Canel Boats

We are looking at renting a canal boat in May/June next year for a week. We will be coming into france from Germany. We are hoping to rent a campervan in Germany but understand that at this time of year, we must return campervan in Germany. We wish to leave France by boat to the south of England therefore looking for a route that will take us somewhere along this way. Would like to travel through old villages and countryside. Is canal boating difficult - ie getting through locks etc. Do they get busy and need booking far in advance. where is the nicest part of France to canal boat?

many thanks

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Canal boating and lock passage are very easy.

Rental companies offer routes which are fixed from base A to base B. You could check on routes through Alsace which might coincide with your overall travel objectives. The companies offer travel suggestions for those both wanting to reach their bases using public transportation as well as returning to a point where, after having complete a week%26#39;s rental you can resume travel on public transportation.

Have a look at the following. Route possibilities which may be of interest to you are outlined on each companies website:

http://www.franceafloat.com/

http://www.leboat.com/

http://www.locaboat.com/

http://www.nicols.com/

http://www.rive-de-france.com/

After having reviewed the above information, return to this thread and post any additional question you might have.

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I have never done canal boating myself but a friend, very fit and athletic, was lifting weights in preparation for the effort and she had boated many times in the past. She said it was quite strenuous in places moving the lack mechanisms.

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Sorry %26quot;lock mechanisms%26quot;

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We have just returned from canal boating in South Western France and the scenery was wonderful, the people very friendly.

The locks were no problem at all as they were automatic (either operated with a magnetic card or turn of a lever) except for one lock from canal Garonne into La Baise where there was a lockkeeper.

Can certainly recommend this type of holiday. We were on the boat for 14 days and all five of us agreed that we would have liked to had longer.

We saw smaller boats with just two people on board and they seemed to have no problem at all with the locks.

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Sounds wonderful. I think my friend was going mainly to England and I know some locks there are still hand operated.

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