France river cruise, Saône River

Saone River Cruise, an exciting destination

The Saone river has very few locks, because the width of its bed and the nonchalance of route it takes make it easily navigable. All year round, The Saone river has a water level that is sufficient for cruising in excellent conditions. There are small stretches where it has been canalised, but most of the time it is natural, and it is the ideal river for enjoying the pleasures of a river cruise in France.
 

Saone River Cruise : Navigation conditions

The Saone river is navigable all year round, except in periods of flood or when the canals are closed for engineering work. On certain stretches, the locks have been made automatic: you will need to make sure that you have the procedure explained to you. It is forbidden for rowing boats to go through the automatic locks although they may, with special authorisation from the Waterways Service, use the manned locks.
The Saone river does not have many locks (length: 38.50 m upstream from Auxonne). Vertical clearance is 3.50 m and the draught is 1.80 m. Speed limit upstream of Auxonne on the river: 15km/h, in canal sections: 6km/h
 

Saone River Cruise : Priority and rules

When it comes to a river cruise in France, the boats drive to the right-hand side of the waterway, like cars on the road, and pass portside to portside. Any overtaking is done in the same way as on the road.

In narrow sections, right of way is given to those travelling downstream (unlike on the road) and, in all cases, pleasure boats must give way to barges and to passenger boats.

There is an unbroken itinerary in Haute-Saône stretching over 140 kilometres between Fontenoy-le-Château (Vosges) and Heuilley-sur-Saône (Côte-d'or). It covers a strip between 15 and 20 kilometres wide, on either side of the Saône. The itinerary and its variants use towpaths with nearly 80 kilometres renovated and practicable on foot, bicycle or horseback.