For all the waterways I have shown the maximum dimensions
are:-
Length: 38.5m, Beam: 5.0m, Draft: 1.8m and most
importantly for us height above water level: 3.5m (11'4"). This is the
height, but it must not be forgotten that:
Bridges are not
flat topped, but like English canal bridges with the result that the width
of the flybridge is important. However canal barges or peniches when unladen
stand quite high in the water and are wider than a Moonraker flybridge. The
comforting fact is that on the main through routes Moonrakers have passed
before you.
Entrance into the Continental canal system.
For all South & East Coast boats there are many entrances
into the inland waterway system. Forgetting entrances via the Netherlands;
Zeebrugge, Ostend, Nieuwpoort all in Belgium and Gravelines, Dunkerque,
Calais, St. Valery-sur-Somme, and Le Havre all in France are access points
and much depends on how quickly you wish to get to the Med if that is your
aim. Providing a reasonable run of good weather, the easiest and quickest
route is the R.Seine via Le Havre. Here there are good moorings at the
entrance to the river especially at Honfleur where there is a locked basin
in the centre of the town. Opposite at Le Havre in the Havre Plaisance. This
is situated in the entrance to the river and access is via a buoyed channel.
The bureau du Port is open every day in the season (except the statutory
French lunch hour - 12 to 2 p.m.). If you want to contact them their Tel.No
is: Int. + 2.35.21.23.95, and fax is 2.35.22.72.72. or in VHF Ch 9. The
benefit over Honfieur is that access is easier with no locks to negotiate
although in both cases it is possible to enter or leave at any state of the
tide. It is necessary to leave Le Havre at LW to benefit from the tide which
will carry you the 72 miles to Rouen where you lock out of tidal waters into
the R. Seine proper. At Rouen there is a Halte de Plaisance de Rouen. There
is only room here for about 30 boats. It is possible to refuel on the lle
Lacroix, and it may be wise so to do. It is a good precaution that, when the
tank drops to half full get it refilled then you will never be caught short.
Moving North the next entrance is into the R. Somme at St.
Valery - sur - Somme. The river, well remembered in the history of WWI, is a
very pleasant river but the access is not brilliant with a strong flowing
tide and access via a lock (in French an Ecluse) is only available 1 hr
before HW but once inside there are plenty of moorings. As a first time
abroad I would not advise entrance here.
North again brings us to Calais, probably the most used of
all entrances to the French system. I have used this entrance on four
occasions over the years and have developed a strategy to speed up the
process of transferring from sea to canal.
Approach Calais avoiding the Ridens de la Rade where an
uncomfortable sea can build up. This shoal lies 1 to 1.5 miles offshore near
Calais and is bad in bad weather. If coming from the NE don't set a course
for the harbour entrance until the light on the western breakwater bears
about 120 degrees magnetic keeping about 2 miles off shore. Then pick up CA
8 red can buoy or CA 1 0 red can, and head towards the port. BEWARE OF
FERRIES. As you turn to approach contact harbour port control (VHF ch12) and
ask permission to enter. They speak English. Ask if you can pass through the
Ecluse Carnot and through the Bassin Camot. Also request that someone comes
to operate the Lock called the Ecluse de la Batallerle. This is a filthy
lock at the end of the docks(Bassin Camot) but once through that you are in
the canal system. Don't be surprised if you have to wait for a dock worker
to operate the Batallerie lock. You may have to pester port control. One
other point this lock is only operated between 8-12, 14-18 hrs daily and is
closed after midday on Saturday until 0800hrs Monday! You have been warned.
If you do arrive outside this locks opening times you may be forced to take
shelter in the Port de plaisance but avoid it if you can as access and
egress are very restricted and if you get out of the yacht harbour you may
not get through the Ecluse Carnot as the tide will not be right. Calais
itself is your first French port and is quite interesting. Fresh fish is
sold on the quayside by the fishing harbour and there are many restaurants
in the town. You may, like me detest the place especially if you get held up
there.
