Franche-Comté & Saône – The Natural Paradise
Navigate along the peaceful waterways of the Saone river and the wonderful Rhone to Rhine, Bourgogne and Vosges canals
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Franche-Comté & Saône – The Natural Paradise
Franche-Comte Boating Holidays. The convergence of four waterways gives you a diverse choice of routes to enjoy on your cruise. The France Comté region in the east of the country is a nature paradise. It shares a border with Switzerland and has some exceptional landscapes to discover including the mountain ranges of the Jura and Vosges, its wild forests and many lakes. The Saone has few locks and is perfect for fishing.
You have 2 departure bases to choose from
Port-sur-Saone
Port-sur-Saone is a charming little town. It’s a great base to start your cruise – heading north towards Epinal on the Canal des Vosges. This waterway has a breathtaking scenery through gorges and forests stretching down to the waterside. The little medieval village of Fontenoy-le-Chateau is definitely worth a moment to discover. Bains-les-Bains is a short stroll from the canal and a great stop for a bite to eat. The beautiful town of Epinal with its cobbled streets sits either side of the Moselle river. There’s museums, monuments, great shopping and loads of bars and restaurants to enjoy. If you choose to head south, the village of Gray is on the water’s edge where there’s a medieval castle and Basilica to discover.
Dole
Dole is a great starting point for your cruise. Its marina is located at the foot of the old town where you can visit the Notre-Dame Collegiate. This 16th century Basilica dominates the skyline. The town is the birthplace of Louis Pasteur and there’s a museum in his canalside house. The Doubs river leads to the Rhone & Rhine canal and is considered one of the most beautiful waterways of France. It meanders through winding river bends, steep valleys that are rich with fauna, flora and wildlife. On route visit The Osselles caves, oldest caves open to the public in France, Besançon and its Vauban citadel, Baume les Dames and many other villages and towns that provide many stops worth visiting.
We recommend that you have previous boating experience is you choose the river Doubs routes.
Local tourist office
The region’s tourist office website is worth visiting when you are preparing your holiday with some great local advice, tips and useful information – follow this link
A cruise through the canals and inland waterways of France
Holiday Highlights


The Routes

Holiday Information
PRICES
Guide Prices for 2023 based on 1 week boat hire | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Price period | 18 Mar – 28 Apr 23 Sep – 05 Nov |
29 Apr – 02 Jun 09 Sep – 22 Sep |
03 Jun – 23 Jun 26 Aug – 08 Sep |
24 Jun – 07 Jul 19 Aug – 25 Aug |
08 Jul – 18 Aug |
Travelling by air* |
POA | POA | POA | POA | POA |
Travelling by car* |
£544pp | £695pp | £733pp | £794pp | £847pp |
Travelling by train* |
£854pp | £1005pp | £1043pp | £1104pp | £1157pp |
*Travelling by car |
Prices are based on Dover to Calais ferry crossings in a standard size car measuring 1.85 x 5m. Eurotunnel & other ferry routes also available. | ||||
*Travelling by train |
Prices are based on Standard Class Eurostar service from London to Paris with a connecting fast train service including private transfers on arrival and departure. | ||||
All prices are a guide. Prices can increase or decrease depending on availability. The prices are based on 2 people and 1 week boat hire – Sedan Primo. Other boats and travel options are available please discuss your requirements with our team. We can arrange hotel accommodation before you start or at the end of your boat holiday. Please ask our team for details. Prices can change quickly – you will be quoted the current price at the time of booking. Please visit our special offers page for up to date seasonal discounts. |
BOAT CHOICES
Boat Choices - Depending on the size of your group and your preferred boat specification it may be necessary to start from from a specific base.
From Port Sur Saône
Duration | Cruise From Port Sur Saône | KM | Locks | Hours | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 Day Weekend | A | Port Sur Saône – Ray s Saône – Port Sur Saône | 80 | 14 | 13 |
B | Port Sur Saône – Selles – Port Sur Saône | 82 | 16 | 15 | |
Short Break |
A | Port Sur Saône – Gray – Port Sur Saône | 124 | 22 | 24 |
1 Week | A | Port Sur Saône – Mantoche – Port Sur Saône | 158 | 22 | 26 |
B | Port Sur Saône – Bains Les Bains – Port Sur Saône | 118 | 44 | 28 | |
1 Week (One Way) |
A | Port Sur Saône – Gray – Dole | 154 | 23 | 24 |
10 Days | A | Port Sur Saône – Epinal – Port Sur Saône | 210 | 132 | 65 |
CRUISE FROM DOLE
Duration | Cruise from Dole | KM | Locks | Hours | |
2 Day Weekend | A | Dole – Osselle – Dole | 72 | 20 | 13 |
B | Dole – Auxonne – Dole | 64 | 20 | 12 | |
C | Dole – Saint John de Losne – Dole | 44 | 18 | 10 | |
Short Break | A | Dole – Besançon – Dole | 112 | 40 | 23 |
B | Dole – Mantoche – Dole | 150 | 24 | 22 | |
C | Dole – Verdun Sur le Doubs – Dole | 114 | 18 | 20 | |
1 Week | A | Doile – Baume les Dames – Dole | 182 | 62 | 37 |
B | Dole – Ray Sur Saône – Dole | 250 | 32 | 40 | |
1 Week (One Way) |
A | Dole – Gray – Port Sur Saône | 154 | 23 | 24 |
2 Weeks | A | Dole – Montbèliard – Dole | 294 | 114 | 69 |
B | Dole – Sellesa – Dole | 434 | 60 | 76 |
WHAT'S INCLUDED
NOT INCLUDED
- Sailing consumables: this is packaged to include engine fuel and oil, gas for the hot water and stove. On-board equipment monitors usage. This is paid locally and ranges from €5.50 to €12.80 per day depending on boat size.
- Deposit: You will be asked to pay a deposit of €1000 per boat (1500€ for boats over 10m) and €150 to cover the cleaning (200€ for boats over 10m). This deposit covers the insurance, loss of hire and cleaning if required. The deposit is refundable on the return of the boat at the end of your cruise if it is bought back in clean and undamaged to the agreed return location.
- SIXTO GREEN: Sailing consumables includes gas consumed on board (heating, hotplates, oven etc.), the charging of the batteries during
your cruise and maintenance, plus a financial contribution to VNF, the organization responsible for management of the charging terminals. - Cleaning service: full interior & exterior and interior or exterior.
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
- Comprehensive waterways guide
- Bicycle hire
- Barbecue
- Garage parking
- One way transfers
- Fishing equipment (an obligatory fishing licence costs €25. Please allow 2 or 3 weeks for the application process)
- WiFi
- Deck mattresses
- 12/220v Converter
- Early pick-up & late return
An all inclusive package is available for cruises of one week and longer. It includes:
- Comprehensive waterways guide
- 2 bicycles
- Cleaning package
- Fuel & gas
- Towels & kitchen linen
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To find out more or plan your trip, call us today
+ 44 (0) 1737 452000
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