French Canals

[SpiceIslander1]

I am thinking of heading back to the UK next year from Port St Louis up the River Rhone and then maybe wintering the boat en route, once in the canal system at somewhere like St Jean de Losne ( it has been recommended to me). I haven't yet decided on a route, but we were thinking of finally ending up in Le Havre, so any recommended really scenic routes would be gratefully received as we are in no rush (draft of boat 1.6 metres, beam 3.45m , length 11 metres and mast will be shipped overland). We came into the Med via the long route, hence no experience of the canals.

Can somebody advise on when the current flow is reasonable in the Rhone to start pushing up against it. Is it necessary to wait until late Summer, or can one go early without too much current against you. Also does the current strength vary as you head north? Any recommendations on where to leave the boat for the winter would be welcome from those who have knowledge of the French Canal system.

Finally, are there any obvious things to take into consideration before setting off on the journey north. I realise that I need to obtain a Certificate of Competence for Inland waterways, pay the necessary fee to the French waterways for the trip and do further research on other aspects.

Any tips would be welcome.

 

[ebbtide]

Suggest you post on the Eurocanals Forum as well as contacting Grehan on this channel - he's been there and some.
Good luck.

 

[capsco]

Draught of 1.6m sounds like a problem once out of the lower rivers.

 

[pmyatt]

Try these people http://barges.org/

 

[binch]

Have done this journey several times in our barge.
Unless you run into thunderstorms or a strong mistral, you should have no real trouble in the Rhoneif you can make good five knots. Get good weather forecasts from Meteofrance or if you speak French tune into France Info on about 105.5 FM at say ten mins past the hour.
Plenty of places for a small boat to stop, but if in a hurry pause at the locks where there are small boat pontoons.
Now, draught. If heading for Le Havre, better to go the Canal du Centre route except that by season's end that may be running short of water. Sometimes it closes for that reason.
If it does run short of water then 1.60 is pushing it. We would run aground a bit at 1.50. If you do ask the uphill lock-keeper to let some water down and float you off.
You'll come out at St Mammes (fuelling point) and then down Seine.
This way you'll miss St Jean de Losne, but there are several places to leave boat on the canal du centre.
Alternative route via Canal de Champagne (used to be called Marne a la Saone). Deeper canal comes out on the Marne and down to Paris. No problems
Stop at St Jean at H2O or Blanchard and if boat is fibreglass think of hauling out for winter as it is possible there could be icing which will not do the boat much good in the water. Possible but by no means ceertain. We froze in there one winter. Not that cheap.
We have just spent winter at Pont l'Eveque on Canal du Nord. 3" ice there, but we are steel.
Enjoy it . We've written about it.

 

[JackFrobisher]

Apart from the ICC/CEVNI, which you have mentioned, it would be well to be sure about ATIS. I did an RYA GMDSS/DSC VHF course yesterday and there was no mention of ATIS (the lecturer had no knowledge of it), I guess because the UK has not signed up to it. The rest of Europe has and the inland waterways that you plan to use are covered by the regulations.

ICOM has published a useful facts sheet and advertised in the press (July Sailing Today at least). The sheet is not easy to find but there is a copy here - ICOM Facts Sheet .

Getting the upgrade to the paperwork/licence is easy. OFCOM was prompt in providing an ATIS number by email. The tedious bit is getting your DSC radio reprogrammed so that it has "ATIS" as an area code in addition to "INT" and "US". This assumes that you have a DSC radio....

 

[SpiceIslander1]

Thanks to all for the useful comments

 

[andylizsally79]

Thru the canals - Med to Le Havre

We are currently on our sailing yacht (Draft 1.5m) in south of Spain. We intend to sail into the Med this spring and return to the UK thru the French canals. Our problem is that our ICCs do not include Inland Waterways. Where can we do the CEVNI test somewhere between here and the start of the canals in the south of France without going back to the UK?