CRUISING
Experienced boater Larry MacDonald gets lost in the simple pleasures of a Le Boat charter through rural France
Chartering sail and motor boats in my native Canada and around the US is something I’ve been doing for years, but I’ve always wanted to try a different style of boating on the waterways of France. Charter company Le Boat is one of the largest operators in this sector of the market with an extensive fleet of boats as far afield as Scotland and Italy, but the bulk of which are based in France.
As there were four of us we opted for a 38ft Horizon 2 based on the River Saône at Saint-Jean-de-Losne in Burgundy, France, for a week in May 2023. Not only would this mean cruising through the heart of this world famous wine region but the route would allow us to enjoy a few hours of relaxed boating each day, leaving plenty of time to explore the picturesque towns and villages along the way. It also had just seven locks to navigate, whereas some have as many as ten or more in a single day.
SAINT-JEAN-DE-LOSNE
Staying two nights at the highly recommended Les Charmilles B&B gave us ample opportunity to recover from our flight, and shop for groceries prior to collecting the boat.
After completing the necessary paperwork at the Le Boat office, watching a safety video and being shown around our boat, we were taken on a short accompanied trip to familiarise ourselves with the controls and practise our stern-to docking. According to Le Boat, driving one of its boats is easier and more relaxing than driving a car; no experience is necessary and no licence is required. You can even bring your dog and rent bicycles to take with you on your cruise.
Our friends Barry and Joan were as impressed as Sandy and I with the boat’s cleanliness and features: two separate cabins and bathrooms and lots of useful facilities such as a microwave, gas BBQ and large fridge freezer. As skipper, I was impressed with the bow and stern thrusters to make docking and locks easier.
Our boat had two separate helms: one inside on the main deck and one on the flybridge. A governor prevents the boat from going more than 8km per hour but we often cruised at lower speeds to admire the countryside and as slow as 3km per hour when passing oncoming boats (portto-port) and anglers on a narrow river.
We spent hours meandering upstream, with cuckoos and kingfishers sounding our passage
By 2pm we were underway
