French self-drive River Boat/Barge
Jan 13th, 2012, 02:09 PM
#21
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IMHO the experience in the canals of France is MUCH better than that on narrowboats in the U.K., Jenmorg. When you check out the boat in England, they give you a hand crank. You need to crank open the lock sluices yourself. It is fun at first, but after a few it gets to be a royal PITA, especially when it is raining -- most of the time, IME.
In France most of the locks are either automated or have a lock keeper who will open the gates for you. Makes for a much more enjoyable experience.
In France most of the locks are either automated or have a lock keeper who will open the gates for you. Makes for a much more enjoyable experience.
Jan 13th, 2012, 04:09 PM
#23
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Thank you all for the info; really interesting way to see France, it seems...its sounding a bit rustic for our 1st trip to France & especially since we are celebrating our 25th Anniversary...but it is definitely still up for consideration & I definitely would like to think we could have this experience one day. I read all the trip reports I could find....seems folks have encountered quite a bit of rain....also concerned about the language situation as we are not well versed (at all) in French....
Jan 14th, 2012, 07:43 AM
#24
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<i>.its sounding a bit rustic for our 1st trip to France & especially since we are celebrating our 25th </i>
On another thread someone described going on a self-drive boat as a form of camping, with a small trailer I might add. That may be the best way to describe the space and, cross your fingers, the need for good weather while taking such a trip.
On another thread someone described going on a self-drive boat as a form of camping, with a small trailer I might add. That may be the best way to describe the space and, cross your fingers, the need for good weather while taking such a trip.
Jan 14th, 2012, 06:56 PM
#26
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English Narrowboat holidays are great! We have done 2 previously, in 1994 & 2004, both times with another couple. It makes opening and closing locks less arduous. I soon learnt that driving the boat was the easiest job even though they were over 60 feet long. The scenery is fantastic and the food in the pubs is generally of a high standard. Even better the bathroom had a proper shower and toilet so even if it is raining you can warm up with a nice hot shower before you go to the pub.
I would recommend this holiday to anyone. IMHO
I would recommend this holiday to anyone. IMHO
Jan 13th, 2014, 04:16 AM
#27
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We have done one-week self-drive trips on the Saone, Seille, and Canal du Centre region twice, and we're going back again in September for a two week trip! We should probably branch out and try something different but we've loved this area so much we can't think of going anywhere else.
Jan47ete your list looks exactly like mine. I totally agree with all your recommendations of what to bring. I appreciated having gloves to handle the lines, but in the areas we went I didn't really think much about the un-sanitariness of the water. The river areas seemed pretty clean and there are always lots of people fishing along the banks.
We almost always eat dinner out since this region has so many phenomenal restaurants. I have lots of great recommendations if anyone wants them...
Jan47ete your list looks exactly like mine. I totally agree with all your recommendations of what to bring. I appreciated having gloves to handle the lines, but in the areas we went I didn't really think much about the un-sanitariness of the water. The river areas seemed pretty clean and there are always lots of people fishing along the banks.
We almost always eat dinner out since this region has so many phenomenal restaurants. I have lots of great recommendations if anyone wants them...
Jan 13th, 2014, 04:51 AM
#28
Kimharp,
Yes! Adding rest recs would make this thread a real keeper!
In the last year I am seriously thinking about doing something like this. I am usually a solo traveller so I will have to corral some friends.
Yes! Adding rest recs would make this thread a real keeper!
In the last year I am seriously thinking about doing something like this. I am usually a solo traveller so I will have to corral some friends.
Jan 13th, 2014, 07:12 AM
#29
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<i>The river areas seemed pretty clean and there are always lots of people fishing along the banks.</i>
There were lots of people fishing along the canal banks, but our rented boats did not have any holding tanks except for fresh water and fuel.
There were lots of people fishing along the canal banks, but our rented boats did not have any holding tanks except for fresh water and fuel.
Jan 13th, 2014, 11:51 AM
#31
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<i>The water must be cleaner through the river areas.</i>
The water in the Canal du Midi is definitely not stagnate, it flows constantly, just like a river. Each lock has water bypass channels that allow flow even if the lock is not itself being used. The water intakes are usually just to the side of the upstream entrance to the lock (where boats traveling downstream enter). The water is channeled around the lock and enters back into the canal near the lock entrance on the low water side (where boat enter traveling upstream).
