EXPLORING EUROPE BY BOAT

SUMMER 2000

We are abandoning the River Thames temporarily this year. We are going European. We've always had a yearning to explore further afield. Now because of taking early retirement we have the time that is needed to travel right down to the mouth of the River Thames, down the Kent coast and across the English Channel, where we can enter the French Canal system.

France is well-served by inland waterways, both rivers and canals. Our intention is to enter the system at Dunkirk and then to head in a generally southern direction, with a probable diversion to Paris.

It would be marvellous if we were able to reach the Mediterranean Sea, but this is not the main object, we would rather take our time, stopping whenever we wish exploring the towns and villages along the waterways.

To enter France at Calais would be the quickest route for us. However we have a particular reason for choosing Dunkirk. The Association of Dunkirk Little Shipsare holding a reunion to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the evacuation of the British Army from Dunkirk during World War 2. We are going to be attending as spectators in company with other boats from the Upper Thames Motor Yacht Club. It should be a very moving event as we remember the difficulties faced by all involved in the rescue.

PRE-PLANNING

Embarking on such a trip obviously requires considerable pre-planning. We've read books about the French Canals, checked maps of the canal system, learned about the experiences of others who've already cruised there and bought a variety of essential or recommended items.

Here are some of the things that have kept us busy this winter:

PLANNING THE SEA CROSSING

The Macmillan Reeds Nautical Almanac

Admiralty Charts - Small Craft Folios
SC5606 Thames Estuary - Tower Bridge to Ramsgate
SC5605 Ramsgate to Chichester - including Dover Straits

BECOMING FAMILIAR WITH THE FRENCH CANAL SYSTEM

Maps of the French Canal System

Map of the Inland Waterways of France - Imray

Carte de France: Itinéraires fluviaux - Navicarte

Les Voies Navigable 14 - Nord-Pas-de-Calais - Navicarte

Les Voies Navigable 24 - Picardie - Navicarte

Useful Books to Read

'The European Waterways - a manual for first time users' - Marion Martin

A helpful book which covers most topics for anyone planning to cruise continental as well as UK waterways.

'Inland Waterways of France' - David Edwards-May
An established directory of the Inland Waterways of France providing accurate details of distances, depths, heights and locks.

'The Channel to the Med' - Derek Bowskill
This book gives detailed coverage of the main inland routes from the Channel to the Mediterranean showing locks, stopping places and other points of interest.

'Watersteps through France' - Bill and Laurel Cooper
A record of this retired couple's journey through France in their converted Dutch barge 'Hosanna'.

Required Reading

'The RYA Book of EuroRegs for Inland Waterways - A pleasure boater's guide to CEVNI' - Marion Martin

CEVNI (Code Européen des Voies de Navigation Intérieure) is a United Nations publication which unifies signs and signals and standardises navigational procedures on the European Inland Waterway System.
We had to study this book in order to take the RYA test which then made our Certificate of Competence valid for use on continental inland waterways.

DOCUMENTATION

There are several essential documents that are needed on the trip. They are:-

The boat's Certificate of Registry ( in our case The Small Ships Register)

Boat Insurance

Ship's Radio Licence

Radio Operators Certificate

Proof of VAT paid

International Certificate of Competence (ICC)

Copy of CEVNI Regulations

Passports

E111 -for Medical Cover in the European community

ESSENTIAL ITEMS TO TAKE WITH US...

25 litre fuel can - Fuelling facilities are few and far between on the rivers and canals, so we may have to top up at roadside service stations

Trolley - to carry 25 litres of fuel to and from service stations

Flat hosepipe on a reel for drinking water

Various connectors for different size taps that we may encounter

Various electrical adaptors - so we can plug into the electricity supply at the ports de plaisances

Extra long rope - for deep locks and for being towed through tunnels

Fender board (doubles as a gangplank) - to go across 2 or 3 fenders to straddle any indentations in lock walls

French courtesy flag

Safety equipment - for sea passages

Folding bicycles - for trips to buy supplies when it is too far to walk

French dictionary - for those tricky moments of incomprehension

...AND DO WHEN WE GET THERE

Purchase a Vignette (Inland Waterway Licence) from Voies Navigables de France (VNF) which administers the French Waterways. We will get this in Dunkirk.

Change over the butane gas bottles from the British Calor Gas to the French Primagas. We may also need different gas regulators. Hopefully the French suppliers will give us advice.

Fill up with diesel at Dunkirk. This should last us quite a while because keeping to the slow speeds required on the inland waterways, we won't use up much fuel.

UNDERWAY

The French Inland Waterway system is a fantastic network with more than one possiblity to reach a destination. There are certain factors we have to consider when considering which route we will take.

The main one is the height of bridges and tunnels. Most of the main rivers and canals have a headroom of 3.5 metres. However the air draught of our boat with the radar arch down but with the canopy in place is 3.66 metres. Taking the canopy down reduces the air draught to 3 metres, which in normal conditions would allow us to navigate the majority of canals. However the Canal du Nivernais is said to have a maximum height of 2.7 metres, which therefore eliminates that particular canal from our plans.

Water depths should not be a worry, unless it is a very dry summer. Our draught is 0.9 metre and for the main rivers and canals the draught is reported to be 1.8 metres.

Our initial plan on leaving Dunkirk is to take the Liason au Grand Gabarit, then the Canal de St Quentin, the River Oise, the Canal Latéral a L'Oise and the River Seine.