Immediately below the Ecluse de Batallerle there is a quay
on the port side and I always moor here. Another possibility is 11Om after
passing through the lock the canal makes a 90 degree turn to port and you
pass under a bridge. Immediately on the starboard side you will come across
a pontoon to which you can moor - if it hasn't been vandalised but the
better option is the first one. At Calais it is necessary to purchase a
canal licence (Vignette) which can be obtained from the VNF office situated
opposite the mooring in the Quai du Meuse. There are several types of
licence but I suspect your best bet is a 49 day one. It should be noted that
only on days when you move the boat do you tick off a day on the licence, so
if you spend time at a pleasant town, it doesn't count. Unlike in England,
there is no-one to tick off the days and you are left on your own honour.
Mind you the ticket is open to inspection by lock-keepers who would take a
dim view if you had travelled fro Calais to say Paris in a day!
The next access point is Gravelines which is at the mouth
of the R. Aa. and not a very easy entrance. There are shifting sand banks at
the pier entrance and the the access dries. There is sufficient water in the
entrance channel 2hrs either side of HW although the lock Ecluse Vauban)
opens 3hrs either side of high water. The port office and lock are open 0800
- 1200, 1330 - 1730. Through the lock there are moorings on the starboard
hand but you can continue up the R.Aa and moor to the bank in the
countryside.The port is smaller than Calais and you may well find that
locking through will not be so arduous an affair, as Port Control and the
lockkeeper are one and the same. Also with a three hour window to get access
to the canals you have a longer time span than at Calais. I think there is a
waiting pontoon below the lock to moor against whilst waiting for the lock
Timed right this could be the best entrance to the system but study the
harbour entrance on a large scale chart. This port would deserve a day trip
with the car to do a reccie and getup-to-date information. but for me it
would hold more advantages than disadvantages against Calais
Dunkerque (Dunkirk) Dunkerque (Dunkirk)
is the next northerly point of access. DO NOT ATTEMPT ACCESS TO THE
COMMERCIAL WEST BASIN. Entrance to the eastern docks is easy following the
channel. There are plenty of pontoon moorings but I have always used those
owned by the Yacht Club de la Mer du Nord (Y.C.M.N.). This club lies almost
as far up the channel as you can go on the starboard side. Access to the
canal system is via Ecluse Tristram. The visitors pontoon is marked. Port
Control is on VHF73 and they speak English. It is necessary I have found to
stop overnight at the YCIW and enquire either at the lock or at the other
maritime lock, Ecluse Watier for passage into the docks. When in the Bassin
Freycinet turn starboard passing through the Bassin Maritime and at the end
a sharp left will take you to the Ecluse de Mardyck where you will have to
ask about obtaining your licence (Vignette).
Of all the entrances on the Belgian coast, I think the easiest is at
Nieuwpoort. Access from the sea is not difficult and there are several large
marinas with 400 visitor berths and all facilities. If entering here it is
well to enquire regarding refuelling as, besides England, Belgium is the
only continental country selling tax free diesel to pleasure boats. Last
time I was there I was filled up by tanker which came to the quayside. To
enter the canal system you must travel up the river until you are faced with
three locks, one to the left, one to the right and one straight ahead. To
head for France take the right hand one. A good long blast on the horn is
necessary to awaken the dozing lock-keepers. Access is only available
between 1 hr before HW to 1 hr after HW. For you coming from the Wash or the
Trent, Nieuwpoort has many advantages with easy access, mooring facilities
and the advantage of cheap diesel to fill your boat to the gunnells. The
only downside is that for this part of Belgium there is now a licence of
£20.00 and you will probably use it for only a couple of days. The canal
leads from Nieuwpoort to Dunkirk following behind the dunes but you visit
the ancient town of Fumes where there is a small barge port and here you can
lie free of charge to visit the town.
