Canal and River Routes Through France :: Options and Timings
This is an approximate, rule of thumb, comparison, guide. It may be possible to do these passages faster or be obliged by circumstances to do them slower. Distances are approximate. No allowance for un-masting or re-masting or similar operations. No allowance for sightseeing stops, which are of course, almost essential . . .
- Using a pilot-guide is strongly recommended: Breil Guides or Fluviacarte Guides.
- Information about ports of entry – English Channel and Mediterranean – and associated inland waterways.
- Compare the options for ‘sailing around’ or ‘transportation’ or ‘routes through‘
What is the journey like? – Read our detailed blog account of Sailing Through France
Key : e.g. (6) = Approximate timescale in days for that leg
Depending on the route, the controlling dimensions are those common to the various ‘central’ canals – 1.8m water draft, 3.5m air draft, 5.1m width. Journey time between 24 and 34 days.
1a From Calais to Pont l’Eveque
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- Travel on the Canal de Calais, the River Aa, the Liaison Dunkerque-Escaut and the Canal du Nord to the Oise Lateral junction at Pont l’Eveque.3 days travel – a total of 138km, 20 locks and 2 tunnels (one 4.4km long).
1b From St Valery-sur-Somme to Pont l’Eveque
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- Travel on the River Somme and the Canal du Nord to the Oise Lateral junction at Pont l’Eveque.4 days travel – a total of 184km, 24 locks and 1 tunnel.
There are also options to cross the English Channel to Gravelines or to Dunkerdunkque (Dunkirk) both of which connect to the Liaison Dunkerque-Escaut (Grand Gabarit) canal.
From Pont l’Eveque to Chalon-sur-Saone
At this point there are two alternatives –
2a Paris and the ‘Bourbonnais’ Loire-Centre route to Chalon-sur-Saone
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- 2 days on the Oise, south to Conflans, 2 days through Paris on the Seine, 12 days south-east on the Canal de Loing, the Canal de Briare, the Loire Lateral and the Canal du Centre, to Chalon.16 days travel – a total of 688km and 167 locks
2b The ‘Champagne’ Marne-Saone route to Chalon-sur-Saone
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- 4 days on the Oise Lateral, the Oise a l’Aisne, the Aisne Lateral and the Aisne a la Marne to Conde sur Marne. 8 days on the Marne Lateral, the Marne-Saoneand the Saone, to Chalon.12 days travel – a total of 509km, 170 locks and 2 tunnels (one 5km long).
From Le Havre (or Honfleur) to Chalon-sur-Saone
3 Le Havre or Honfleur to Paris (Charenton)
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- River Seine 5 days travel – a total of 218km and 6-10 locks (depending on details).
4 From Paris to Chalon-sur-Saone
At this point there are two alternatives –
4a The ‘Bourbonnais’ Loire-Centre route to Chalon-sur-Saone
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- South-east on the Haute-Seine, the Canal de Loing, the Canal de Briare, the Loire Lateral and the Canal du Centre, to Chalon.12 days travel – a total of 495km and 155 locks
4b The Eastern ‘Champagne’ Marne-Saone route
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- 5 days on the Marne and Marne Lateral. 8 days on the Marne-Saone and the River Saone, to Chalon.13 days travel – a total of 545km, 148 locks and 1 tunnel (5km long).
5a From Chalon-sur-Saone to Arles (or Saint-Gilles if heading west)
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- 8 days travel on the River Saone and River Rhone (and Petit Rhone) to Arles/Saint-Gilles – a total of 413km and 15 locks.
5b From Arles/Saint-Gilles to the Med – options
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- 1 day (40km, 1 lock) to Port St Louis.
- 2 days (81km, 1 lock) to Grau du Roi/Port Camargue.
- 2 days (128km, 1 lock) to Frontignan/Sete.
- 3 days (158km, 3 locks) to Grau d’Agde/Cap d’Agde**
- 6 days (260km, 28 locks) to Port la Nouvelle**** Canal du Midi draft restrictions
Inland Waterways of France – Map and Book Special Offer
IWF Book : The standard comprehensive guide to the French canals and navigable rivers includes maps and distance tables for each waterway, giving the user a general view of the geography of each waterway as well as a detailed cockpit reference.
IWF Map : Excellent and up-to-date map of all navigable French canals and rivers, plus (uniquely) Belgium, Holland and the Rhine.
