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Old 29-06-2021, 13:10   #16
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Re: Swimming in the French canals????

You can do what you like - you are probably old enough. But you won't let your children or grandchildren swim there, will you? Yeah, sure - wild swimming. Great. Polio has been eradicated now, hasn't it??? just dont swallow the water, & have a full shower on deck when you get out.
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Old 29-06-2021, 13:15   #17
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Re: Swimming in the French canals????

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You can do what you like - you are probably old enough. But you won't let your children or grandchildren swim there, will you? Yeah, sure - wild swimming. Great. Polio has been eradicated now, hasn't it??? just dont swallow the water, & have a full shower on deck when you get out.
Nah. Pretty sure I don't want to. Was just hoping I was wrong in my assumptions and was curious to find out if my research was correct in that there are no holding tanks nor pump out on the canals and rivers.
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Old 29-06-2021, 13:21   #18
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Re: Swimming in the French canals????

Good choice. I'm always conflicted by this sort of question - I see people swimming in our marina - behind a lock gate. Do I mind my own business - or point out the possibilities? There are brilliant shore facilities but, you know, in the rain or middle of the night, who knows...
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Old 29-06-2021, 14:36   #19
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Re: Swimming in the French canals????

Hi Skipmac,

i'm glad to learn that, in the end, you will be making the trip along the canals!

you've gotten a lot of good feedback here...

decades ago, i was astounded by the direct deposit of all kinds of industrial waste in the rivers. pipes carrying smelly, fluo liquid and dead fish floating. it was shocking!

nowadays this has surely changed (there's a green party here), but there is still the agricultural run-off (france is a patchwork of industrial cereal and colza farms, for which the pesticides used are mostly subsidised...) and the fact that the boats are not equipped with black water tanks.

personally, i would not get into any canal water, much less let my loved ones get in.

For a clean dip (hot or cold), best go to Iceland.

that said, have a fantastic trip (and enjoy the wine and cheese)!



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Old 29-06-2021, 15:01   #20
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Re: Swimming in the French canals????

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I imagine the water quality in the French canals is about as bad as the ones in Germany where I lived. I wouldn't swim in them.
we spent a couple of weeks on the canals & lakes around potsdam, and found the swimming excellent (if a little weedy in places). all the locals swim there - not just the visitors

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Old 29-06-2021, 15:12   #21
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Re: Swimming in the French canals????

Nick & Terysa on Ruby Rose (YouTube sailing couple) transited the du Midi in 2019, and while much of the countryside was beautiful, the water did NOT look inviting at any point in the trip. Terysa fell in from the bank at one point, she was not happy.

If you've spent any time in Paris...
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Old 29-06-2021, 15:33   #22
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Re: Swimming in the French canals????

Ya, of the three canals I've seen I wouldn't swim in any of them. That said, I've seen kids do it.

Lot eh. That's on my bucket list—although I tend to avoid the the there-and-back itineraries.. River cruising is a bit more interesting but those boats are pigs. Be interesting to see how much current plays a part (although all the French rivers are pretty tamed.)

Be sure to post up a pic or two and/or some updates. Have an awesome time.
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Old 29-06-2021, 16:03   #23
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Re: Swimming in the French canals????

we travelled on the Canal du Midi about 6 years ago in two brand new Le Boat vessels. They had holding tanks and avipod drives - working in the locks was easy
Two pieces of advice.
Dont swim - the canal has a very limited flow, trapped by (in our case) more than 60 locks. At no time were any of us tempted to even get our feet wet.
Second, because of the flow, one way charter downhill is vastly better. The difference between 6 knots down hill and 4 knots uphill makes for a very long day
Enjoy the villages, Beziers, Carcazzone (spelling) and the smaller ones
Bicycling up to the village charcuterie and the bakers for fresh breaskfasts, yum, and I can still taste the chilli dark chocolate from Carcazzone
Would return to do it again as soon as we in OZ can travel
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Old 29-06-2021, 16:25   #24
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Re: Swimming in the French canals????

…. Thank you for joining us here at the shallow end of the forum … we appreciate your participation!
Be sure to join our lively discussion next week when we cover the always popular topic …
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Old 29-06-2021, 16:30   #25
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Re: Swimming in the French canals????

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Do as the locals do. If they swim - it should be okish, if they don't, don't.
That's how I would handle it, too...
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Old 29-06-2021, 16:36   #26
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pirate Re: Swimming in the French canals????

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Seems like the experience of all just confirms what I already assumed. Don't go in the water. I was just hoping to learn my assumptions were wrong but apparently not.

Too bad as some of the photos of the River Lot look quite lovely and I do enjoy a good swim.
Wild swimming in French rivers is fairly popular however this comes with a caution... don't swim after heavy rains as the E-Coli levels from runoff gets pretty high.
As a rule of thumb swimming in rivers is okay if the water is clear, E-Coli levels will be low.

Secret river, lake and waterfall swims in FranceÂ*|Â*Wild Swimming - outdoors in rivers, lakes and the sea
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Old 29-06-2021, 17:06   #27
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Re: Swimming in the French canals????

Probably too much "eau de oui" to my liking.
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Old 29-06-2021, 17:21   #28
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Re: Swimming in the French canals????

We chartered a Locaboat on the Canal du Nivernais for a week. Decidedly not commercial. Not tempted to go swimming, and didn't see anyone else in the water either.
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Old 30-06-2021, 03:46   #29
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Re: Swimming in the French canals????

While a little off topic, I enjoy a good swim so I took advantage of many of the excellent aquatic facilities that many of the French towns have. Check these out. For a small fee you can enjoy their beautiful indoor pools. But...interestingly enough you are only allowed to wear a Speedo type brief swim suit in the pools, no board shorts as most of us in the US wear. Most facilities have a vending machine in the lobby that sells Speedos.
I did enjoy several good swims in one of the larger swift flowing rivers in Belgium.
In the Med, most all boats dump directly overboard and although the waters are crystal clear, even in the crowded marinas, I never even considered swimming in these obviously very polluted waters. Most of the marinas had many of the local kids swimming with hopefully no problems.
Here is a link to some of the public pools but most of them that I visited are not on this list, so check with someone in each town.
https://www.annieandre.com/amazing-p...ols-in-france/
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Old 30-06-2021, 04:15   #30
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Re: Swimming in the French canals????

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First, go back and read the question carefully. I stated clearly that my hire boat will be in the River Lot...

...I am thinking you lack common courtesy.
Methinks your response is rather harsh and that you owe that poster an apology.
Having 'gone back and read the question' I for one noticed that the primary question which you asked was:
...how polluted are the canals and is it advisable to swim there?
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