Northerly up the Rhone

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Andy and Lyn

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In October we are heading north from the Med back to blighty!

Having read a variety of pubs it would appear that against the current up the Rhone as far as Lyon it is hard work! Has anyone any particular tips to make it more enjoyable - it has been suggested to find a barge , negotiate a fee and lash along side to get a quick ride north. Again , has anyone any experience of that or opinions either way?

Also, in October - a good time or a bad time? Neadless to say, we are not forgetting the mistral!!
 
As far as I'm concerned, the 'lash yourself to a barge' idea is an Old Wives Tale. I've never heard of anyone doing it (in modern times, maybe it was viable before the Rhone was tamed after WW2). If you did, you'd be pounded by their speed and you'd travel non-stop. It would not be a pleasant experience. Even if you could find a barge to take you - at any kind of sensible cost.
Going upstream is not too bad - usually it's much better than that. One just has to be patient, in some stretches. Our experience (in August) was positive.
The two 'worst' (of course, depending on the weather, any bit can be tricky and cause an enforced wait for conditions to improve) stretches are (a) at Beaucaire/Tarascon, around the two bridges and (b) the last 'chute' past the refineries up to Pierre Benitez lock at Lyon.
The Grehan website has information about the Rhone and places to stop and also information about Rhone currents and weather and links to the Rhone Authority website, which is the place to get up to date details of current rates at various places.
October could be ok - would rather depend on weather - you might have to wait up if there are heavy rainstorms that significantly increase the current.
 
Andy and Lyn said:
Also, in October - a good time or a bad time? Neadless to say, we are not forgetting the mistral!!
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Probably not a bad time, provided as Grehan says there are no heavy rainstorms in the mountains. Friends of ours tried it in springtime when snow melt water was heavy. They battled for five days, making 1 knot or less over the ground. Finally gave up and returned whence they started in a few hours. Did it again in August with little trouble.
 
The Rhone in October

Did it a couple of years ago in October. Nice and warm when we left Port Napoleon - shorts & T shirts. Within a day it was cold, and within two days bl??dy cold. No heating on that boat , so we froze - really. Asked locally, is this normal? Yes, they said. So, be prepared, especially if you have no heating, and bear in mind, as others have said, that it will be slow. However, it's perfectly do-able

Bob
 
Rhone in Winter/early Spring

Quite right Vyv. Friends of ours - very experienced sailors (ex-US navy, deliveries, etc.) - brought a motor boat up from Beaucaire to St Jean in January. They said they'd never do that again. No calamities, just grindingly slow progress and the inevitable constant worry about engine failure.
Ah yes, and ruddy cold (no heating) too.
 
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Andy and Lyn said:
OK , thanks everyone. Probably therefore go for October - so l ong as no heavy rains!
If there is , any one know of a good place to leave her at south of Rhone prior to an early summer start next year. ? Semi - live-a-board.
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Port St Louis is just a small lock into the Rhone. Good shelter, supermarket next to the marina, internet available, a bit of a 'one horse town' but not too unpleasant. Good shelter but the mistral can howl through (as with everywhere else down that way of course).

Good luck.

Chas
 
Thurso is easily the most northerly.

The most southerly is close and I would need to check a detailed map showing Latitudes. It is either Penzance or Falmouth. If I had to make an educated guess, I would opt for Penzance, but the difference between the two is less than a kilometre!
 
It's all on the move !

max martan said:
Thurso is easily the most northerly.

The most southerly is close and I would need to check a detailed map showing Latitudes. It is either Penzance or Falmouth. If I had to make an educated guess, I would opt for Penzance, but the difference between the two is less than a kilometre!
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This is all due to " Lord " Prescot's building regulations, the shrinking economy and the EU re zoning areas. As you know The Isle of Wight is now part of Normandy, so why not put Cornwall as part of Provence. Makes sense to me !
 
Andy and Lyn said:
thanks for all the replies folks - relevant and otherwise!!

Plan is to winter in Med (using Navy Service - have a mooch around in the spring and then up the Rhone after the snow melt is all done and dusted! (May/June ish). make Jersey by Sept 2011!!

Can't change a plan if you don't have one!!
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Hi
Have you booked with Navy Services? Last we heard was that they are full and not taking any more bookings:(
Port Napoleon still have some space but it's going fast. Presume you are planning to be out of the water.
 
Rhone

I would recommend (in October) to log onto the official Rhone website and check the "debit" at each lock (flow rate) - this will give you an instant idea of what to expect in the difficult places.

In 2003 I delivered a large German power boat in January all the way down, and then around to Beaucaire via the Petit Rhone. I checked the "debit" and the river was only just navigable through certain areas. If the debit (or flow rate) is too high then they don´t open the lock for you - or the peniches ! Going down was great though, the only thing I had problems with was large amounts of wood and debris floating on the downstream part of the lock. Some were trees / tree trunks etc that had gone straight over the top of the barrier in the fllood.

October I think will be fine as long as there´s no Mistral. Against the current AND a Mistral could be slow going !
 
I used to live in Falmouth and now live near The Rhone. Either I came the wrong way or someone has moved Cornwall?
But seriously and in answer to your original question - The Rhone, I have travelled it in May, August, and late Sept. strangely Sept had the strongest current, but with a decent engine (Min 6/8 BHP per tonne) you should be OK - it may take you a bit longer through Arles & Tarrascon etc. but no probs. for the rest.
However one of the main problems on the Rhone is The Mistral and this can blow - hard and cold - any day/days, sometimes weeks, throughout the year.
But obviously late summer early Autumn should be OK and many boats return north every year without problems.
However I would think long and hard about travelling on The Saone in winter or Spring, when it floods, it Floods! Consequently with very high speed currents, not to mention the odd tree, hen house, etc. floating just on - or worse - just under the surface.
 
thanks Roj1 - read a lot of books etc. but nothing like the man on the spot!

So, in your opinion, and will avoid mistral, what is the likely current against for the Rhone journey and where are the "worst " spots.

Volvo 2003 (old) and a 5 tonne Westerley can generally do about 5 knots through the water. Any more than about 2 kts tide on average and I might just go the Midi/Garonne route!!
 
You may get as high as 8kph ( But best look at Grehans blog on Rhone speeds etc) but the most I have ever met, and that was for only a couple of K's or so, was just north of Arles near the junction with The Petit Rhone and again near Tarrascon.
Re Midi Garonne - what do you draw? Anything much more than 1 - 1.3mtrs could give you problems on The Midi I had to turn back last year as I kept 'touching bottom' - I was light loaded and about 1.3 or 1.4 - I know many boats with a deeper draft often get through but I have also heard from those who had problems with less than a metre. If you wish to know more email me
 
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