Northerly up the Rhone

[blueglass]

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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[Sojourner47]

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I think it must be something to do with the hydraulic jacks.......
Maybe they're powerful enough to shift the Rhone 1000miles in a NW direction?

 

[gruntle]

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!!

We left Port St Louis on the 20th of July and got onto the Saone 6 days later. I wouldnt say the average flow was more than 1Kt, and only at the places previously mentioned, Beaucaire/Tarascon, Donzere gorge, Just before Lyon etc, was it any real concern, except for just below Logis Neuf lock, where we slowed to 2 knots. It tends to increase for the last few Km below the locks because of the run off from the hydroelectric plants and the relative lack of depth of the channel, but once above the locks, flow decreases again. We found that if you keep relatively close into the banks on the man made sections (the sloping sides give about 4m depth when you are 2m away from the sides) you can gain a knot or so, as the friction of the side decreases the speed of flow.

The mistral was a bit of a nuisance. It blew for 3 days from Viviers northwards, although only about 50Kph (25-ish kts). It can make some of the more exposed north-south sections a bit bouncy.

There are more places to stop than advertised in the guide books, although you might have to be inventive. For instance there is a shallow river channel at Le Pouzin, which has much better shelter that the public quay on the Rhone proper.

Be aware that the lock keeper at Gervans (just north of Tournon) is a bit of a git, and doesnt particularly like plaisancers. There is talk of the whole rhone lock system being controlled centrally from 2011, so hopefully the miserable tw** will have been made redundant.

 

[Andy and Lyn]

came down the "Midi" a couple of years ago - draw 1.4m in fresh water -yeh did touch the bottom many times but kept going! Made it - - just!!

 

[Grehan]

River Rhone - locks and moorings

Be aware that the lock keeper at Gervans (just north of Tournon) is a bit of a git, and doesnt particularly like plaisancers.

I've also heard similar rumours about the eclusier at Chateauneuf (north of Viviers) but never encountered any problem there, or at Gervans. I wonder how these judgements are formed about somebody in a control tower quite a long way away, with perhaps very little verbal interchange . . Our experience is that politeness reaps dividends (but don't expect them to enter into fulsome friendly dialogue - that's not their job) and that it's important to understand that commercial/passenger traffic has priority and one may have to wait for them. They're eclusiers managing bl**dy big installations, not tour guides. And folk vary. That's life on the big river. Our experience has been pretty well completely positive. An example. Having needed to tie up and wait below a Rhone lock (I forget which one) we turned off, took the dog for a walk, etc. When the lock was ready I couldn't start the engine (battery getting a little elderly) - having told the eclusier (VHF) he told me not to worry, no hurry. Took my time, bridged the batteries with a big spanner, started up and so into the lock. All very helpful and friendly. But detached and professional.

There is talk of the whole rhone lock system being controlled centrally from 2011, so hopefully the miserable tw** will have been made redundant.

I haven't heard that (and find it a little surprising that there wouldn't be a 'man on the spot' bearing mind the potential for problems, calamities, etc.) - can you point me to a source?

[edit]
The Le Pouzin potential-mooring-inlet is on the Grehan Afloat in France website, Rhone page, along with two other possible quaysides there.

 

[gruntle]

I've also heard similar rumours about the eclusier at Chateauneuf (north of Viviers) but never encountered any problem there, or at Gervans. I wonder how these judgements are formed about somebody in a control tower quite a long way away, with perhaps very little verbal interchange . . Our experience is that politeness reaps dividends (but don't expect them to enter into fulsome friendly dialogue - that's not their job) and that it's important to understand that commercial/passenger traffic has priority and one may have to wait for them. They're eclusiers managing bl**dy big installations, not tour guides. And folk vary. That's life on the big river. Our experience has been pretty well completely positive. An example. Having needed to tie up and wait below a Rhone lock (I forget which one) we turned off, took the dog for a walk, etc. When the lock was ready I couldn't start the engine (battery getting a little elderly) - having told the eclusier (VHF) he told me not to worry, no hurry. Took my time, bridged the batteries with a big spanner, started up and so into the lock. All very helpful and friendly. But detached and professional.

I haven't heard that (and find it a little surprising that there wouldn't be a 'man on the spot' bearing mind the potential for problems, calamities, etc.) - can you point me to a source?

[edit]
The Le Pouzin potential-mooring-inlet is on the Grehan Afloat in France website, Rhone page, along with two other possible quaysides there.

I agreee that most are perfectly amiable, if detached, and we have never had any difficulties with any of the others. This incident involved much VHF shouting at a German boat and French boat we were in company with, and not us personally. This particular lad appeared to be quite young, and he obviously didnt have the patience of the more experienced man.

As ar as the automation thing goes, the information is contained in the little booklet being handed out by CNR staff at the locks.

 

[Grehan]

Tow up the Rhone?

Just been talking to someone who's considering a tow as an outside option next year, so apparently it does happen - price 200-500€ (?). I possibly stand corrected, although I won't have any further details until next Spring, if then. Until then I remain a bit sceptical.

 

[Andy and Lyn]

thanks for that - also heard from someone who had a tow a year or so ago. apparently it was worth the money to get up to Lyon so quickly.

 

[samwise]

We did a run up the Rhone in our Westerly Storm with its modest 18hp Volvo and we had no problems. We went a bit earlier than you are planning to do, but as Grehan says you do not have any risk of snow melt waters etc. There are many old wives tales about the Rhone, we received a number of dire warnings on this forum from people who said we needed at least a 40hp motor and were told tales of folk with much bigger boats than ours being carried backwards down the stream. None of this was first hand, always " a friend knew a friend of a friend who..." Ignore them. Grehan is the canals guru, but have a look at our blog, it might be useful.

 

[Grehan]

3Gs

Guru, no. Grasshopper, yes.