France is blessed with many rivers suited to canoeing or kayaking. Some of the more popular rivers can resemble the M25, London’s orbital motorway, on a weekday morning. Others are less congested and it is possible to have the river to yourself.
I have chosen a few that are suitable for little or no experience of paddling and where it is easy to rent a canoe or kayak.
The Ardeche
The River Ardeche, in the region of the same name, is famous for the gorges through which it flows before emptying into the Rhône at Pont Saint Esprit. The gorges themselves are 26km in length and, once in them, there is no way out for the canoeist except the other end. There is limited emergency access by a very steep track about half way down the gorge.
Along the way are a number of rapids to spice things up and at the two most difficult the French police have lifeguards on duty during the summer months. None though are overly difficult for anyone with a modicum of ability but can be rather exciting.
The Ardeche Gorges are a popular destination with British and French holidaymakers. My advice is to avoid weekends during the summer and French public holidays.
Apart from the canoeing experience the sheer size of the gorges and the rock formations are enough to take your breath away. There are plenty of places to stop for a picnic along the foot of the gorges and two places to bivouac should you decide to break your journey.
The grand descent can easily be done in a day with an early start. This is a total of 30km and starts a few kilometres upstream from the beginning of the gorges proper.
This extra stretch of river is worth canoeing as you pass under the spectacular natural limestone arch, Pont d’Arc. Its huge arch spans the river dwarfing the canoeists beneath. The river beaches here are popular and make ideal launch sites for canoes. As a result it is one of the most crowded stretches of the river. Upstream from Pont d’Arc there is plenty of river for canoeing and it is along this stretch where you find a number of campsites as well as the “canoeing capital of France” Vallon Pont d’Arc.
The point of no return and where the gorge proper starts is Les Trois Eaux rapids.
Also in the area are several other canoeable rivers. One of these is the less well-known Chassezac River, a tributary of the Ardeche. A little more peaceful it flows through gorges equally as spectacular as those through which the Ardeche flows. The Chassezac can be combined with the Ardeche and its gorges to form an extended trip of three or four days.
The Gardon
This river flows through some typical Provençal scenery. Though less spectacular than the Ardeche Gorges the river and its gorges are still worth canoeing on for the close contact with nature. Less human traffic means more in the way of wildlife. Interest along the way includes several rapids cascading between rocks and boulders but the pièce de résistance is the awesome Pont du Gard, a three-storey Roman aqueduct that spans the river. There is no better way of viewing it than from the river itself. Hordes of visitors flock to see it and the roads around can get pretty congested but in a canoe you are likely to have the viewing all to yourself from the river.
The centre, if you can call it that, for canoeing on the Gardon is the small town of Collias. From here you can go upstream and canoe 11km down from Pont Saint Nicholas or 22km from Russan. Downstream it is 4km to Baume or 8km to the Pont du Gard.
The Tarn
Cutting through the dry limestone landscape of the Cevennes in the Massif Central the Tarn Gorges are one of the more scenic gorges of France. The most popular stretch for canoeing and for scenic beauty is the section from Ste-Enimie to Les Vignes. Ste-Enimie is the starting point for most trips along the gorges and is a cluster of medieval buildings beneath an abbey at a crossing point of the Tarn.
The River Tarn provides great opportunities for longer canoe trips through some spectacular scenery. The all day trip from Ste-Enimie to Pas de Souci, the two day trip to Les Vignes and the three or four day trip to Aguessac all pass through the most spectacular part of the gorges. This includes the 600m high cliffs, the narrowest part of the gorge known as Les Détroits or the Straits and the wider but no less scenic Cirque de Baumes. There are several hamlets and villages along the bottom of the gorge where you can stop for supplies, lunch or refreshments.
The Tarn is one of the best rivers for seeing wildlife. Griffin vultures nest in the crags above the river and European beavers inhabit the river banks. For a detailed post on canoeing with beavers see my earlier post Paddling with Beavers
On the longer trips it is necessary to take a lift (usually part of the deal) from Pas de Souci to Les Vignes as there is a one-kilometre stretch that you cannot canoe down.
The Dordogne
While this may not be France’s most popular river for canoeing the region, aka Perigord, through which the river flows is very popular with the British. The valley of the Dordogne runs from Argentat to Beynac passing through Limousin, Quercy and Perigord.
This is a far gentle river than the previous three but still has a few “gurgling bits” for interest.
The cliffs along stretches of the river are full of caves and at one point it is possible to canoe about fifty metres inside (you’ll need to take a waterproof torch). Other caves can be explored on foot and some, such as those in the town of La-Roque-Gageac are even lived in.
The Dordogne was the frontline during the Hundred Years War and as such there are numerous castles and chateaux on either bank overlooking the strategically important river. As you face downstream those on your left were generally built by the English while those on the right bank are likely to be of French construction.
The length of the Dordogne makes it ideal for longer trips. Above Argentat there are a series of dams making it impossible to canoe the river. Downstream there are any number of possibilities for touring. The trip to Beynac is 118km and would take four or more days to complete. Several operators offer multi-day trips and will transport your luggage each day to your next campsite or hotel.
The Dordogne is probably the most popular with families as there are plenty of river beaches to stop at and towns to explore to break up a long day paddling.
Others worth a mention
There are numerous other rivers that could be mentioned including the Herault, the Lot and the Ariege. The latter, in the heart of the Pyrenees, is in parts fast flowing and a bit of a challenge. What makes it such a great river is the feeling of being in the mountains.
The Vézère is a tributary of the Dordogne joining it at Limeuil. The upper reaches are world championship class fast water but the lower reaches are far more leisurely. The river here runs through la Vallée de l’Homme (Valley of Mankind) and has many historic, prehistoric and natural sites along its banks.
This is most definitely a river for those who like touring in a canoe rather than those who like their trip spiced up with a few rapids. However, it flows through an attractive valley and is well worth a couple of days exploring. Trips are limited to a couple of days unless combined with the Dordogne.
The Loire is another touring river with its banks lined with the chateaux of the pre-Revolution rich and famous from Paris. However, it is less peaceful than many of the other rivers as it shares its wide valley with a motorway and TGV line. On the water though you can almost forget these intrusions and just enjoy drifting past the romantic chateaux along its banks.
Have you paddled any of France’s rivers? Are there any you would recommend?