North again the next entrance is via Ostend harbour but for the French
system this and Zeebrugge are too far north although are good for a passage
stop.
I have described these access ports in some detail as to transfer from a
maritime environment to an inland waterway one can be time consuming
probably because when the canals were the domain of the barge they only went
to the docks and similarly the ships only went there as well to off load
into barges.If I were coming from the East Coast I would seriously look at
Nieuwpoort or Dunkerque as access points. Of course you can always call on
Jacko if crossing to Belgium as it is not far from Blankenberge to
Nieuwpoort (23 miles) or Dunkerque (38 miles)! His local knowledge of
Nieuwpoort could be of help so it may be worth a phone call to him on any
query you have
Calor Gas is unobtainable on the Continent so you have either to take
sufficient with you which, if you use a lot, is impracticable, or you must
buy the French equivalent. As I have a calorifier on Darius I usually have
enough hot water on tap and I always take my own Calor bottles. I make sure
that when I leave England I have three full bottles on board and that is
enough to see me through my holidays. Whenever I can I hook up to a shore
supply but remember some of the electricity supply will do little more than
provide electricity for a battery charger or electric lights as, for example
at Dunkirk the YCNM has a max of 500w. The voltage is 230v. Usually inland,
where electricity is supplied, there is more power available.
You will need plenty of rendering. I have two 5ft long inflatable fenders
which I sling amidships on both sides with 2 fat fenders for the stern and
good sized sausage fenders for elsewhere keeping one as a roving fender. I
set my fenders up as I arrive in the port and leave them in situ for the
extent of my inland cruising. I know this is not aesthetically pleasing but
it is practical.
English food is amongst the most expensive in Europe so nowadays I take
little food with me with the exception of tea and coffee. In France you will
find fresh milk hard to get except in supermarkets, so you will have to make
do with long-life of which there is a ready supply. shopping in supermarkets
is easy as it requires no knowledge of French and everything is clearly
labelled.
Plenty of rope should be on board (a) to tie up to varying heights of
quay wall but also for lock working. I carry nylon rope for mooring and
multiplait for lock work as it is softer on the hands and is less likely to
tangle thereby easier to lasso a lock bollard. Equally I carry two inland
waterway mooring spikes and a lump hammer for "Wild" mooring.
Diesel is dear in France compared with England and is about 4Fr per litre
(around 40p) so fill up well before entering.
You will need guides of the French canal system which are in book form. I
have found the best is the Navicarte series obtainable from Imrays. Ask for
the Carte Guide de Navigation Fluviale and for you numbers 14 (Nord Pas de
Calais); 24 (Picardie);
1 & 2 ( 2 volumes) La Seine; 18 (Canaux du Centre); 10 ( La Saone) and 16
( L Rhone). This will take you in detail from the N. France ports to the
Mediterranean. These are not cheap at about £14.00 each. Beside these
overall planning charts No's 21 for France and 23 for Belgium are worth
having. However I am using ones I bought 10 years ago without having a
problem. These guides are written in English as well as French. For a good
general guide to all French Waterways I suggest "Cruising French Waterways"
by Hugh McKnight and published by Stamford Maritime.
Insurance. Ensure you have your boat insurance policy with you. It is
mandatory that you carry it aboard. Regarding health insurance obtain an
EI11 from the Post office so that if you have to have medical treatment you
can get receipts and reclaim them when back in England. the booklet which
comes with the form will explain the procedure. Of course in addition you
can take out travel & health Insurance and an annual policy may be
worthwhile. As I think all Insurance Companies are rip-off merchants (Have
you ever seen a small central Insurance office?) I don't bother and so far I
have been lucky. The only time I have had to pay was for Karen when we were
in E. Germany and then the doctor only charged us a quarter of the proper
price for the treatment.
Passports are essential as is your SSR or Pt 1 registration document and
you will need some RYA certificate of competence. For French inland &
coastal cruising the minimum requirement is the ICC (International Cruising
Certificate) and you should contact the RYA well in advance to arrange it.
