ROUTE

COMMENTS

Pont de Vaux

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Montmerle-sur-Saone

Montmerle-sur-Saone:

Quay

Electricity

Water

Variety of shops

Paying port

We happened to be here in early September, when there was the annual horse fair.  Even if that wasn’t on, this is a small town of character.

Montmerle-sur-Saone

I

Lyon

Lyon:              

Quay on Saone

No electricity

Potable water from VNF tap

Wide variety of shops

No charge

The guides say there is a new ‘Parc Nautique’, but it’s not open yet, so there’s nowhere in Lyon to stay on the Saone with full facilities.  Mooring on the available quays, you’re likely to get rocked about by passing speedboats and peniches.

Lyon

I

Les Roches de Condrieu

Les Roches de Condrieu:

Visitors’ quay

Electricity

Water

Essential shops in village centre

Paying port

Helpful capitainerie, and a pleasant overnight stop.

Les Roches de Condrieu

I

Valence-Epervière

Valence-Epervière:

Large marina

Electricity

Water

Fuel

Shops after 1 kilometre

Paying port

Be prepared for a substantial walk on busy highways in order to get to the nearest shops.

Valence-Epervière

I

Viviers

Viviers:

Few small finger pontoons

Electricity

Water

Bread shop after 750 metres

Paying port

The finger pontoons here have a tendency to wobble when you walk on them, but they hold the boat steady! Despite what some guides state, the visitors’ fingers are on your left as you enter.  They are the tall ones, set on an angle.

Viviers

I

L’Ardoise

L’Ardoise:

Finger pontoons

Electricity

Water

Essential shops after 2 kilometres

Paying port

It’s worth the 5 kilometre embranchement trip to get to L’Ardoise for a night, safely off the Rhone.  It’s peaceful, friendly, well equipped, but stock up on food before you get there.

L’Ardoise

I

Avignon

Avignon:

Ample quay

Electricity

Water

All shops

Paying port

We got delayed here by a day of strong mistral, but the nearby old part of the city is surely worth visiting.

Avignon

I

St. Gilles

St. Gilles:

Quay

Electricity

Water

Variety of shops

Paying port

An atmospheric port, and a town full of bull-fighting paraphernalia.

St. Gilles

I

Port Ariane

Port Ariane:    

Large marina with finger pontoons

Electricity

Water

Ample shops and restaurants in marina complex

Paying port

Great facilities, in a recently-built marina.  But, daily mooring fees are the highest we have encountered yet.

Port Ariane

I

Frontignan

Frontignan:

Quay before lift bridge

No electricity

No water

Essential shops in town centre

No charge

This is the place where the bridge only opens twice a day (in high season). No complaints.  The quay is close to a main railway line, but the train traffic dies down at night.

Frontignan

I

Portiragnes

Portiragnes:

Quay and bank outside lock

No electricity

No water

Essential shops

No charge

This is the day of crossing the Etang de Thau in order to enter the Canal du Midi.  Have a good compass and maritime map, or use a GPS system, because if the weather closes down on you, there are few visible markers during the two-hour transit.  Entering the Canal du Midi is a bit like driving through a junkyard.

Portiragnes

I

Bèziers

Bèziers:

Ample quay at Port Neuf

No electricity

No water

Shopping mall at 500 metres

No charge

Apparently, the electricity and water went kaput at least 3 years ago, and there seem to be no plans to renew it.  It’s worth mentioning the six-lock ladder upstream from Bèziers: two people are required for this passage, because one person has to steer, and another has to walk onshore from lock to lock with the mooring ropes!

Bèziers

I

Colombiers

Colombiers:

Often-full port, some space outside port along bank

No electricity outside port

No water outside port

Essential shops in port complex

Paying port

If you stay outside the port, you'll have to tie up to trees on the same side as the port.  Don't expect a lot of help from the capitainerie, and expect resistance if you think to run extension cables to hook up to the port electricity.  Not sure why this is such a popular stop. 

Colombiers

I

Capestang

Capestang:     

Mooring on both banks

Electricity and water only on one bank

Essential shops in village centre

Paying port

There’s a notorious low bridge west of Capestang, which many higher boats try to navigate by accelerating hard to get under it.  We had the unfortunate experience of having all three of our stakes pulled out of the ground by the wash created by a speeding VNF push-barge!  Better to pay the mooring fee and moor up on the permanent stakes and rings in the port.

Capestang

I

Port la Robine

Port la Robine:

Stakes along both banks

No electricity

1 water point

Fuel pump

Paying port

Entry into the port requires the capitaine to open a swing bridge – which is only done if your mooring request is accepted.

Port la Robine

I

Narbonne

Narbonne:   

Quay in centre of the town

Electrical points on pontoons

Water

All shops

Paying port

It was a pleasure to deal with the port capitaine, who assigned our hivernage mooring, and made sure we knew that he would be keeping a daily eye on our boat throughout the winter.  We could not be closer to the town centre, and though there are many people promenading along the quays, there is a friendly atmosphere.