French canals ... max draught?

[martyn s]

I am thinking of buy a Bavaria36 which has a draught of 2m, is it possible to complete a passage from Calais or St Valery to the Med with a 2m draught?
Thank you
Regards
Martyn

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Martyn.

Depending on the route, the controlling dimensions are those common to the various ‘central’ canals – 1.8m water draft, 3.5m air draft, 5m width.
➥ Waterway Depths, Heights and Widths for Cruising in France

[psk125]

Water levels in Paris 19' above normal this week because of heavy rain, so go now! Watch the clearance on the bridges, however. In the summer, some canals can have levels reduced due to water shortages, and they don't always give a lot of notice about that.

[Butler]

BTW...a little bit of drift here. Through ABE Books you should be able to find Irving and Exie Johnson's book YANKEE SAILS ACROSS EUROPE. The twin (fore and aft) centerboard S&S steel boat which was designed just for such a trip was recently offered for sale at a quarter million. Beautiful boat and a great, informative read!

[Ypake]

Hy Martyn S, yes is possible, but on the edge, I did it two years ago with my Roberts 40' and 1,95 draft, take care to not pass the3,40 mts air clearence for the bridges , I think with the high level on the rivers now that also gonna be less air to pass under the briges.
Look for the FLUVIACARTE N 21 is for the Vois Navigables of France and is excelent gave you all the options on canals with max draft and clearence under bridges.
From CALAIS use canal Calais, then Canal du Nord, Oise until Cergy then Seine until Moret sur Loing (Saint Mammes), there go to Canal du Loing, Canal de Briare, Lateral a la Loire, Canal duCentre and the Basse Saone, Rhone and you will finish at Port Louis du Rhone where we are now.
Take special atention to Lockers personal at the exit of canal du centre and the entrance at the river Saone because you have a few hundred meters with very low water but with speed you can pass if you folow their recomendation.
Enjoy the center of France is beatifull.
We love chanels and main reason to change our boat with a new with lifting keel
Good luck and enjoy the trip.

Zeek

[Ypake]

A couple pics of that trip.

[Ypake]

Only allow one pic at a time.
In Paris, ParisMarina was only for charte boat now, you must use Paris Arsenal but check if the lock opens, with the actuall levels of water, you can check at VNF the official chanel office for France and there you can pay online the fee for the canals.
During the beggining of a year they did a great discount we pay for 40' passage liberte is the freedom for all year and all the canals inluded at only U$D 220 and on six month we use the passage only pay at four marinas all the rest was included with shower, water and wifi on a lot of places for free.
Worth spen time inside the sistem you pass trhu beatifull places.
This pic is arriving at Paris where we stop on the side of Sienne rive just 200 mts from eifell tower for a week for free , we stop behind two monster house barges and then move to Paris Arsenal marina where we pay 13 USD a day in the center of Paris.