French Waterways - navigation update

[Grehan]

It is time to plan the coming season, cruising through nearly 9000 km of canals and rivers in all parts of France.

• FW Navigation update (blog post)

We have received reports that the fuel and economic crisis caused by Russia’s war against Ukraine has forced many boat harbours to increase their tariffs, in some cases twofold or threefold, in other cases charging where the service was provided free of charge (usually included in the overnight mooring price). Understandably, they can no longer afford to offer these services for less than the cost.

The need for up-to-date information is reinforced by the regrettable cessation of activity of the only French waterways magazine ‘Fluvial’, whose editorial team compiled the useful Guide du Plaisancier directory, published every year. That unique pricing and facilities resource will no longer be available.

However, Practical Navigation editor David Edwards-May is busy updating all the free-to-view waterway pages on the FW site, adapted from his 3-volume book Inland Waterways of France. New versions of all 80 pages will be published before the season gets underway.

• Inland Waterways of France (3 vols - a planning map is also available)
• Breil navigation guides (for at-the-helm navigation detail)
• Waterways in Detail (FW pages being updated)
• Current canal and river information (portal / landing page from VNF, the national waterways authority)

 

[Roberto]

There are also growing concerns about water levels: so far it has been one of the driest winters in France history, which follows a particularly dry 2022 summer (even Brittany was under water restrictions, from the sailing point of view no boat washing at pontoons, river locks like Vilaine/Arzal reduced their operations, etc.).
Hopefully spring will bring some good rain otherwise next summer risks of being even worse than 2022 one.

 

[Grehan]

Message yesterday, from one of our self-drive fleet partners, Nicols -

During the last 4 seasons (2019 – 2022), our base in BRIENON has been impacted 3 times by drought problems: water levels being too low to ensure navigation, we had to transfer our fleet from Brienon to Venarey each time to finish the seasons. Currently, our fleet of 15 boats is wintered in VENAREY.

This week, we were informed by the river authorities (Voies navigables de France Bourgogne) that water reserves are unfortunately very insufficient to guarantee navigation beyond June 2023 in the usual sector, namely : Migennes – Tonnerre. This particularly sensitive sector currently has a deficit of 40% of water reserves.

Therefore, we have made the decision not to reopen the Brienon base in 2023, pending better alternatives for 2024. This choice was difficult, but we cannot reasonably expose ourselves to the risk of a new move in the middle of the season, with all the impacts and costs that come with it.

• FW Canal de Bourgogne page - www.french-waterways.com/waterways/central/canal-bourgogne/

 

[Grehan]

VNF 1st February water reserves map - www.vnf.fr/vnf/services/etat-des-reserves-en-eau/