Experienced boaters may recall the cross current caused by this channeled water flow as they enter an empty lock traveling upstream. Just when one thinks that the boat alignment is correct just before entering an empty lock traveling upstream, there can be a sudden sideways drift caused by the rushing bypass water across the lock entrance.
I would not necessarily swim in the Canal du Midi but the fisherman do indeed eat the fish they catch there. Even the oceans are polluted we most all eat a lot of fish from the sea.
The water in the Canal du Midi is definitely not stagnate, it flows constantly, just like a river. Each lock has water bypass channels that allow flow even if the lock is not itself being used. The water intakes are usually just to the side of the upstream entrance to the lock (where boats traveling downstream enter). The water is channeled around the lock and enters back into the canal near the lock entrance on the low water side (where boat enter traveling upstream).
Experienced boaters may recall the cross current caused by this channeled water flow as they enter an empty lock traveling upstream. Just when one thinks that the boat alignment is correct just before entering an empty lock traveling upstream, there can be a sudden sideways drift caused by the rushing bypass water across the lock entrance.
I would not necessarily swim in the Canal du Midi but the fisherman do indeed eat the fish they catch there. Even the oceans are polluted we most all eat a lot of fish from the sea.
Jan 13th, 2014, 12:06 PM
#32
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<i>it flows constantly, just like a river. </i>
Like a very slow river, as in a delta. One only needs to see that the floats of the fisherman barely travel downstream. I would not assume that such a flow provides much flushing of the materials that come from the boats.
Clarity of water can be misleading. Members of our party went splashing in the clear river that ran parallel to the Canal the Bourgogne and silver that some wore came out as if it had been polished. Just water would not do that. That was the last time anyone went into the waters of the river or the canal.
Like a very slow river, as in a delta. One only needs to see that the floats of the fisherman barely travel downstream. I would not assume that such a flow provides much flushing of the materials that come from the boats.
Clarity of water can be misleading. Members of our party went splashing in the clear river that ran parallel to the Canal the Bourgogne and silver that some wore came out as if it had been polished. Just water would not do that. That was the last time anyone went into the waters of the river or the canal.
Jan 18th, 2014, 09:44 AM
#33
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I would never eat fish from the canal Midi. We rented a barge for 4. We were given about. 15 minutes of instruction and if it weren't for very kind fellow travelers and people living along the canal we would have had many disasters. None of us had any boating experience but the company assured us there would be no problems. The bathroom and bedrooms were tiny. We always say this was not a pleasant vacation but certainly the most memorable. By the way, a kind person we met along the way warned us not to drink, swim, or use water from the canal for anything but to keep the boat moving. Some of the locks were difficult to tie up to and we always got the dirty water splashing on us as we went through the locks. If one is going to do self drive try the one through Burgundy.
Jan 18th, 2014, 12:46 PM
#35
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Agreed, the boats are the same and the water cleanliness is still an issue in Burgundy.
I have enjoyed many cruises all over France and am always surprised when I hear comments about someone's not liking cruising. However, just like any outdoor activity, not everyone is going to enjoy it.
I have enjoyed many cruises all over France and am always surprised when I hear comments about someone's not liking cruising. However, just like any outdoor activity, not everyone is going to enjoy it.
Aug 14th, 2016, 12:26 PM
#36
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Sarastro - You seem very very knowledgable about all things related to cruising the French canals. I'm wondering if you could tell me if you have any experience with the Les Canalous? We've sent them our 1/2 deposit for a Tarpon 37N cruising on the Canal du Midi but since we've done that, we've found a few bad reviews about them. Should've done due diligence BEFORE we sent them our $$. I know that there are some people you can never make happy and they always write negative reviews, but I'd like to know our group of 4 will have a clean and working boat when we arrive. Do you have any insight into this company and their rental practices?
Aug 14th, 2016, 12:41 PM
#37
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Canalous is the second largest canal boat operating company in France after Leboat. Even with Leboat, you do not always get a vessel in tip-top condition.
I talked with the Canalous people at the boat show in Paris last year. I see no particular reason to avoid them but I have not personally rented from them. I now typically rent from private parties which can cost a lot less than renting from well known companies.
I talked with the Canalous people at the boat show in Paris last year. I see no particular reason to avoid them but I have not personally rented from them. I now typically rent from private parties which can cost a lot less than renting from well known companies.
