Le Boat Countess
Self-Drive Boats in France

► Self-drive boats available in Ardennes and Alsace
■ Nicols: Harskirchen and Saverne
■ LeBoat: Hesse and Boofzheim
■ Locaboat/Linssen: Lutzelbourg

Canal Marne au Rhin – Canal Rhone au Rhin (N) – Canal de la Sarre

The waterways of North-East France are set against striking backdrops – the forests of the Ardennes, the Vosges mountains, the beautiful Doubs valley – with the River Rhine marking its eastern-most edge. Being so close to Germany and Switzerland, these influences and references are strong: castles, steeply pitched roofs, decorative timberwork, hearty cuisine, Riesling wine, plus a big selection of beers – no more so than in the regional capital of Strasbourg, where French poet and novelist Victor Hugo described the 12th century cathedral as, “a gigantic and delicate marvel.”

At Saverne the Lalique Museum is home to more than 500 exceptional pieces of glassware by French designer René Lalique. The Arzviller boat lift is a marvel of engineering that carries boats 450 feet up the Vosges Mountains and for the perfect end to a day’s strenuous sightseeing, try sipping a glass of Riesling wine in Place Stanislas, the gilded, UNESCO listed central square in the Art Nouveau city of Nancy.

► Self-drive boats available in South Burgundy-France Comté
Hire Fleets and Bases
■ Locaboat/Linssen: Scey s/Saone
■ Nicols: Dole and Port s/Saone
■ LeBoat: Gray, St Jean de Losne and Fontenoy

River Saone – River Doubs – Canal Rhone au Rhin – Canal de Bourgogne

The Saone is one of the most peaceful rivers in France: wending its way from the mountains of the Vosges to the Rhone, linking up with the Burgundy Canal, the River Doubs and the Rhone au Rhine Canal and passing through ravishing countryside replete with wildlife.

Formerly an outpost on the border between the historic kingdoms of France and Burgundy, Verdun sur le Doubs is now better known for the delicious stew made from locally caught river fish – Pochouse. Also on the River Doubs, Dole retains much of its medieval character and Besancon, with its spectacular citadel designed by the French military architect Vaubun, is worth the journey further upstream. Auxonne also has military associations – it was where Napoleon was trained as a soldier.

► Self-drive boats available in Northern Burgundy-Nivernais-Upper Loire
Hire Fleets and Bases
■ Locaboat/Linssen: Briare and Dompieerre s/Bresbre (also Corbigny*)
■ LeBoat: Chatillon-sur-Loire and Decize (also Tannay*)
■ Nicols: Rogny-les-Sept-Ecluses and Plagny

Canal de Briare – Canal Loire Lateral – *Canal du Nivernais

South of Paris, where the western part of Burgundy blurs prettily with the Loire Valley, a cruise along the Canal de Loing, the Canal de Briare and the Canal Loire Lateral reveals a number of hidden treasures in a landscape that inspired the painter Alfred Sisley. There are engineering feats to marvel at along the waterway –the elegant aqueduct at Briare, once the longest in the world, and at Rogny an atmospheric flight of seven locks, no longer in use but full of echoes of the past.

The Palace of Fontainebleau originally served as a hunting lodge and of all royal residences it is the only one to have been continuously inhabited for seven centuries. Thousand year old castles are plentiful – Saint Fargeau and Sully-sur-Loire boast breathtaking examples. Equally charming is the ancient town of Montargis, which with its network of narrow canals and bridges invites comparisons to Venice.

► Self-drive boats available in Northern Burgundy-Nivernais-Upper Loire
Hire Fleets and Bases
■ France Afloat/Linssen: Vermenton and Tonnere
■ Locaboat/Linssen: Joigny and Corbigny
■ LeBoat: Migennes and Tannay
■ Nicols: Brienon and Venarey-les-Laumes

Canal du Nivernais – River Yonne – Canal de Bourgogne

A hundred miles south east of Paris, North Burgundy is a region steeped in culture and history and is considered by some to be the gastronomic heart of France, with its Boeuf Bourguignon, its buttery garlicky snails and its Coq au Vin, not to mention its stunning Chablis wine. To the west of it, the Nivernais Canal links the Loire and the Seine basins and crosses the remote and beautiful heathland of the Morvan.

Among the Nivernais’ natural wonders are the Rochers de Saussois, a limestone bluff that soars above the River Yonne which feeds the canal as it goes, while man-made highlights include the Chateau de Tanlay with its romantic moat and famous trompe l’oeil frescoes. The breathtaking abbey at Vezelay is the starting point for one of the pilgrimage routes to Santiago di Compostella , while Fontenay Abbey was built by St Bernard of Clairvaux in 1118 and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Still on a religious theme, Auxerre is a historic city of such astounding loveliness that it boasts not just an 11th century cathedral, but a 12th century abbey too.

