From Rouen to Le Havre

[Cspirit]

We are thinking of doing the above downstream trip later this year, probably late October/early November. However the advice in the Navicarte seems to suggest that this will be impossible for a sailing boat (Westerly 33 in our case) at this time of year due to lack of daylight. Three questions:

(i) Can anyone verify or contradict the above advice?
(ii) Is the mooring at Caudebec usable and safe at neap tides?
(iii) Would you recommend the canal system via Calais as a better option ot this time of year?

Thanks in advance................

 

[Sea Devil]

The problem late in the year is that you are not allowed to navigate before you reach Paris one hour before sunset and one hour after sunrise - in fact not at all in the dark... this makes it virtually impossible to get up the river in daylight hours..

You can go in at St Valery sur Somme and have no 'daylight' problems as there are stopping places everywhere and the same goes for Calais... just a bit further.

You can make both routes go via Paris if you want - and avoid the 'darkness' restrictions as you are in the area where you can find parking places... Or you can take a lovely scenic route south with some tunnels and stopping places everywhere.

Michael

 

[ebbtide]

Oops Michael, he wants to go DOWNSTREAM, hence stopping at Caudebec while the flood passes.
Think again please - I'm interested too.

 

[Sea Devil]

Ooops sorry - should have read it properly!!!


The Navicarte book (which has pilotage direct from the VNF) only says that it is impossible between November and mid February do do it IN ONE DAY...

It also says to leave Rouen at dawn whatever the tides are doing.... but the best time is when Low Water occurs 1 hour after sunset at Le Havre..

It has lots of warnings about the dangers of mooring when the bore is strong and that somebody should be available to adjust the lines at all times...

The book appears to say it is possible in 2 days but be very careful and leave lots of time and fair current for both legs... and of course it is required not to travel at night... There is a good mooring just at Tarkenville Station ....

Looks like it is doable......

Michael

 

[Abaker]

In November 2004 we easily made it UPSTREAM from Honfleur to Rouen during daylight in two days (Crealock 34). Stopped overnight halfway at Caudebec on large mooring buoy. Depths no problem. Only worries were wakes from passing ships, and the possibility that a barge might kick us off the buoy--didn't happen. There was also a large floating dock for mooring, but it didn't look comfortable or safe for a small yacht given the wakes.

 

[Grehan]

Whilst not denying the feasibility of going down from Rouen to Le Havre in late autumn, my vote would be for Paris-Calais.

 

[Cspirit]

Thanks everyone - really helpful. When we travelled down through the canals (via Le Havre) we had our mast transported by road, and we intend to do this again. Does anyone have experience of having a mast delivered from Port Napoleon to Calais?

 

[alant]

Just did Honfleur to above the lock past Rouen last weekend.

You will need to obviously work the tides & watch out for barges/shipping - some serious stuff about.

The owner on my boat, went down about 3 years ago - alone.
Also went to Le Havre along canal from Tankerville bridge.

Good mooring at Duclare - alongside barge used specifically for that purpose - right next to a ferry & opposite a good restaraunt & boulangerie.

This was in a motorboat, with a cruising speed of about 9knts, but dropping down on tide shouldn't take long. Only thought I had was about the overhead power cables - would a mast reach them? Most of the large ships seemed to clear without problems though.

Major problem we had, was fog in the river & all ships rumming on radar - scary!

 

[LadyInBed]

The wrong way for you, but the first time I went up the Seine I got the timing totally wrong, I could not make any headway up the Channel de Rouen until 13:00. I anchored at Duclair pk 277 for the night (I put out two anchors). Le Havre (Point Km 367) to Duclair pk 277 was 90 km and took me 8 hrs, the next day
Duclair to Rouen pk 242 was 35 km and took 5 hrs.
This was in a 22ft boat at a max of 5 knots.

 

[Grehan]

Fog's a well-known and frequent hazard down at the estuary. We experienced it, but fairly easily; others we've met have had bigger problems.