If you have a Coastal Skipper or Yachtmaster this will cover all continental
waterways including Netherlands. DON'T BE BLASÉ ABOUT THIS AS I HAVE BEEN
ASKED FOR MINE AND IF YOU HAVEN'T GOT ONE YOU CAN BE FINED HEAVILY.
Until quite recently when barge traffic was much more extensive, pleasure
boats were allowed onto the system free of charge but nowadays it is
necessary to get a licence and these can be obtained at the VNF offices in
Calais, or Dunkerque (ask at Ecluse de Mardyck) but if coming from
Nieuwpoort, as well as the Belgian licence mentioned above you, will need a
French one when in Dunkerque. This can be obtained at the Ecluse Jeu-de-Mall.
I know all this paperwork sounds a drag but the French are very
bureaucratic and we are vulnerable when in their country, but if you have
the right paperwork there is little they can do. An optional but very useful
piece of equipment is a couple of bikes to cycle to the shops which can be
at a little distance from the waterway.
NEVER ENTER A LOCK IN FRONT OF A BARGE.
At Arleux turn right onto the Canal du Nord. Again this is a barge route
and you will encounter traffic on it. It is a canal built in the early 60's
to relieve the Canal de St Quentin and therefore is rather uninteresting. It
has a tunnel which is 2.68 miles long but is lit and governed by traffic
lights as a one way system operates. If you feel adventurous instead of
turning right at Arleux carry on the Grand Gabarit to Paillencourt and the
Bassin Rond then take the Canal de St Quentin via Cambrai. There are more
locks and two tunnels to pass but the countryside is more interesting and
the ability to stop more likely. The largest tunnel, built by Napoleon 1st,
is called the Grand Souterrain and is 3.49 miles long. Furthermore you
cannot use your engines but are pulled through by an electric tug which
hauls itself through the tunnel by heaving in a chain at the bow and paying
it out at the stern. It travels slowly and the passage takes about two hours.
The other tunnel you navigate yourself and is a mere 0.66 miles. If you are
likely to suffer from claustrophobia don't go this way or if you find that
you've little headroom under the bridges as there is little steerage way
because of the speed of the tug and the corners of the flybridge could get
damaged. However if you do go through it is an experience you won't forget.
You are heading south and will join the R.Oise. At Compeigne it is well
worth a stop as in the nearby forest lies the train (actually a reproduction
as the original was taken by Hitler) aboard which the Armistice ending the
first World War was signed. The L'Oise is a wide river but the flow is
gentle and joins the R. Seine at Conflans -St- Honorine. This is one of the
barge capitals of France but is now a shadow of its former self Barges lie
moored 3 or 4 abreast and many will never move again as barge traffic in
France is declining fast. There is a church on one of the barges which, if
you can find somewhere to moor is worth a visit.
Heading up the R.Seine you eventually come to Paris. All the best sights
can be seen from the river. Continue past the lle de la Cite and you will
come to a canal leading off to your left called Canal de St Martin. It is
only a few hundred meters above the Ile St Louis and can easily be missed.
There is a pontoon here and it is necessary to pull in against the pontoon
and use the telephone there which connects direct to the harbourmaster who
is also the lockkeeper. Tell him you wish to enter and want to stay for a
few days. He will tell you if there are any vacancies and how long to the
next opening - it isn't usually very long. You pass through the lock and
emerge in the Arsenal yacht basin. For a centre of a capital location it is
not expensive and all facilities (except fuel) are available. It is close to
the metro so it is easy to explore Paris from here if you wish.