We anticipate that we will have to come to terms with lots of new experiences; very large locks, being towed through tunnels to mention only two. We are looking forward to our adventure and although there are bound to be the occasional problem, (hopefully not too many) we hope to have a fantastic time. Equipped with mobile phone with global roaming facility and our laptop we hope to add reports of our trip. So watch this space!!!

PRE-PLANNING
Embarking on such a trip obviously requires considerable pre-planning. We've read books about the French Canals, checked maps of the canal system, learned about the experiences of others who've already cruised there and bought a variety of essential or recommended items. Here are some of the things that have kept us busy this winter:
PLANNING THE SEA CROSSING
		The Macmillan Reeds Nautical Almanac
		Admiralty Charts - Small Craft Folios SC5606 Thames Estuary - Tower Bridge to Ramsgate SC5605 Ramsgate to Chichester - including Dover Straits

ESSENTIAL ITEMS TO TAKE WITH US...
25 litre fuel can - Fuelling facilities are few and far between on the rivers and canals, so we may have to top up at roadside service stations
Trolley - to carry 25 litres of fuel to and from service stations
Flat hosepipe on a reel for drinking water
Various connectors for different size taps that we may encounter
Various electrical adaptors - so we can plug into the electricity supply at the ports de plaisances
Extra long rope - for deep locks and for being towed through tunnels
Fender board (doubles as a gangplank) - to go across 2 or 3 fenders to straddle any indentations in lock walls
French courtesy flag
Safety equipment - for sea passages
Folding bicycles - for trips to buy supplies when it is too far to walk
French dictionary - for those tricky moments of incomprehension

...AND DO WHEN WE GET THERE
Purchase a Vignette (Inland Waterway Licence) from Voies Navigables de France (VNF) which administers the French Waterways. We will get this in Dunkirk.
Change over the butane gas bottles from the British Calor Gas to the French Primagas. We may also need different gas regulators. Hopefully the French suppliers will give us advice.
Fill up with diesel at Dunkirk. This should last us quite a while because keeping to the slow speeds required on the inland waterways, we won't use up much fuel.

UNDERWAY
The French Inland Waterway system is a fantastic network with more than one possiblity to reach a destination. There are certain factors we have to consider when considering which route we will take.
The main one is the height of bridges and tunnels. Most of the main rivers and canals have a headroom of 3.5 metres. However the air draught of our boat with the radar arch down but with the canopy in place is 3.66 metres. Taking the canopy down reduces the air draught to 3 metres, which in normal conditions would allow us to navigate the majority of canals. However the Canal du Nivernais is said to have a maximum height of 2.7 metres, which therefore eliminates that particular canal from our plans.
Water depths should not be a worry, unless it is a very dry summer. Our draught is 0.9 metre and for the main rivers and canals the draught is reported to be 1.8 metres.
Our initial plan on leaving Dunkirk is to take the Liason au Grand Gabarit, then the Canal de St Quentin, the River Oise, the Canal Latéral a L'Oise and the River Seine.
We anticipate that we will have to come to terms with lots of new experiences; very large locks, being towed through tunnels to mention only two. We are looking forward to our adventure and although there are bound to be the occasional problem, (hopefully not too many) we hope to have a fantastic time. Equipped with mobile phone with global roaming facility and our laptop we hope to add reports of our trip. So watch this space!!!

	Forward to Reading to Dunkirk.		Forward to Dunkirk Little Ships 60th Anniversary.
	Forward to Dunkirk to Paris.		Forward to Paris to Digoin.
	Forward to Digoin to Corre.		Forward to Corre to Toul.
	Forward to Toul to Namur.		Forward to Namur to Calais.
	Forward to Calais to Reading.
	Back to EXPLORING EUROPE BY BOAT Homepage

	Click here for useful English- French Vocabulary .
	Click here for Details of our Route .
	Copyright © 2000 - 2005 Dot & Ian Hart

BECOMING FAMILIAR WITH THE FRENCH CANAL SYSTEM
	Maps of the French Canal System
		Map of the Inland Waterways of France - Imray
		Carte de France: Itinéraires fluviaux - Navicarte
		Les Voies Navigable 14 - Nord-Pas-de-Calais - Navicarte
		Les Voies Navigable 24 - Picardie - Navicarte
	Useful Books to Read
		'The European Waterways - a manual for first time users' - Marion Martin A helpful book which covers most topics for anyone planning to cruise continental as well as UK waterways.
		'Inland Waterways of France' - David Edwards-May An established directory of the Inland Waterways of France providing accurate details of distances, depths, heights and locks.
		'The Channel to the Med' - Derek Bowskill This book gives detailed coverage of the main inland routes from the Channel to the Mediterranean showing locks, stopping places and other points of interest.
		'Watersteps through France' - Bill and Laurel Cooper A record of this retired couple's journey through France in their converted Dutch barge 'Hosanna'.
	Required Reading
		'The RYA Book of EuroRegs for Inland Waterways - A pleasure boater's guide to CEVNI' - Marion Martin CEVNI (Code Européen des Voies de Navigation Intérieure) is a United Nations publication which unifies signs and signals and standardises navigational procedures on the European Inland Waterway System. We had to study this book in order to take the RYA test which then made our Certificate of Competence valid for use on continental inland waterways.

DOCUMENTATION
		There are several essential documents that are needed on the trip. They are:-
		The boat's Certificate of Registry ( in our case The Small Ships Register)
		Boat Insurance
		Ship's Radio Licence
		Radio Operators Certificate
		Proof of VAT paid
		International Certificate of Competence (ICC)
		Copy of CEVNI Regulations
		Passports
		E111 -for Medical Cover in the European community