The lives of more ordinary folk are evident Villeneuve sur Yonne and the beautiful half-timbered town of Noyers-sur-Serein with its characteristic mediaeval arcades, where walnuts and truffles were traded and enjoyed as a complement to the fine local wine.

► Self-drive boats available in South Burgundy-France Comté
Hire Fleets and Bases
■ Locaboat/Linssen: Dompierre s/Bresbre, St Leger s/Dheune and Macon
■ LeBoat: Branges

Canal du Centre – River Saone – River Seille

The Saone is one of the most attractive rivers in France: wide, sleepy and unhurried, it wends its way from the mountains of the Vosges to the Rhone, linking up with the Burgundy Canal, the River Doubs and the Rhone au Rhine Canal and passing through delightful countryside replete with wildlife. Macon offers an ideal base for discovering the Beaujolais – an undulating crest of hills famous for the production of light red wine, while fans of photography will be keen to visit Chalon-sur-Saone, the home of Nicéphore Niepce and thus regarded as the birthplace of this popular art form: the colourful Sunday market offers perfect opportunities for taking vivid holiday snaps.

A bucolic tributary of the Saone, the River Seille leads to the heartlands of Bresse, famous for its delicious chickens which have appellation d’origine contrôlée status, while the Canal de Centre which links the Canal Lateral a la Loire with the Saone, passes through the rolling verdant vineyards of the Cote Challonais.

► Self-drive boats available in Midi-Languedoc
Hire Fleets and Bases
■ LeBoat: Port Cassafieres, Narbonne, Homps, Trebes and Castelnaudary
■ France Afloat / Linssen: Capestang
■ Locaboat: Bram, Argens-Minervois and Negra
■ Nicols: Le Somail and Port Lauragais

Canal du Midi – Canal de la Robine

The Canal du Midi has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in recognition of the achievement of architect Pierre-Paul Riquet in linking the Etang du Thau in the south east with the River Garonne in Toulouse, effectively connecting the Mediterranean with the Atlantic. His engineering prowess can be seen in the flight of nine characteristically oval-shaped locks at Fonserannes near the ancient city of Beziers, and if ticking off UNESCO sites is your thing, then you get two for one in Carcassonne, where the canal passes close to the ancient citadel that forms one of the most iconic skylines in the whole country.

The canal meanders between the vineyards of Corbieres to the south and the Minervois to the north and a visit to the wine town of Minerve, one of the most beautiful in France, is a treat. A diversion along the Canal de la Robine leads to Narbonne, which dates back to Roman times when it was a strategic trading centre, and even today its covered market, supplied by local producers, is a kind of foodie heaven.

► Self-drive boats available in Aquitaine-Charente
Hire Fleets and Bases
■ LeBoat: Castelsarrasin and Mas d’Agenais
■ Locaboat: Agen and Valence s/Baise
■ Nicols: Buzet s/Baise

Canal de Garonne – Canal de Montech-Montauban – River Baise

Aquitaine covers the far southwest corner of France and its capital Bordeaux is a stately presence on the estuary of the Garonne river and is ineffably associated with fine wines, claret in particular. The Maison du Vin in the city centre offers an introduction to many vintages, but a visit to some of the prestigious vineyards themselves is hard to beat.

Helping to link Bordeaux to Toulouse, the Canal de Garonne shadows a popular pilgrimage route to Compostella and one of its outstanding waystations is the town of Moissac, world famous for its Romanesque abbey cloister. There are exquisite country villages to discover, including Serignac with its curiously twisted church spire, and as you travel inland from the Atlantic the vineyards are replaced by orchards growing apples, pears and particularly Ente plums. Agen has become synonymous with prunes and the Pruneau d’Agen is so fine that it has earned itself a Protected Geographical Indication, which governs the location and means of its production.

► Self-drive boats available in Brittany-Anjou
Hire Fleets and Bases
■ LeBoat: Dinan, Messac and Nort s/Erdre
■ Locaboat: St Martin s/Oust and Melesse
■ Nicols:: Glenac and Suce s/Erdre

Canal Nantes a Brest – River Erdre – River Vilaine – Canal Ille et Rance

The Canal Nantes-Brest travels for 385 km through the Breton interior, arcing from the south coast to the west coast at Lorient. Located at the mouth of the River Loire, Nantes was once the seat of the dukes of Brittany and still boasts a spectacular renaissance chateau. The modern capital is at Rennes, which was ravaged by fire in 1720, but its narrow streets with their half- timbered houses retain a lingering appeal.

Arty crafty villages abound: Rochefort-en-Terre is home to a colony of artists and even the post office is housed in a renaissance building. Other attractions include the Chateau de Josselin, a renaissance gem, and Redon, famous for its chestnut festival every autumn. Last but not least is Dinan, a medieval town overlooking the River Rance and still surrounded by 13th century ramparts – the perfect place to retreat to a café and order Brittany’s best loved dish: a crepe.