Guidance about the French Inland Waterways
Waterways Charges - VNF Offices - Network Map - Minimum Depths and Heights

VNF - Voies Navigable de France - Facts and Figures

  Navigation Fees  

Using the French navigable waterways network involves paying a fee - and then displaying the vignette licence on the boat. The fees are extremely reasonable considering the thousands of kilometres of wondeful cruising routes that become available without further charge. As can be seen above, boats are charged according to their surface area - we did try to suggest to the Rouen VNF office that waterline dimensions should be used, but no - it's the overall dimensions, as given on the vessel's documentation.
So, a yacht like Grehan - 11m x 3.5 = 38.5 sq.m - lies in Band III above.
Note : VNF timings have changed. All periods are now consecutive. 4 consecutive months, 30 consecutive days or 16 consecutive days. A year is a calendar year 1st Jan to 31st Dec.

For the actual VNF leaflet (as a PDF file) regarding vignette licences, click here

Payment
a) It is possible to pay by credit card by telephone to 03 21 63 24 30, between 09:00 and 12:00, and 14:00 and 17:00.
b) By cash at a VNF office that issues vignettes. For a list, see below.

 
  VNF Vignette Offices (** = open weekends, ecluse hours)  

AGDE**
Service de la navigation du Sud Ouest
Tél : 04.67.94.10.99
Écluse ronde d’Agde - 34034 -
Tél : 04 67 94 23 09

