River Garonne
Information about the 53km of tidal river from Castets-en-Dorthe (junction with the Canal de Garonne) to Bordeaux and (a further 30km downstream) the confluence of the the Garonne, the River Dordogne and the River Gironde (the estuary of the Garonne).
See also general notes (foot of page).
Basic Information
- Approximate notional minimum depth 1.80m, headroom 6.5m.
This is a tidal river and also one with significant areas of sandbanks, shallows and other obstructions. Care must be taken to keep to the safe channel, including using the appropriate bridge arches. - Going upstream to Castets, leave Bordeaux 4-5hrs before local high water and carry the tide upstream for an approximately 6hr journey.
- Going downstream to Bordeaux, leave Castets at local high water to carry the outgoing tide and river current.
- Specific advice may be obtained from the VNF office at Castets ecluse - 05 56 62 83 07 or 06 62 99 63 91 - or from the VNF regional office at Cadillac 05 56 62 66 50.
PK17 Castets-en-Dorthe
 |
 |
Top photo - The large and very deep double chamber ecluse at the junction of the Canal de Garonne and the tidal river itself, taken at low water. Only the right-hand side of the side-by-side pair is used. VNF vignettes will possibly be checked at this ecluse, coming into the 'system' from the river - they can be purchased at the ecluse office (05 56 62 83 07) or online in advance (see VNF tariff information here). The entrance door is located two storeys up the face of the building: testament to the potential height of river flooding.
Lower photo - from the ecluse, looking west along the river and under the bridge. Just visible past the left-most bridge support is the river waiting pontoon.
PK25 Langon |
 |
PK35 CadillacFloating pontoon on piles |
 |
PK66 Port Garonne
 |
A large river PdP, fuel and 12 tonne lift-out facilities. Supermarket and other shops nearby. 05 56 85 76 04 or 06 18 60 26 78 port@mairie-begles.fr
PK70+1 Pont de Pierre - Take one of the three (white edged) central arches (below, right side).
Tricky to maintain steerage through, if carrying an upstream current; strong eddies beyond on the southern/upstream side. The tidal turn from strongly downstream to strongly upstream happens very rapidly.
PK70+4 Bordeaux
 |
Mooring in Bordeaux is difficult. The two options are
(a) within the Commercial Harbour, via a very large ecluse (05 56 90 58 00 or VHF Ch12, 9 or 16) only accessible from HW-1.5 to HW+0.5 and
(b) on some pontoons in the river at Point du Jour by the high Pont d'Aquitaine suspension bridge, 6.5km downstream (PK70+6.5). The strong river and tidal currents at this point do not make for safe or comfortable berthing.
PK70+47 Pauillac
 |
The consistently recommended place to un-mast or re-mast. Optimal access into or out of the harbour is at slack water; the crane is used at HW slack. Capitainerie 05 56 59 12 16. The Gironde has strong tidal currents - check and take care.
Notes
Grehan very much welcomes your comments, corrections, suggestions and additions.
PK = Kilometre distance mark, as printed in waterway guides and found as actual signposts (occasionally) on the waterways.
PdP = Port de Plaisance (inland pleasure port/marina/mooring). Halte (nautique) = mooring place/pontoon. Ecluse (Sas in Normandy - 'sas' means 'chamber') = lock. Peniche = barge.
TE (tirant d'eau) = Depth. Check actual depths! The 'book' river depth is in the channel centre, edges will be less and you may have a problem coming alongside so be careful. Tuck your nose in first and if necessary keep the stern (where the vulnerable prop is) poking out. There is often a shallow bar just outside the lower gate of an ecluse.
VNF SINGLE NUMBER - The VNF have introduced a nationwide single telephone point of access for making lock arrangements, etc and notify breakdowns and other emergencies - 0800 863 000 - you will almost certainly need to understand and speak a certain amount of French.
Contact Grehan >top of page<This is an information guide - it is not a substitute for a waterways pilot book, nor is it meant to be. We strongly recommend obtaining a pilot book for each river or canal you travel. The information here results from direct personal experience cruising the waterways from north to south and east to west; and/or has also been gleaned from a number of sources and accounts. Photographs by Grehan; some other photographs by permission, or in the public domain; if we have inadvertently breached any copyrights, please contact us. Grehan's own photographs may be available for re-use, please contact us for permission.
