the trade winds will be well established from the N/W to give you a good sail all the way. Wait for a good 4 day forecast for Biscay and enjoy the Spanish Rias, Portugal's W coast and the Algarve.
The canal route for 1.7m draft is a non starter as best depth would be 1.4m to 1.5m. for the mid France section. Your beam is ok as the canal locks are just over 5m wide. It is a wonderful trip to make. An alternative would be to truck from Fontainbleau to somewhere near Dijon.
I hope you have good trip which ever way you go.

 

[nortada]

I have traversed the canals and round the outside to the Med.
To my mind your only choice is Biscay, W Spain and Portugal. Leaving June, July or August the trade winds will be well established from the N/W to give you a good sail all the way. Wait for a good 4 day forecast for Biscay and enjoy the Spanish Rias, Portugal's W coast and the Algarve.
The canal route for 1.7m draft is a non starter as best depth would be 1.4m to 1.5m. for the mid France section. Your beam is ok as the canal locks are just over 5m wide. It is a wonderful trip to make. An alternative would be to truck from Fontainbleau to somewhere near Dijon.
I hope you have good trip which ever way you go.

And love to hear how you get on?

 

[GHA]

......As a backup plan, .....

The canals do sound lovely, always fancied that, but.....
Imho, cruising you should not put too much emphasis on planning..
It's all great, it's all lovely. Just takes a bit of practice letting go of trying to control an uncertain future.
Sounds like you've still loads time to get across Biscay, then see what happens. Worth thinking of doing long hops then hang around in an area for a while and get to know it, then the little switch will flip and it's time to go somewhere new. Trying to see everything along the way just doesn't really work that well, it's all great fun so making a list of things to do and see sometimes only makes life more stressful. Just needs some faith that all will be well and fall into place. It always does. Even when it doesn't .

 

[Kelpie]

Thanks for those thoughts.
I'm a bit surprised that there isn't more love for the canals idea. I thought that the eastern route was 1.8m, a bit squeaky bum time in placesmaybe, but I had also presumed that doing it in winter might mean more water in the system.

Maybe my ideas are a bit too fixed. I was thinking that a) you really wanted to avoid hopping around Biscay inshore; b) you wanted to have done the crossing ideally by the end of July, maybe end of August at a stretch; c) it's necessary to get to the Algarve in order to have a comfortable winter afloat, with the option of continuing to cruise rather than hunkering down in the same place.

Regardless of what happens, we are moving aboard the boat this year. And even if we don't leave Scotland, we will have fun in our new lifestyle. But a bit of sun wouldn't hurt

 

[JVL]

Thanks for those thoughts.
I'm a bit surprised that there isn't more love for the canals idea. I thought that the eastern route was 1.8m, a bit squeaky bum time in placesmaybe, but I had also presumed that doing it in winter might mean more water in the system.

Maybe my ideas are a bit too fixed. I was thinking that a) you really wanted to avoid hopping around Biscay inshore; b) you wanted to have done the crossing ideally by the end of July, maybe end of August at a stretch; c) it's necessary to get to the Algarve in order to have a comfortable winter afloat, with the option of continuing to cruise rather than hunkering down in the same place.

Regardless of what happens, we are moving aboard the boat this year. And even if we don't leave Scotland, we will have fun in our new lifestyle. But a bit of sun wouldn't hurt

I appreciate that VNF state that depth Max is 1.8 m but I strongly suspect this was at best aspirational on their part. I first “did” the canals over twenty years back and witnessed deeper draft boats struggling! Very little commercial traffic uses the the routes you wish to take and no longer scrapes the canal bottom clean ! Traffic these days is mostly live aboard barges and bumper boats drawing very little water, it’s a shame as it lovely, especially the Frecynet(spelling) sections. If I can help Canals or Biscay just ask ?

 

[GHA]

Thanks for those thoughts.
I'm a bit surprised that there isn't more love for the canals idea. I thought that the eastern route was 1.8m, a bit squeaky bum time in placesmaybe, but I had also presumed that doing it in winter might mean more water in the system.

Maybe my ideas are a bit too fixed. I was thinking that a) you really wanted to avoid hopping around Biscay inshore; b) you wanted to have done the crossing ideally by the end of July, maybe end of August at a stretch; c) it's necessary to get to the Algarve in order to have a comfortable winter afloat, with the option of continuing to cruise rather than hunkering down in the same place.

Regardless of what happens, we are moving aboard the boat this year. And even if we don't leave Scotland, we will have fun in our new lifestyle. But a bit of sun wouldn't hurt

Last time did it was towards the end of April, motored most of Biscay, then 5 days to Faro from Camarinas, single handed, not that big a deal really if you can wait for the weather. Getting down to Biscay prob the worst bit

 

[sailaboutvic]

I done Biscay three times once solo , you just have to wait for a good window then go for it.
The time your talking about you shouldn't have a problem finding some kind of window ,
Even with to day forecaster don't expect to get whats forecaster , every time I done it we had fog, no wind par of the way, strom force part of the way and fair winds part of the way .
Go enjoy if you plan to cross over the pond its a good way to experience the weather your going to get at some point in your crossing and if you find the weather not for you , you can then always go the the Med , not that the weather is any kinder in the Med .

 

[Kelpie]

The time your talking about you shouldn't have a problem finding some kind of window ,

I'm aiming for a crossing by the end of July. How much later do you think we could aim for and still have a reasonable chance of a good crossing?

One major consideration is that we will have our young son aboard. It's one thing to put up with tough conditions when you are an adult who has knowingly chosen to go out in those conditions. But for his sake, we try to minimise exposure to heavier weather.

 

[Tradewinds]

We did Morgat to Ribadeo, N.Spain at the end of August back in '93. Just waited for a decent 3 day outlook from Northwood. Beautiful crossing. It was myself, my wife, son aged 5 and daughter who was almost 2. It was a brilliant, enjoyable 1st Biscay crossing in brisk E winds. No problems for the children at all.

September had its fair share of pretty heavy weather but there was always somewhere pleasant to hole up along the coast until we headed off to Madeira from Leixões, Portugal mid-October.

I think Hiscock advocated not doing the Biscay crossing after mid-late August - although I know plenty who have done much later crossings without event. Just choose a good window (much easier nowadays).

HTH

 

[LittleSister]

I am an Irish citizen.

That's cheating!

 

[doug748]

These people really struggled with their small bilge keeled Colvic, last summer. Seine, Marne, Canal Lateral a la Marne:

.

 

[Trident]

Maybe. But I was under the impression that tackling the north coast of Spain was no fun, headwinds all the way.

We did the Biscay and North Coast option in 2014 and it was some of the best times on the journey (we then spent 4 years in the Med) - there are some lovely coastal anchorages, great towns, Santader, Gijon, A Coruna as well as the smaller places that most people never see. Had fairly good winds and sailed the whole way looking at my logs except about 4 hours in coast fog and motoring . That was in a 35 foot cat that simply couldn't go closer than 60 degrees to wind so it cant have been too problematic.

I think either route you will enjoy but to me the joy of sailing the outside as opposed to motoring the canals is a winner. We took our time and went down France to the Gironde, then across to Hondaribia and did the entire north coast of Spain - absolutely lovely