ROW YOUR BOAT, GENTLY DOWN THE RIVER…
Here, the nursery rhyme is brought to life as there are no less than 7 river itineraries in Rives de Saône. It comes as no surprise that the port of Saint-Jean-de-Losne is known on a worldwide scale.
Here, the nursery rhyme is brought to life as there are no less than 7 river itineraries in Rives de Saône. It comes as no surprise that the port of Saint-Jean-de-Losne is known on a worldwide scale.
The sailing conditions are ideal on the Saône. The level of water is satisfactory all year round, there are not many locks (3 locks in Rives de Saône), the river is wide and the natural environment is preserved. Sailing is authorised here all year round, except during periods when the water level is very high. The Saône is divided into 2 sections:
Most locks are automatic or semi-automatic. There are lights to regulate the different steps of manoeuvers. Make sure you ask someone to explain to you how the locks work and ask for the guide (please note that locks are closed on 01/05).
In Saint-Jean-de-Losne, go under the bridge to access the Canal de Bourgogne and sail to Dijon through around twenty locks, spread out over approximately thirty kilometres. This small canal allows you to sail from the waters of the Seine and Yonne, to those of the Saône and the Rhône.
On the Canal du Rhône au Rhin, the services are available for two periods in the year: high season (summer-time period) and low season (winter-time period). Sailing is not possible in between these periods. The sailing times vary depending on the period.
Plan for your trip depending on the size of your boat, and the time you would like to take based on the river itinerary calculation available on the website “Voies Navigables de France”. This service also provides real time information about closed sections.
> Download the brochure “Bienvenue sur le réseau des voies navigables de France” where you will find information about the toll fees, regulations and practical information.
A historic river town where cargo barges once sailed. Today, there is still a great number of professionals involved in the sale, rental and maintenance of all sorts of boats. You’ll have everything you need to guarantee a pleasant boat trip.
The towns of Saint-Jean-de-Losne and Saint-Usage are very close to one another, and have all the shops you could possibly need, including the Casino supermarket in Saint-Jean-de-Losne (500 metres from the Quai National, Intermarché and Lidl in Saint-Usage (2 km from the Quai National). In the town centre of Saint-Jean-de-Losne, there’s a bakery, pharmacies, doctor’s surgeries and a vet.
If you need to get anywhere, you can hire bicycles at the Rives de Saône Tourist Office (200 metres from the Quai National). There is a bus to Dijon that stops in the towns of Losne, Saint-Jean-de-Losne and Saint-Usage (check the timetable) and there’s also a train service (Saint-Jean-de-Losne train station to go to Dijon or Bourg-en-Bresse (check the timetable).
The last stop (or the entrance) of the Côte d’Or and the Petite Saône, here you have everything you need, whatever the size of your boat.
In the town of Seurre you’ll find all the convenience shops (bakery, pharmacy, appliances, clothes, post office, shoe shop, etc.) as well as doctors’ surgeries and a vet, all in the newly renovated town centre. There is a market every Saturday morning from 8am to 1pm, on Rue de la République.
If you need to go further, you can hire a car at the Renault garage (2 km from the dock) or bikes from the Camping de la Plage (on the other side of the river, opposite the harbour master’s office) (you’ll have to cross the bridge over the Saône). From Seurre, you can take the bus to Beaune (See the timetable), or the train to Dijon or Bourg-en-Bresse (see the timetable).
