PLACE

COMMENTS

Migennes

I

Bonnard

Bonnard:

Small quay

No electricity

No water

Essential shops

No charge

The quay is part of a pleasant campground, close to a lock.  We stopped here in May, before the high season.  There was a notice suggesting that there would be a mooring charge, once the electricity and water was turned on.

Bonnard

I

Gurgy

Gurgy: 

Grass bank

Electricity by jetons

Water by jetons

Essential shops

No charge

Beware of submerged rocks in some sections of the mooring – it can make tying up tricky unless you can get help from someone onshore.  We had the misfortune to be here when VNF unexpectedly lowered the water level to repair the nearby barrage!

Gurgy

I

Migennes

Migennes:

Quay

Electricity

Water

Variety of shops

Paying port

There are two moorings in Migennes: one on the Canal de Bourgogne; the other on the river Yonne.  The second, where we have overwintered, is a busy boatyard, and often there is no space for visitors.  It does work of an exceptional standard, and comes highly recommended if you need repairs.

Migennes

I

Gurgy

Gurgy:

Grass bank

Electricity by jetons

Water by jetons

Essential shops

No charge

Beware of submerged rocks in some sections of the mooring – it can make tying up tricky unless you can get help from someone onshore.

Gurgy

I

Auxerre

Auxerre:

Ample quay, though much space reserved for annual moorings

Electricity

Water

Fuel

All shops nearby

Paying port

We always seem to stop for an ‘overnight’ at Auxerre, and end up staying for a week or more.  It’s a combination of a pleasant and interesting town, a convenient mooring – though often full, with the need to double-up – and a convivial atmosphere in the port.

Auxerre

I

Vincelles

Vincelles :

Ample quay

Electricity

Water

Essential shops

Paying port

The port was just being renovated by a hire boat company when we visited.  Mooring was free, but there was a charge for water and electricity.

Vincelles

I

Chatel Censoir

Chatel Censoir :

Small quay and some pontoons

Electricity

Water

Variety of shops

Paying port

It’s a narrow entrance into the port, which we have found full on some occasions.

Chatel Censoir

I

Clamecy

Clamecy:

2 quays

Electricity

Water

All shops nearby

Paying port

The port is small, but we have luckily found a space to tie up.  This is another convenient and pleasant mooring in an interesting town. Worth a couple of days at least.

Clamecy

I

Cuzy

Cuzy:

Small quay

No electricity

No water

Few shops

No charge

Cuzy

I

Chitry les Mines

Chitry les Mines:

Ample quays

Electricity

Water

No nearby shops, but a renowned chandlery

Paying port after first night

There’s a very pleasant café/restaurant in the port, but shops are a good 2 kilometres away, straight up a hill all the way.  Coming back is a doddle if you’re on a bike!  If you need any spare parts for the boat, this is the place to be: the chandlery is nearby.

Chitry les Mines

I

Baye

Baye:

Ample quay

No electricity

No water

No essential shops

No charge

A day of locks, one right after another.  It’s a long haul, and there are even some tunnels thrown in for good measure.  Baye is set at the top of a hill, and the canal runs alongside a big reservoir.  Lots of clean, fresh air!

Baye

I

Chatillon-en-Bazois

Chatillon en Bazois:

Quays, mostly taken by permanent moorers

2 electrical points, also taken by permanent moorers

Water, with difficult access

Variety of shops nearby

No charge

The town of Chatillon en Bazois is pleasant, but it is very difficult to find a mooring spot where you can reach either water or electricity.

Chatillon-en-Bazois

I

Panneçot

Panneçot:

Ample quays

Electricity during camping season

Water during camping season

Bread sold by visiting van

Paying port during the camping season

There’s usually plenty of space at Panneçot: the port is part of a large campground.

Panneçot

I

Cercy-la-Tour

Cercy la Tour:

Quay

Electricity

Water

Essential shops nearby

No charge

The quay at Cercy la Tour can accommodate 5 or 6 boats, and there’s usually space so long as you don’t arrive late in the afternoon.

Cercy-la-Tour

I

Decize

Decize:

Quay in town centre

Electricity

Water

All shops

No charge

This is a very convenient mooring for 3 or 4 boats.  Major difficulty is that only boats of a very shallow draught can navigate the channel up to it – the rest run aground.  Sadly, it is also a favoured spot for teenage drinkers: though none were ever a nuisance at all to us.  We understand that in later years from this report, the electricity has ceased to function.

