Waterways and lock closures
Boating holidays rely on waterways, and even during boating season navigation may not always be possible. Disruption could be caused by a lock or bridge needing maintenance, or there may not be the right level of water to safely navigate.
Please be aware that our Base teams are expert in their cruising regions. They will also be happy to provide up to date advice on the best cruising conditions and suggested itineraries on arrival and during your cruise. With the safety and enjoyment of our Customers in mind, we may sometimes advise against navigation within a certain part of the cruising region where local conditions may be challenging at that specific point in time. Conditions continually evolve so it is not always possible to inform you of relevant conditions in advance, however please do use the information below as a guide to the current navigation restrictions in place in our boating regions.
- On Sundays in April and October locks and bridges will be closed which may restrict how far you can cruise on these day.
- There are no current restrictions.
- There are no current restrictions.
- No current restrictions.
- Helpful link: Environment Agency
- Due to a public holiday on 1st May and 1st November, locks will be closed which may restrict how far you can cruise on this day.
- Please note that a cruising licence is required in order to cruise the Moselle River towards Toul, Metz and Luxembourg. This applies to all cruises going via the Sarre River, Sarrebrücken and Canal des Houillères.
- Due to a public holiday on 1st May, locks will be closed (except on the Baïse river) which may restrict how far you can cruise on this day.
- Due to maintenance work on Tersac Bridge located between Meilhan sur Garonne and Marmande, navigation is currently not possible past that point towards Castets en Dorthe.
- Due to maintenance work at dam Le Moulin de Boel, 25km north from our base in Messac, it will not be possible to cruise towards Rennes / Dinan for the 2024 season.
- Due to flooding on the waterway navigation is currently not possible towards La Gacilly, Malestroit and Josselin.
- Due to a public holiday on 1st May and 1st November, locks will be closed which may restrict how far you can cruise on this day.
- Due to Auxonne lock closure (15kms from Saint Jean de Losne), customers cannot cruise north of Saint Jean de Losne before 30th March.
- Due to maintenance work on Canal des Vosges until 28th April, you will not be able to reach Épinal. Navigation will only be possible up to Bains-les-Bains and Lock Harsault from Fontenoy le Chateau (approx 5 hour cruise).
- Due to a public holiday on 1st May and 1st November, locks will be closed which may restrict how far you can cruise on this day.
- Due to maintenance work on the dam at Cercy-la-Tour, navigation and one-ways between Decize and Tannay are not possible until 15th June.
- Due to high water levels navigation is currently not possible on Yonne River. Navigation is currently only possible on Canal de Bourgogne.
- Due to a public holiday on 1st May, locks will be closed which may restrict how far you can cruise on this day.
- It is not currently possible to navigate The Canal de la Robine past South Narbonne to Port la Nouvelle.
- Due to a public holiday on 1st May, locks will be closed which may restrict how far you can cruise on this day.
- It is not currently possible to navigate The Canal de la Robine past South Narbonne to Port la Nouvelle.
- Due to high water levels navigation is currently not possible between Frontignan bridge and Vidourle’s door. Customers can only navigate between Beaucaire and Aigues Mortes.
- Access to moorings in villages along the Charente will be limited in 2023 while the waterways authorities make repairs to quaysides in various locations along the river. This means that access to waterside services, such as electric hook-up and water will also be less frequently available. While mooring facilities will still be available in the larger towns of Cognac and Saintes, customers may find it necessary to moor and overnight along the river bank a little further outside of some other villages where quaysides may be closed. There will be no facilities available in these locations and a walk back into the village might be necessary to access restaurants and amenities.
- These works are also affecting the Le Boat moorings in Jarnac, resulting in reduced capacity of boats that are allowed to be moored with passengers on board. As such, it will not be possible to moor overnight at our base in Jarnac at any stage during your cruise, unless otherwise agreed with the base team. On the last night, to ensure you are within easy reach of the base, customers should seek alternative moorings in either Bourg-Charente, which is approximately 45 minutes cruising to the east of Jarnac (including 1 lock to pass through) or along the river bank on the west side of Jarnac Lock - which is approximately 25 minutes cruising from our base (including time to pass through the lock). Customers looking for a wider choice of restaurants should choose the latter. There is a very nice Michelin-rated restaurant in Bourg-Charente, but it is quite expensive. Locks on the Charente are manual and passable from sunrise, so customers should still have ample time to return and disembark their boat by 9am.
- Due to maintenance at St Cybard lock until 30th April, navigation is only possible to Trois Palis. You will be unable to navigate along the waterway to Angoulême and all departures will be from our base in Jarnac.
- Due to the closure of the lock of La Baine at Chaniers (located between Cognac and Saintes), it is currently not possible to cruise from Jarnac to Saintes.
- Due to maintenance at St Géry lock, navigation is only possible to Vers until 7th May. You will be unable to navigate along the waterway to Saint-Cirq Lapopie.
- Due to maintenance on the canal between 7th and 31st May, navigation will only be possible to Bouzies. You will be unable to navigate along the waterway to Saint-Cirq Lapopie.
- Please note that a cruising licence is required in order to cruise the Moselle River towards Toul, Metz and Luxembourg. This applies to all cruises going via the Sarre River, Sarrebrücken and Canal des Houillères.
- Due to maintenance work on Tarmonbarry’s bridge until 29th April, one-ways between Carrick-on-Shannon and Portumna are only possible via Camlin River. This alternative route will extend your cruise by approximately 1 hour 30 minutes.
- There are no current restrictions.
- Due to maintenance on the lifting bridge in Ouderkerk, navigation will not be possible up the Amstel river to Amsterdam. Customers wishing to complete a circular route via Gouda and up to Amsterdam, would need to take a longer route via Leiden and Lisse or via Westeinderplassen. However, we would recommend taking our most popular route along the River Vecht, to avoid this closure altogether. The base team can give further details during your pre-departure call.
- Due to maintenance work on Ophaalbrug Haastrecht Bridge it is not possible to navigate from Utrecht to Gouda between 3rd June and 3rd July 3rd.
- From 16th October to 15th April each year, no starts will be possible on Fridays and Saturdays from our Vinkeveen base. The first lock and bridge south of our Vinkeveen base will also be closed on Saturdays and Sundays for that period and on weekdays is open once per day at 10am.
- No current restrictions.
- Helpful link: Scottish Canals
Need help?
If any of the above information effects your holiday please do contact the team to discuss the options that are available to you +44 (0)23 9222 2177