Contact us for special (e.g recorded, insured) delivery services
Inland Waterways of France – Map
Excellent and up-to-date map of all navigable French canals and rivers, plus (uniquely) Belgium, Holland and the Rhine. Scale 1: 1 500 000 with clear graphics that note key characteristics for each waterway. High quality durable paper.
Companion to the ‘Inland Waterways of France’ book.
Contact us for special (e.g recorded, insured) delivery services
Breil Navigation Guide Options
- For English Channel entry ports – choose either 20 Picardy or 21 Seine
- Beyond Paris – choose either 19 Marne (‘Champagne’) or 02 Loire-Nivernais (‘Bourbonnais’)
- For Both – choose 03 Bourgogne-Comté (Saone) and 18 Rhone (for Pt St Louis or Pt Napoleon)
- If accessing Agde or Port la Nouvelle – also choose 07 Midi
Channel Ports to Paris
Editions du Breil : 20 – Picardie
Canals du Nord, Escaut, Sensée and St Quentin. River Oise and Oise Canals. River Aisne and Aisne Canals. River Somme.
This newly surveyed and created Breil guide expands and incorporates the previous #13 Oise and #15 Somme guides. It also replaces the northern part of the previous #08 Champagne-Ile de France guide (the southern part has been updated within guide #19 Marne).
2015 edition. Eng/Fr/De.
Editions du Breil : 21 – Seine
Tidal river (Le Havre to Rouen), lower Seine to Paris, Paris including the Saint-Denis, Saint-Martin and Ourcq canal, upper Seine and Petite Seine to the navigation limit.
This newly surveyed and created Breil guide covers the complete river from the tidal estuary up to Rouen, then the non-tidal Lower Seine to and through Paris. The Parisian canals St-Denis and St-Martin are included, as is the Ourcq (which is only navigable for small craft). Above Paris the guide covers the Upper Seine to Montereau (junction with the River Yonne) and the Petite Seine to Marcilly. A very comprehensive navigational guide.
2016 edition. Eng/Fr/De.
Editions du Breil : 19 – Marne
River Marne, Marne Lateral, Aisne à la Marne, Entre Champagne et Bourgogne
The complete Marne to Saone (Champagne) route, plus the Aisne-Marne canal that joins the route at Condé-sur-Marne. Breil A4 format pilot book (chart-guide) with detailed canal/river information including locks, bridges, depths, moorings, towns and villages and facilities.
2011 edition. Eng/Fr/De.
Editions du Breil : 03 – Bourgogne, Franche-Comté
River Saône (Corre to Lyon) – Seille – Marne à la Saône (southern) – Vosges – Doubs – Bourgogne (southern) – Centre – Rhône au Rhin (to Dole)
The southern section of the Marne/Champagne route from Langres to St-Jean-de-Losne – the complete route from Paris to the Saone is in guide 19 Marne. Plus the complete River Saone, the River Seille and adjacent parts of the Bourgogne, Centre and Rhone au Rhin. Breil A4 format pilot book (chart-guide) with detailed canal/river information including locks, bridges, depths, moorings, towns and villages and facilities.
2017 edition. Eng/Fr/De.
Western Bourbonnais Route from Paris, including Burgundy.
Editions du Breil : 02 – Loire-Nivernais
Yonne – Loing – Briare – Loire Lateral – Centre – Nivernais
The Bourbonnais route, from Fontainbleu-St-Mammes to Chalons-sur-Saône. Plus the Canal Roanne à Digoin and the Canal de Nivernais. Breil A4 format pilot book (chart-guide) with detailed canal/river information including locks, bridges, depths, moorings, towns and villages and facilities.
2016 edition. Eng/Fr/De.
Central to Provence (Rhône – Petit Rhône)
Editions du Breil : 18 – Rhone
River Saône included in Breil guide 03 – Petit Rhone and Rhone à Sete in Breil guide 07
River Rhone – Petit Rhone – Canal de Bacarin (Arles) – Canal St Louis
Breil A4 format pilot book (chart-guide) with detailed canal/river information including locks, bridges, depths, moorings, towns and villages and facilities.
2016 edition. Eng/Fr/De.
South and South-West – Languedoc, Aquitaine, Gascony
Editions du Breil : 07 – Midi (Entre des Mers) Canals
Petit Rhône – Rhône a Sete – Lez – Etang de Thau – Canal du Midi – Canal de Jonction/de la Robine.
