Boating In France - The Ardennes

The Ardennes Region offers several cruising possibilities through what has been described as “the green heart of France”
 
The Canal des Ardennes runs over 50 miles from a junction with the River Aisne near the lively port of Berry-au-Bac to a junction with the river Meuse at Pont-a-Bar.

Leaving Berry the Canal des Ardennes officially starts at the village of Vieux-les-Asfeld noted for its remarkable 17th century church. From here the canal runs north-eastward through pleasant wooded scenery the through towns of Chateau-Porcien and Rethel which is the last town with moorings before starting the climb up the slopes of the Ardennes.

The countryside from here on is beautiful, and there are attractive villages too such as Attigny, and Rilly-sur-Aisne before the junction with the little Vouziers branch canal.

Continuing on the Canal des Ardennes you continue to climb through locks to the summit near the town of La Chesne; en-route you will pass the fascinating Waroux Mill with its museum and a Dornier spotter plane from 1940.

From here the canal descends via the Bar Valley through attractive scenery and several delightful villages such as Cassine, Vendresse, and Hannogne-Saint-Martin, via the 200 metre long St Aignan Tunnel.

At Pont-a-Bar, a popular hire-cruiser base for the Ardennes Region, you reach the end of the canal where it runs into the River Meuse and where there is a junction with the Canal de L’Est

The Northern Branch of the Canal de l’Est runs from Pont-a-Bar northward through to Charleville-Mezieres where it joins the River Meuse.

Charleviulle-Mezieres is an attractive and interesting town well worth exploring before you set off along a truly stunning stretch of waterway through heavily wooded hills, terraced vineyards, orchards and attractive small towns and villages such as Nouzonville, Joigny and Chateau-Regnault before you reach the spectacular town of Monthermé - well worth a stop-over at the moorings near the bridge.

Continuing northward through spectacular scenery you pass through the villages of Deville, Laifour, and Revin before coming to the town of Fumay close to the Belgian border. Further on still through Aubrives and Ham-sur-Meuse you reach the interesting border town of Givet where there are excellent moorings at the end of the French part of the Meuse.

The Meuse and the Canal de l’Est Leaving Pont-a-Bar the Meuse runs eastward to Sedan, where there are pontoon moorings in the harbour. The heavily fortified town of Sedan, along with its castle, is of course most famously associated with Napoleon’s defeat here by the Prussians in 1870, and it’s worth a visit before continuing your voyage south-eastward to Mouzon.

The only remains of the  fortifications at medieval Mouzon is the Burgundian gateway, now converted into a museum, but walking through the old streets there’s still a lot of character here

  Further south on the canal lies Stenay, from where the Germans launched their attacks on Verdun during the First World War, but Stenay’s history really dates from the 17th century when the fortifications were started. It’s worth a visit, and there are good mooring facilities.

Continuing south past the chateau at Cervisy,  you  come to a succession of small villages most of which have useful mooring facilities,  before you arrive at the attractive old town of Dun-sur-Meuse where you can stop-over at the pontoon moorings if you wish before going further.

Approaching Verdun you pass through more small villages before entering a short tunnel under the fortifications of this memorable town. Despite its association with war and the death of so many French and German troops, Verdun is a surprisingly nice and sensitively restored town even though it’s difficult to avoid poignant memories of the Great War.

The Canal de la Meuse continues southward through pretty villages and beautiful towns such as Saint-Mihiel, to a junction with the Canal de la Marne au Rhin south of Commercy and another junction, marking the end of the Meuse, at Messein, with the Canal des Vosges which continues southward through Charmes eventually to meet up with the Saone at Epinal.

Fully detailed Navigation & Tourist Guides (The Guides Fluvial) to these waters are available from Boating-in-France – see appendix 1 for details of how to order the Guides Fluvial