ARLES
1, quai gare maritime - 13200
Tél : 04 90 96 00 85

ARMENTIÈRES
Écluse d’Armentières - 59280
Tél : 03 20 77 15 67

BERLAIMONT
Écluse de Berlaimont – 59145
Tél. : 03 27 58 81 70

BÉTHUNE
175 rue Ludovic Boutleux - 62400
Tél : 03 21 63 24 30

CALAIS
45 quai de la Meuse - 62100
Tél : 03 21 34 25 58

CASTETS EN DORTHE
Écluse 53 - 33210
Tél : 05 56 61 28 74

CONFLANS-Ste-HONORINE
Cours de Chimay - 78700
Tél : 01 39 72 73 09

DOUAI
263 Quai d’Alsace - 59500
Tél : 03 27 94 55 70

DUNKERQUE
Terre plein du jeu de Mail - 59140
Tél : 03 28 58 71 25

FRONTIGNAN
Pointe Caramus - 34110
Tél : 04 67 46 65 80

GIVET
Écluse 59 des 4 cheminées - 08600
Tél : 03 24 41 26 73

LE HAVRE
La citadelle - avenue L Corbeaux -76600
Tél : 02 35 22 99 34

LILLE
37, rue du Plat – 59034
Tél : 03 20 15 49 70

LYON
11 quai du Maréchal Joffre - 69002
Tél : 04 78 42 74 99

MARGNY-LÈS-COMPIÈGNE
92, rue du 14 juillet - 60281
Tél : 03 44 83 65 42

MARPENT**
Écluse de Marpent - 59164
Tél :03 27 39 54 52

NANCY
2, rue Victor - Pont des Tiercelins - 54000
Tél : 03 83 17 01 01

NANTES
2 rue Marcel Sembat – 44049
Tél : 02 40 71 02 17

NARBONNE
9bis, quai d’Alsace - Écluse de Gua - 11100
Tél : 04 68 42 23 27

NIFFER**
Écluses de Niffer – 68680 KEMBS
Tél. : 03 89 74 57 44

NEVERS
1, Bd Coubertin - 58000
Tél : 03 86 71 70 75

PARIS
18, quai d’Austerlitz - 75013
Tél : 01 44 06 63 60

QUESNOY-SUR-DEûLE
Nouvelle écluse de Quesnoy - 59890
Tél : 03 20 39 87 67

REIMS
11, boulevard P. Doumer - 51084
Tél : 03 26 85 75 95

ROUEN
71 avenue J. Chastellain - 76000
Tél : 02 32 08 31 70

SAINT-JEAN-DE-LOSNE
17, quai National - BP16 - 21170
Tél : 03 80 29 01 37

SAINT-MAMMÈS
10, quai du Loing - 77670
Tél : 01 64 70 57 70

SAINT-QUENTIN
2, rue Léo Lagrange - 02100
Tél : 03 23 62 60 21

SARREGUEMINES
1, rue de Steinbach - 57216
Tél : 03 87 98 11 15

SARREGUEMINES**
Écluse 27 - 57200
Tél : 03 87 98 13 47

STRASBOURG
5, rue du Port-du-Rhin - 67016
Tél : 03 90 41 06 06

THIONVILLE
Terre plein de l’écluse R. Schuman - 57105
Tél : 03 82 88 22 80

TOULOUSE
2, port Saint-Etienne - 31073
Tél : 05 61 36 24 24

VOLGELSHEIM**
Ecluse de Neuf-Brisach - 68600
Tél : 03.89.72.54.33.
 
  Depths, Heights and Other Dimensions  
French waterways network map - depths and heights
French waterways network map - depths and heights
French waterways network map - depths and heights
French waterways network map - depths and heights
French waterways network map - depths and heights
French waterways network map - depths and heights
French waterways network map - depths and heights

Important Notes
1) This is according to the information we have - E+O.E. We've done our level best, but we may have got it wrong, or typed it in wrong. We are human, after all . . . .
2) Whatever printed documentation may state, depths vary according to season, and vary locally. As noted elsewhere on Grehan's website, depths immediately outside locks can vary significantly.
3) If it's critical, err on the side of caution. We have heard of stuck yachts that needed to be craned out of the Midi and loaded onto a transporter. You will float lower in fresh water than in salt water.
4) This is our selection of some key VNF waterways; it is not at all an exhaustive list. Figures given below are the minimum depths, heights (air clearances) and widths for the various combinations of rivers and canals indicated (i.e the worst cases), and have been rounded down.

THE NORTHERN WATERWAYS Minimum Depth Minimum Height Minimum Width
> Dunkerque to Escaut 3.00m 4.45m 11.00m
> Calais entry 2.00m 3.45m 8.00m
  Canal du Nord 2.20m 3.70m 5.70m
  Canal de St-Quentin 2.20m 3.50m 5.60m
> Somme (reports 2006-2008) 1.20m 3.50m 5.00m
TO, FROM and AROUND PARIS
> Seine (through Paris to the Marne) 3.00m 6.90m 11.40m
  Seine (Marne to Yonne and Canal du Loing) 2.80m 5.50m 11.40m
  Oise, Lateral a l'Oise 2.20m 3.90m 6.00m
  Aisne, Aisne a la Marne 1.80m 3.50m 5.00m
  Marne, Lateral a la Marne 1.80m 3.50m 5.20m
 
CENTRAL FRANCE Minimum Depth Minimum Height Minimum Width
  Loing, Briare, Lateral a la Loire 1.80m 3.50m 5.00m
  Nivernais 1.20m 2.90m 5.00m
  Canal de Bourgogne 1.40m 3.10m 5.00m
  Marne a la Saone 1.80m 3.50m 5.00m
  Saone 2.00m 3.50m 5.00m
EASTERN FRANCE
  Marne au Rhin 1.80m 3.50m 5.00m
  Canal de l'Est, Meuse 1.80m 3.50m 5.00m
  Moselle 2.90m 5.10m 11.00m
  Rhone au Rhin, Canal d'Alsace, Rhin 2.10m 6.75m 22.00m
 
BRITTANY and LOIRE Minimum Depth Minimum Height Minimum Width
  Ille et Rance, Vilaine 1.20m 2.50m 4.50m
  Blavet**, Nantes a Brest (** tidal - variable minms.) 1.10m 2.40m 4.60m
  Loire Tidal 4.50m
  Oudon, Mayenne, Sarthe 1.4m + 1.1m 4.1m + 2.8m 5.00m
 
RHONE and ENTRE DES MERS
> Rhone 3.00m 6.00m 11.00m
> Petit Rhone, Rhone a Sete 2.20m 5.00m 8.00m
  Midi (** in theory, check current depth with VNF) apx 1.60m** 3.30m 5.40m
>Lateral a la Garonne, Garonne (** tidal) 1.80m 3.50m 5.80m
 
 
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