Decize

I

Nevers

Nevers:

Ample marina with quay and finger pontoons

Electrical points

Water

Wide variety of shops

Paying port

If you have ‘the family’ on board, this is a particularly attractive place to reach: there’s a big swimming pool/waterslide complex right at the end of the marina.  The town is no sneeze either, with a vast pedestrian shopping area.  Of course, there are the religious attractions as well, for some.

Nevers

I

Decize

Decize:

Quay in town centre

Electricity

Water

All shops

No charge

This is a very convenient mooring for 3 or 4 boats.  Major difficulty is that only boats of a very shallow draught can navigate the channel up to it – the rest run aground.  Sadly, it is also a favoured spot for teenage drinkers: though none were ever a nuisance at all to us.  We understand that in later years from this report, the electricity has ceased to function.

Decize

I

Garnat-sur-Engievre

Garnat-sur-Engievre:

Quay and finger pontoon

No electricity

1 water point, at public toilet

Essential shops after 500 metres

No charge

Yet another of our favoured ‘peaceful’ spots.  Room for a few boats, but we’ve only ever been there alone.

Garnat-sur-Engievre

I

Dompierre-sur-Besbre

Dompierre-sur-Besbre:

Quay and finger pontoons

Electrical points on pontoons

Water

Variety of shops

Paying port on pontoons

Down a little embranchement on a very narrow canal, the port at Dompierre is run by a hire-boat company.  Best to avoid it during the weekly change-over days.  Otherwise, it’s a very pleasant spot.

Dompierre-sur-Besbre

I

Vanneaux / Gannay

Gannay:

Quay

Electricity

Water

Few shops

Paying port

Gannay

I

Decize

Decize:

Quay in town centre

Electricity

Water

All shops

No charge

This is a very convenient mooring for 3 or 4 boats.  Major difficulty is that only boats of a very shallow draught can navigate the channel up to it – the rest run aground.  Sadly, it is also a favoured spot for teenage drinkers: though none were ever a nuisance at all to us.  We understand that in later years from this report, the electricity has ceased to function.

Decize

I

Nevers

Nevers:

Ample marina with quay and finger pontoons

Electrical points

Water

Wide variety of shops

Paying port

If you have ‘the family’ on board, this is a particularly attractive place to reach: there’s a big swimming pool/waterslide complex right at the end of the marina.  The town is no sneeze either, with a vast pedestrian shopping area.  Of course, there are the religious attractions as well, for some.

Nevers

I

Cours les Barres

Cours-les-Barres:

Quay

Few electrical points

Water

Few shops

No charge

There’s enough space here for 5 or 6 boats.  People tend to get here early, and latecomers may be out of reach of the electricity.

Cours les Barres

I

La Chapelle

La Chapelle :

Quay

No electricity

No water

Shops after 1 kilometre

No charge

This mooring is as close as you will get if you want to visit La Charité sur Loire.  The quay is part of a complex of silos.

La Chapelle

I

St Satur

St Satur:

Long quay

Electricity

Water

Fuel

Essential shops

Paying port

The port provides a navette for trips up the hill to visit Sancerre.  A convivial and helpful capitainerie.

St Satur

I

Beaulieu

Beaulieu:

Quay

Electrical points

Water, though some taps are padlocked

Few shops

No charge

The grass quay is actually part of a discrete campground.  Town facilities are up a hill on the opposite side of the bridge.

Beaulieu

I

Briare

Briare:

Quay and finger pontoons

Electrical points

Water

Variety of shops

Paying port

Usually a busy port, at the end of an embranchement.  Be prepared to accept instructions from the capitainerie on where to moor.

Briare

I

Rogny les 7 Ecluses

Rogny les 7 Ecluses :

Quay and grass bank

Some electricity

Some water

Essential shops

Paying port on quay and nearby

The grass bank at Rogny stretches a long way.  Electricity and water are only provided at/near the quay.  This is also a frequent stop for hotel barges, who can be very curt in demanding that you leave the spaces they have reserved for themselves.  Comparatively, this is also an expensive port to stay in.  Very convivial capitainerie makes up for some short-comings.

Rogny les 7 Ecluses

I

Chatillon Coligny

Chatillon-Coligny:

Quay and finger pontoons

Ample electrical points

Water

Good variety of shops

No charge

Pleasant town, and even more pleasant staff at the tourist office on the quay make this an attractive stop for a day or two.

Chatillon Coligny

I

Montargis

Montargis:

Long quay

Electricity

Water

All shops

Paying port

Despite the length of the quay, we have only ever managed to stop here once: otherwise it has always been full.

