French rivers and canals

[Charlie1205]

Hi all

After some advice in regards to the French river / canals

I am bringing my boat back via the canals rivers and am looking at the quickest way possible to get through and back to England, we are setting off from port napoleon air draft 3.3. Draft 1m 4.22m wide

I am using a professional skipper , and am just wondering are we able to make passage at night as he’s the delivery skip or are all river canals closed down at night , I know they allow commercial traffic throughout the night but was wondering.

Charlie

 

[Avalon]

You should not count on making any progress at night. On most French canals the locks do not operate at night (except possibly by prior arrangement for commercial traffic). Certainly navigation at night by small craft is prohibited on the tidal Seine, and possibly elsewhere. In any event it would be risky as you would be unable to avoid floating objects, which are not uncommon.

The Fluviacarte site has a very useful online tool for passage planning through the French waterways. http://www.fluviacarte.com/en/fluviacap

One thing which we have found surprisingly useful on the waterways in an AIS transceiver. It enables you to see what is coming round the next few corners, how big it is and how fast it is going. It also enables them (and probably the lock keepers) to see you coming.

 

[scruff]

I am sure you have your reasons for wanting to do it quickly, but a summer idling through the French canals sounds wonderful!