Return to the R. Seine and continue upstream until you reach the R. Marne
by K164. Here turn righthand continue up the R.Marne until you reach St
Mammes where you come off the river and join the Canal du Loing. This in
turns runs into the Canal de Briare, then the Canal Lateral a La Loire
followed by the Canal du Centre. These canals are collectively known as the
Canals of the Centre. Throughout these canals you are in what is generally
known as "France Profond" or Deep France. It is very rural and pleasant. The
aqueduct on the Canal Lateral a La Loire is the outstanding waterway
feature. This aqueduct was built by the same company which erected the
Eiffel Tower. It is 600m long and is lit at night. A steep lock on the
eastern end of the Canal du Centre drops you down to the R.Saone, at Chalon
Sur Saone where the inventor of photography was born. This large river is
very gentle and relaxing. You are now heading south in a warm climate where
the first signs of the Mediterranean can be seen in the roof tiles of the
houses. On these canals you will come across automatic locks. These have no
lock-keepers and you work them yourself. The operating cycle starts when you
break a radar beam across the canal. That alerts the lock that a boat is
arriving. Note if the flashing light on the lock starts winking as that
means that your presence is known. to ensure a high degree of success it is
necessary to go VERY SLOWLY through the beam. Designed for barges a GRP boat
often falls to operate the beam. If this is the case you should back up and
pass through the beam again.The Navicartes describe fully the sequence of
operation.
Worthy of a detour is a short trip up the R.Seille. This small tributary
joins the R. Saone at Km 106. It is only 39kms long with 4 locks but is a
very peaceful meandering river to the town of Louhans where fuel can be
delivered by lorry or from a garage at the junction of the D12 and D471.
Back on the Saone Macon, famous for wine is well worth a visit. Moor in
the Port du Plaisance where there are all facilities but it is a little way
from the town centre. Fuel can be obtained here in the Port.
Eventually you will come to the outskirts of France's second city -
Lyons. When I was last there there was a small marina and a quay but things
may have changed by now. The Saone ends here and you join the mighty R.Rhone
on your last leg to the Med. Locks on the river are deep, wide and all have
floating bollards. Commercial traffic is light, but there are marinas to
stop. Wild mooring is difficult but possible near the locks where the lock
cut goes on way and the river another. Below the lock at Vienne, at a place
called Les Roches-de-Condrieu there is a marina. It is worth a stop here and
a short train ride back to the Roman town of Vienne where legend has it that
Pontious Pilate committed suicide by throwing himself into the river. There
is a Roman amphitheatre here and the old town is worth a wander round. There
is a marina at Tournon and another at Valence which has the added attraction
of a large hypermarket only a few hundred yards away.
Below the Ecluse de Chateauneuf is a town on the right bank called
Viviers where there is a small marina. the town is very old and is perched
on a hilltop. The view from the top is well worth the climb. A long
canalised stretch takes you to the Ecluse de Bollene which is notable for
two features. Firstly the lock rise or fall is 75 ft. but although it fills
or drains very rapidly there is little turbulence. It is the deepest lock in
France, and for that matter Europe and is awe-inspiring. again it has
floating bollards. The second and more harrowing feature was that about a
year ago one of the steel top gates collapsed with the resultant waters of
the river cascading like a mighty waterfall onto a barge 23 metres below.
The barge was swamped and the family aboard killed. All the locks on the
river have now been checked to ensure a similar tragedy never happens again.
Avignon Avignon is well worth a visit if only to see the bridge - or the
part which remains - built in the middle ages and from which the famous
French nursery song, which I had to learn when taking French at school, is
derived. The Popes, deposed from Rome held their court there before
returning to the Vatican and the the many restaurants, mummers, and the
carnival atmosphere make it a nice place to spend a couple of days. There is
a marina here where you can safely moor the boat but there is a charge
The.final leg takes you to Arles famous for Roman influence and Van Goch.
You can see the actual bascule bridge made famous in one of his paintings on
a now disused canal. At St Louis you must leave the R.Rhone by a lock on the
port side and enter the
Port de St Louis. You are at journeys end for, from near here, you can
enter the Mediterranean. Enjoy.
Reproduced with the permission of Morvyn Philips.