Cruising French Waterways, 4E

By Hugh McKnight

The Ensign , May/June 2007:

“One of my retirement goals is to cruise the canals of France in a rented barge.

When I go to France, I will take the latest copy of this guidebook, which provides details about restaurants, museums, shops, historic sights and scenic attractions along the waterways.

Thumbing through this comprehensive book and learning about the different locks, aqueducts and tunnels on the canals makes me want to go today. I want to tie up to the shore of a lovely canal and enjoy the beautiful French countryside with a bottle of local wine after a visit to one of the numerous bakeries.

It sounds like a perfect place for a USPS rendezvous, and McKnight’s book will be the guide!”

The Bookwatch, November 2005:

“Cruising French Waterways first appeared in 1984 and has become the leading guide to the network of rivers and canals across France, winning the Thomas Cook Guide Book Award and covering not just boating, but developments and facilities, shops and restaurants, and even wine regions. This illustrated 4th edition revised and updates all details, covering all recently restored routes and including license requirements and more. Packed with lock-by-lock descriptions and scenic overviews, Cruising French Waterways is a ‘must’ for any boater bound for France.”

Latitudes & Attitudes, October 2005:

“This guide has been around for a long time. In fact, the first edition came out 20 years ago, in 1984, and it has become the leading descriptive guide to the varied network of rivers and canals all over France. It covers the development and commercial activities of each area, as well as the historical sites.

“It is one of the most complete guides to cover the approximate 5000 miles of waterways. In it you will find plenty of maps and guides for each individual area, as well as the maximum dimensions for vessels wishing to travel there. It gives an in-depth look at the bankside facilities, including where you will find good moorings and repair yards.

“Of course, it will tell you where you can take on fuel and supplies, as well as suggest the better restaurants, points of interest and shops of all kinds.

“If you want to check out a little history, the guide will show you where to find museums and other sites of interest to boaters.

“And what voyage on the French waterways would be complete without a guide to the wines and the areas within the wine regions?

“In the center of the book you will find some great color photos taken along the various routes and just looking through them is enough to give anyone the itch to make the trip. You may need to add a couple charts, but this guide will tell you everything you need to know about the area.”

Midwest Book Review, August 2005:

“Now in this updated and expanded fourth edition, Hugh McKnight continues to draw upon his nearly four decades of experience and undeniable expertise in making Cruising French Waterways an essential reference and guidebook for anyone wanting to sail or motorboat along one of France's 5000 miles of waterways. Extensive descriptions of scenery and historic locales make Cruising French Waterways as ideal for armchair travelers as it is for vacationers whetting their anticipation for what to expect. Black-and-white and color photographs offer a glimpse of the ancient wonders waiting to be discovered. Packed with detail cover to cover, Cruising French Waterways spares no effort to explore the depth and beauty of the scenic French countryside.”

Living Aboard, January/February 2004:

"In America, our canals have mostly disappeared or been turned into the nautical equivalent of superhighways. There are exceptions: the Erie canal is still a quiet waterway over much of its length. But any determination to see much of our country's interior from the deck of a boat will require a great deal of intimidating big river navigation, complete with massive strings of barges, swift currents, and lots of industrial blight.

"It's different in France. The French have maintained a number of their ancient waterways, so much so that canals and rivers cover that beautiful country like the mesh of a very large fishing net, allowing access too many of the region's most rewarding destinations. The canals were built to a human scale, many of them long ago—the Canal du Midi is 300 years old and several are substantially older. These canals initially survived due to the existence of small barges called peniches, operated by the waterway equivalent of over-the-road truckers.

"Peniches carried much of the country's commerce in the 19th and 20th centuries. Though this commerce is now declining, the use of the canals by pleasure craft has become such a boon to the economy that the French authorities continue to renovate and re-open canals, adding to the already vast possibilities.

"McKnight has spent a lifetime exploring the waterways of Europe, first those of his native Britain and then broadening his research to include the Continent. His descriptions of the French canals and rivers are vivid, affectionate and full of vital information. The book is beautifully illustrated with photographs and drawings, including a section of color photographs that must be among the most beautiful ever published in this kind of book.

"He's roamed the canals in boats as small as an outboard-powered inflatable, and as large as commercial tour boats. He's camped on the grassy verges of the canal, spent nights tied up alongside ancient monuments, and enjoyed the many fine restaurants scattered through canalside towns and cities. It all sounds wonderful.

"This is the 4th edition of this indispensable guide, updated to reflect the many changes in European Union red tape required to take a vessel into this boater's paradise. I recommend this fine book to anyone who has ever considered a voyage to Europe. I can't think of a finer way to spend a summer, or many summers—in fact, a sailor could spend a lifetime in these beautiful waterways, without exhausting the possibilities."

• For more information, see Cruising French Waterways
  in our catalog.