Rivers and Canals of Nord / Pas de Calais
These are the routes into France for thousands of boatowners each year, starting with Dunkirk (Dunkerque) as a prime choice of entry port. Take time to discover the fascinating Dunkirk canals before continuing on the high-capacity (grand gabarit) waterway towards Lille and Douai, then heading south… or not! For this region, historically marked by its heavy industry and coal mines, is one of the friendliest and most welcoming in France. The landscapes, the treatment of urban waterfronts and the mooring facilities offer a great variety of experiences, not all satisfying, but great efforts have been made in recent years and investments are continuing today, for example in Dunkirk and Lille.
The Liaison Dunkerque-Escaut is used by many barges of 1000 tonnes and more, but there are plenty of opportunities to moor off the narrow main canal.
The most spectacular route into France is the Somme estuary. Although there is a limited tidal window for access to the port of Saint-Valéry, the Canal de la Somme is a wonderful waterway to continue inland, and Amiens itself is well worth the detour for those coming south on the Canal du Nord.
Click on the list (right) to open information pages for each river and canal in this region, including navigation guides, books and PDF downloads.
This regional group of waterway Cruising in Detail guides can also be downloaded as one complete set.
Each Waterway in Detail
- Dunkerque Canals
- Gravelines and River Aa
- Canal de Calais
- Liaison Dunkerque-Escaut
- Canal de la Deûle
- River Lys
- Canal de Roubaix
- Canal de Pommeroeul à Condé
- River Scarpe
- River Escaut
- Canal du Nord
- Seine-Nord Europe Canal
- Canal de Saint-Quentin
- River Sambre and Canal de la Sambre à l’Oise
- Saint-Valéry and Canal de la Somme
Complete northern waterways – Ports, Liaison, Nord, Sambre, St Quentin, Somme etc – in detail.
Region set : 25€
Each waterway page has been compiled and edited by David Edwards-May (waterways consultant and author of ‘Inland Waterways of France) and Jenny Ruff, and founded on the extensive 7,000km of personal experience of the french-waterways.com team since 2003.