The lovely Waterways of The Loire & Nivernais

Peaceful tree lined waterways, delicious Sancerre and Pouilly wines and the majestic Loire valley

The Gallery

Loire Valley
Nevers

The lovely Waterways of The Loire & Nivernais

Loire Valley Boating Holidays. Our two bases in the Loire and Nivernais regions give access to three canals and the Yonne River. You have a wide choice of cruise itineraries to select from and tons to discover. The peaceful waters are easy to navigate and are ideal for leisure cruising. There are lots of historical sites along the way to explore and the waterways take you through the excellent wine producing regions of Sancerre and Pouilly that makes some of the world’s best Sauvignon Blanc.

You have 2 departure bases to choose from

Plagny

Plagny is a small commune on the Canal Lateral à la Loire (Canal that runs along the Loire). There’s easy access to our base where you will find a cafe nearby. For provision shopping we suggest popping into the town of Nevers that’s about a 10 minutes drive away. This busy town has lots of shops & eateries and rich cultural history.

Plagny is at the intersection of two canals that are considered to be the prettiest and most popular destinations to take a boating holiday. Heading south will guide you on to the Canal du Nivernais from where you can discover the villages of Decize where you can moor on the town quay and take a short stroll into the centre. The canal will also take you through the villages of Cercy-la-Tour and Chatillon-en-Bazois that have plenty of mooring close to the village centres. Heading in the opposite direction from Plagny will take you on the viaduct over the Loire River towards one of the best wine making regions of France. The village of La Charité-sur-Loire has some of the finest Romanesque architecture and its priory is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Both towns of Sancerre and Pouilly sur Loire are accessible from the canal if you have a bicycle. They’re worth the visit to discover the home of these two excellent tipples.

Rogny-les-Sept-Écluses

The boat hire base at Rogny-les-Sept-Ecluses is close to the town centre and ideally located for your essential shopping before you start your adventure. It’s a picturesque little town with cafes and restaurants and worth a visit. Starting your cruise on the southbound route will take you through the town of Briare over the canal aqueduct designed by Gustave Eiffel, where you’ll find some good mooring spots and accessible to the centre on foot. It’s a good pit stop opportunity to do some shopping or/and drinking a quick/slow refreshing “pression”. Continuing south will take you through Chatillon-sur-Loire that has some lovely beaches and then onto Sancerre. If you choose the northern route from Rogny, the Canal du Loing will take you to the bustling town of Montargis – known as the Venice of Gâtinais. There’s a network of canals, 17 bridges and delightful waterside dwellings. There are lots of restaurants, shops and cafes and the town’s speciality is the delicious Praline – caramelized almonds (may contain nuts!). They make perfect gifts to thank the neighbours for keeping an eye on your house while you’re on your hols (and cheaper than a bottle of Sancerre!)

The Loop. If you have time to take a longer cruise we recommend the wonderful “Centre of France loop” cruising on the Nivernais, Bourgogne and Val de Loire: 3 weeks of exceptional canal boating!

Local tourist office

The Loire Valley tourist office website is worth visiting when you are preparing your holiday with some great local advice, tips and useful information www.loirevalley-france.co.uk

The Canal du Nivernais’ website is also worth a visit www.canal-du-nivernais.com with some useful tips

A cruise through the canals and inland waterways of France

Holiday Highlights

Lots of routes

Three canals and one river to choose and enjoy

Wide and gentle waterways

Ideal for leisure cruising & easy to navigate

Delicious wines

The wine producers of Sancerre and Pouilly – Sauvignon Blanc country!

River beaches and waterside inland marinas

Great for swimming and fishing

See lots more of the region

3 weeks whole loop and one way route options

The Routes

Boating holidays map

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*
£414pp (Plagny)
£691pp (Rogny)
£521pp (Plagny)
£891pp (Rogny)
£549pp (Plagny)
£941pp (Rogny)
£592pp (Plagny)
£1022pp (Rogny)
£626pp (Plagny)
£1088pp (Rogny)
Travelling
by train*
£778pp (Plagny) £885pp (Plagny) £913pp (Plagny) £956pp (Plagny) £990pp (Plagny)
*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 and they include a private transfer on arrival and departure.
All prices are a guide. Prices can increase or decrease depending on availability. The prices are based on 2 people with 1 week boat hire – Sedan 800 from Plagny and Estivale Duo from Rogny. 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.

Boat Ranges Port Sur Saône Dole
Estivale More Info Duo | Quattro | Sixto Duo | Quattro | Quattro S | Sixto | Octo
Confort More Info 900 DP | 1100 | 1350 B 900 DP | 1100 | 1350 B
Sedan More Info 1000 | 1010 | 1170 | 1310 | Primo 1000 | 1010 | 1160N | 1170 | 1310 | Primo

From Plangy

Duration Cruise From Plagny KM Locks Hours
2 Day Weekend A Plagny – Marseilles-les-Aubigny – Plagny 46 4 8h
B Plagny – Decize – Plagny 66 10 14h
Short Break A Plagny – Sancerre – Plagny 112 22 25h
B Plagny – Cercy la Tour Marseilles – Plagny 102 22 25h
1 Week A Plagny – Châtillon – s Loire – Plagny 180 32 42h
B Plagny – Châtillon en Bazois  – Plagny 176 54 48h
1 Week
(One Way)
A Plagny – Sancerre – Rogny 118 32 28h
3 Weeks (the whole central loop) A Plagny – Rogny / Auxerre – Plagny 436 174 98h
Cruise from Rogny-les-Sept- Écluses

Duration Cruise from Rogny-les-Sept- Écluses KM Locks Hours
1 Week A Rogny – La Charité-s Loire – Rogny 164 50 39h
B Rogny – Moret-s Loing – Rogny 168 72 42h
1 Week
(One way)
A Rogny – Sancerre – Plagny 118 32 28h
3 Weeks A Rogny – Auxerre / Plagny – Rogny 436 174 98h

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Crockery etc

Full supply for the number of passengers + kitchen towel kit

Bedding and Towels:

sheets, blankets/duvets, pillows with cases

Navigation Instruction

Boat Equipment

All equipment necessary for navigation

Temporary Boat Licence

Temporary Boat Licence to use on the waterways of France

Boat Insurance

Please check on arrival  for upgrades to insurance

Breakdown assistance:

Available 7 days per week during base opening times

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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