Montargis

I

Néronville

Néronville :

Quay for 2 boats

No electricity

No water

No shops

No charge

A lovely spot, in a clearing in the woods 500 metres from the lock.  This is a place where you can have a peaceful barbecue, listen to the birds and the breeze in the trees, and see the stars when it gets dark … properly dark.  Save us a space, we’ll be back!

Néronville

I

St Mammés

St Mammés:

Finger pontoons

Electricity

Water

Essential shops

Paying port

The town is small, but it’s a riverboaters’ place.  The line of peniches along the nearby quays is huge!  It’s another of those places we like to stay at for a while.  There are some delightful local small shops, and some unpretentious but delicious restaurants along the quay.

St Mammés

I

Montereau

Montereau:

Pontoon

Ample electrical points

Water

Variety of shops

Paying port

The quay at Montereau is right on the junction of the Yonne with the Seine.  Nice mooring, but do expect frequent commercial traffic passing, and consequent gentle rocking.  All town facilities straight away on the other side of the bridge.

Montereau

I

Bray-sur-Seine

Bray-sur-Seine:

Pontoon for 2 or 3 boats

Electricity

Water

All shops

No charge

The pontoon is set on the edge of a public garden of shade trees and picnic tables.  The town seems steeped in history.  We had family with us, and they were happy to stop travelling and stay here for days on end.  We look forward to returning.

Bray-sur-Seine

I

Nogent-sur-Seine

Nogent-sur Seine:

Quay

Electricity

Water

All shops

No charge (key deposit fee)

Another stop we give high praise to.  You must go to the local museum to get a key to open the electricity/water supply.  You find yourself in the middle of a lovely small town, on the edge of a park.  It’s very easy to relax here: we hope too many people don’t discover it …

Nogent-sur-Seine

I

Bray-sur-Seine

Bray-sur-Seine:

Pontoon for 2 or 3 boats

Electricity

Water

All shops

No charge

The pontoon is set on the edge of a public garden of shade trees and picnic tables.  The town seems steeped in history.  We had family with us, and they were happy to stop travelling and stay here for days on end.  We look forward to returning. 

Bray-sur-Seine

I

St Mammés

St Mammés: 

Finger pontoons

Electricity

Water

Essential shops

Paying port

The town is small, but it’s a riverboaters’ place.  The line of peniches along the nearby quays is huge!  It’s another of those places we like to stay at for a while.  There are some delightful local small shops, and some unpretentious but delicious restaurants along the quay.

St Mammés

I

Montereau

Montereau:

Pontoon

Ample electrical points

Water

Variety of shops

Paying port

The quay at Montereau is right on the junction of the Yonne with the Seine.  Nice mooring, but do expect frequent commercial traffic passing, and consequent gentle rocking.  All town facilities straight away on the other side of the bridge.

Montereau

I

Pont-sur-Yonne

Pont-sur-Yonne :

Pontoon

No electricity

No water

Essential shops

No charge

When you arrive here, you’ll note that part of the pontoon is submerged in the water, you must reach down into the water to find points to which you can attach your mooring lines, and some of the wood of the bridge leading from the pontoon to the shore is long gone.  Nevertheless, it’s a good spot to stop – you just have to know what to expect! (And maybe it’s changed by now?)  The Sunday market is particularly lively.

Pont-sur-Yonne

I

Sens

Sens:

Ample quay

1 electrical point (8 outlets)

No potable water

Wide variety of shops

No charge

We have to admit to a particular fondness for the town of Sens – its pedestrian area, the cafés, the whole lot.  True, you need a lot of electrical cable unless you happen to moor next to the only electrical point.  And there is water, but available only from the town garden-water points, for which you need a very unusual fitting (we have one!).  And you’ll quickly get used to lots of couples sitting on the benches that line the quay, looking longingly at each other.

Sens

I

Villeneuve-sur-Yonne

Villeneuve-sur-Yonne:

Quay, part with rubberized bumper, part sloping wall

1 electrical point – disconnected except in high season

No water

Variety of shops

No charge

Binoculars out, and identify the rubber-bumpered part of the quay; it’s much more convenient to tie up to.  It’s also where the electrical point is.

Villeneuve-sur-Yonne

I

Migennes

Migennes:

Quay

Electricity

Water

Variety of shops

Paying port

There are two moorings in Migennes: one on the Canal de Bourgogne; the other on the river Yonne.  The second, where we have overwintered now for several years, is a busy boatyard, and often there is no space for visitors.  It does work of an exceptional standard, and comes highly recommended if you need repairs/upgrades.