Saone/Rhone mooring recommendations?

[blueglass]

Just about to start the last leg on our trip to the Med, i.e. the Saone and Rhone down to Port St.Louis. Can anybody offer info on best places to stop? I know from our experience so far on this trip, that the navicartes aren't worth the paper they are written on when it comes to shoreside facilities. Half the places listed don't even exist any more!
We like places with at least a cafe/restauraunt and a boulangerie, leccy if poss. but not essential. Should be OK on fuel.
Anybody with up to date info?
Dave

 

[saskia]

Cruised down to Avignon and back from St Jean de Losne last summer and have a fairly detailed log at home - but I'm in the office just now. I'll check this evening or tomorrow morning and see if I can add anything to the wisdom I'm sure you'll be getting.

It's a most enjoyable trip, by the way.

 

[saskia]

Hi again: well here’s my list of stopping places, for what its worth:

Verdun sur Doubs, a very short way back up the Doubs from the Saone. Pontoon with power and water, stern-to mooring. Otherwise free quayside (fight with fishermen). Decent restaurants.

Chalon sur Saone: Marina (quite expensive) with all facilities, including fuel. Nice town, good restaurants

Tournus, comfortable pontoon with free power and water; ok facilities in town

Belleville, small pontoon with power and water, restaurant nearby on the bridge

Lyon – quayside by VNF offices – no facilities, assorted low-life inhabiting the quayside, but we weren’t robbed. Good restaurants, of course.

Condrieu – marina with all facilities, including fuel. Quite expensive. Restaurant in village.

Tournon – nice town but exposed, shallow berthing – we didn’t overnight there.

Valence – marina with all facilities, quite expensive, rather far from shops and restaurants too.

Vivier, ok pontoon mooring with power and water, one restaurant close by, not very good.

Port Ardoise, on a backwater, small marina, quite cheap, power and water, no nearby shops of restaurant.

Avignon, double back past Le Pont and moor on the quayside. Marina destroyed in floods some years ago and not replaced. Power and water available. Also fuel. Current quite strong. Wonderful city, well worth taking a break to explore. Thoroughly recommend the papal palace.

Have a good trip

 

[Jobs_a_ good_ un]

Chalon sur soane has good marina
Lyon has good river side moorings but no leccy
avignon has leccy fuel riverside moorings
therers a couple of places opn the way but without the navicartes i cant remember if youve just come out of the canals things improve greatly from hear onwards
Have a good trip Im in marseille sitting out a mistral
Regards
Mark

 

[blueglass]

thanks very much indeed, that looks very useful. We have heard a lot of warnings about Lyon, but still want to stop there. Is it that bad?

 

[blueglass]

[ QUOTE ]
if youve just come out of the canals things improve greatly from hear onwards


[/ QUOTE ]
with you on that one. We have just left canal du centre and left the boat in Challon sur Saone The river is a breath of fresh air after all those locks! Looking forward to the last stretch early September.
Hope your mistral is a short one!
Dave

 

[saskia]

Well, I stopped there both ways and felt quite nervous. By the VNF office there are usually quite a few boats tied up, and one feels there may be some safety in numbers. That said, we went out to dinner each time and came back to find the boat OK. It could be that the characters mooching about are drug dealing and wouldn't want to attract the attention of the cops by robbing the boats.........difficult to say.

 

[blueglass]

mmm... we were planning on having a few days there but maybe a one night stopover will do. Perhaps a light and the radio left on will help deter intruders while we are ashore.
thanks for your info, duly copied out as a supplement to the navicarte.