The southern canal network from the Rhone through to Toulouse. Including the Mediterranean canal ports of Grau du Roi, Grau d’Agde, Sete/Frontignan and Port la Nouvelle. Plus the side branch canals (but not the Garonne, Lot or Baise). Breil A4 format pilot book (chart-guide) with detailed canal/river information including locks, bridges, depths, moorings, towns and villages and facilities.
2016 edition. Eng/Fr/De.
The controlling dimensions are those of the Canal du Midi – 1.4m-1.5m* water draft (*theoretical), 3.3m air draft, 5.4m width. Port la Nouvelle near Narbonne on the Canal de la Robine is subject to that canal’s draft of 1.1m-1.3m.
Journey time between 14 and 18 days.
6a From the Mediterranean ports to Port la Robine (Canal du Midi)
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- From Port St Louis 5 days (220km, 15 locks) to Port la Robine
- From Grau du Roi/Port Camargue 4 days (100km, 14 locks) to Port la Robine
- From Frontignan/Sete 2 days (53km, 14 locks) to Port la Robine
- From Port la Nouvelle 1 day (39km, 14 locks) to Port la Robine – 1.3m draft
6b From Port la Robine to Pauillac (Bordeaux) – The Canal des Deux Mers
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- 6 days travel on the Canal du Midi to Toulouse – 151km and 36 locks.
- 7 days travel on the Canal de Garonne, the River Garonne and the River Gironde from Toulouse to Bordeaux, then Pauillac (for re-masting) – 268km and 53 locks.
- A 13 day total of 419km and 89 locks.
Inland Waterways of France – Map and Book Special Offer
IWF Book : The standard comprehensive guide to the French canals and navigable rivers includes maps and distance tables for each waterway, giving the user a general view of the geography of each waterway as well as a detailed cockpit reference.
IWF Map : Excellent and up-to-date map of all navigable French canals and rivers, plus (uniquely) Belgium, Holland and the Rhine.
Contact us for special (e.g recorded, insured) delivery services
Inland Waterways of France – Map
Excellent and up-to-date map of all navigable French canals and rivers, plus (uniquely) Belgium, Holland and the Rhine. Scale 1: 1 500 000 with clear graphics that note key characteristics for each waterway. High quality durable paper.
Companion to the ‘Inland Waterways of France’ book.
Contact us for special (e.g recorded, insured) delivery services
Central to Provence (Rhône – Petit Rhône)
Editions du Breil : 18 – Rhone
River Saône included in Breil guide 03 – Petit Rhone and Rhone à Sete in Breil guide 07
River Rhone – Petit Rhone – Canal de Bacarin (Arles) – Canal St Louis
Breil A4 format pilot book (chart-guide) with detailed canal/river information including locks, bridges, depths, moorings, towns and villages and facilities.
2016 edition. Eng/Fr/De.
South and South-West – Languedoc, Aquitaine, Gascony
Editions du Breil : 07 – Midi (Entre des Mers) Canals
Petit Rhône – Rhône a Sete – Lez – Etang de Thau – Canal du Midi – Canal de Jonction/de la Robine.
The southern canal network from the Rhone through to Toulouse. Including the Mediterranean canal ports of Grau du Roi, Grau d’Agde, Sete/Frontignan and Port la Nouvelle. Plus the side branch canals (but not the Garonne, Lot or Baise). Breil A4 format pilot book (chart-guide) with detailed canal/river information including locks, bridges, depths, moorings, towns and villages and facilities.
2016 edition. Eng/Fr/De.
Editions du Breil : 12 – Aquitaine
River Garonne – Canal de Garonne – River Baise – River Lot (lower)
The Garonne/canal from Bordeaux to Toulouse, including the side branch rivers Baise and (lower) Lot, the Canal de Montech to Montauban and the River Tarn at Moissac. Breil A4 format pilot book (chart-guide) with detailed canal/river information including locks, bridges, depths, moorings, towns and villages and facilities.
2014 edition. Eng/Fr/De.
West – Dordogne, Charente, Sevre-Niotaise, Loire, Brittany
Editions du Breil : 16 – Gironde
Gironde – Dordogne – L’Isle
The Atlantic Gironde estuary from the sea to Bordeaux, with the River Garonne to Castets-en-Dorthe, also including the navigable lower sections of the Rivers Dordogne (to Gardonne) and l’Isle (to Coutras). Breil A4 format pilot book (chart-guide) with detailed canal/river information including locks, bridges, depths, moorings, towns and villages and facilities.
2016 edition. Eng/Fr/De.
