Aboard in France

Aboard in France

Cruising the French waterways, canals and rivers by boat

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A Journey Through France

- Through France by boat on the rivers and canals,
from north to south and east to west -

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Holidays and Vacations

River Ship Cruises

Glide past the beauty of historic cities and gorgeous scenery aboard a luxurious cruise hotel ship on one of France’s memorable rivers.

Resources

Navigation Guides

Our comprehensive selection of the best maps, charts and guides for your inland waterways voyages.

Navigation in Detail

The Channel Ports – Calais

Information about Calais – one of the English Channel ports that provides an entry into the French canal network. Guides are also available for Dunkerque, Gravelines and St Valery-sur-Somme.

Navigation Planning

River Deep, Headroom High

Will my boat get through? Details of minimum depths, maximum heights and widths for each canal and river – and a map.

Library

A Good Read

The most informative and enjoyable travel books and guides to France and the French rivers and canals.

VNF SINGLE NUMBER - a nationwide single telephone point of access for making lock arrangements, etc and notify breakdowns and other emergencies - 0800 863 000 - you will almost certainly need to understand and speak a certain amount of French. VNF Information Online - Stoppages/Works - Maintenance Work Map
PK = Kilometre distance mark, as printed in waterway guides and found as actual signposts (occasionally) on the waterways.
Commercial barges use VHF Ch.10 to listen out and communicate. So can you.

Ecluse (Sas in Normandy - 'sas' means 'chamber') = lock. Peniche = barge.
TE (tirant d'eau) = Depth. Check actual depths! The 'book' canal depth is in the channel centre, edges will be less and you may have a problem coming alongside so be careful. Tuck your nose in first and if necessary keep the stern (where the vulnerable prop is) poking out. There is often a shallow bar just outside the lower gate of an ecluse.
PdP = Port de Plaisance (inland pleasure port/marina/mooring).
Halte = mooring place/pontoon.

The information here results from direct personal experience cruising the waterways from north to south and east to west; and/or has also been gleaned from a number of sources and accounts.

This is a guide only and is neither definitive nor to be relied on. We strongly recommend obtaining a pilot book for each river or canal you travel.

Photographs by Grehan; some other photographs by permission, or in the public domain; if we have inadvertently breached any copyrights, please contact us. Grehan's own photographs may be available for re-use, please contact us for permission.

Grehan welcomes your comments, corrections and suggestions

Grehan - Aboard in France - Cruising the French waterways, canals and rivers by boat