History of the canals

Curiously, in a region surrounded on all sides by the sea, river navigation preceded the conquest of the oceans. The Ille-et-Rance canal, which links the English Channel to the Atlantic, and the Nantes-Brest canal were commissioned by Napoleon to limit the effects of the English blockade along the French coast. The long and arduous construction work was performed by prisoners of war and convicts. Until the arrival of the railway, the canals were used to transport goods on sailing boats and barges pulled by horses driven along the towpaths.

From freight to pleasure craft

Up to the second world war the ports of Redon, Hennebont, Dinan, or Port-Launay were enlivened by heavy river traffic. At the crossroads between two worlds, the maritime and the river, the quaysides in these ports were transit points for goods such as sand, stone, wood and fertiliser. River navigation thus made a great contribution to the expansion of the major commercial seaports in Brittany. Between the two world wars increased competition from the railway and the appearance on the roads of the first trucks heralded the decline of river navigation. River tourism succeeded the transport of freight, giving the Breton waterways a new lease of life.

The Breton river network

Today, Breton rivers and canals constitute a network of more than 600 km of navigable waterways reserved for leisure activities and boating. There are two main routes.

The English Channel-Ocean link: running north-south and comprising the maritime Rance, the Ille-et-Rance canal, the canalised section of the river Vilaine and the maritime Vilaine, which in turn runs through Dinan, Rennes, Redon and Roche-Bernard.

The Nantes-Brest canal: covering 360 km and running from east-west along in turn the Erdre, the Isac, the Oust, and the Aulne. On leaving Lorient, a cruise along the Blavet, the eastern section of the Nantes-Brest canal and the Erdre allows exploring Josselin and Redon before reaching Nantes. From the far point of the Brest roadways, it is possible to travel up the Aulne and the western section of the Nantes-Brest canal to Châteaulin and Carhaix-Plouguer. Between Pontivy and Hennebont, the Blavet canal joins the Nantes- Brest canal at Guerlédan. The lake at Guerlédan is a huge expanse of water 12 kms long, where various nautical sports are practised. Beaches and banks have been constructed along the lake leading to the Nantes-Brest canal.

Navigation on the waterways

Seven hire companies offer routes departing from Dinan, Hédé, Messac, Redon, Rohan, Pontivy, La Roche-Bernard and Sucé-sur- Erdre. No licence is required to pilot these boats on the Breton canals. On arriving at the starting point, the boat hire company welcomes its customers, installing them onboard, followed by an initiation in operating the craft. The journey proceeds at a slow pace passing through locks, frequently operated by lock-keepers - with no lock fees. The towpaths along the canals mooring and visiting the surrounding sites and villages.

From one bank to another

On the banks of rivers and canals, there are various sites included the from "From one bank to the other" scheme, offering leisure activities based around the waterways. These sites, classified as 1,2 or 3 "dragonflies", comply with a visitor quality charter awarded depending on their tourist attractions and the type of facilities and services offered. Walking tours, nautical activities, games for children, picnic areas, heritage sites to visit and various local services are offered to pleasure boaters who can enjoy stopovers on dry land.

More information

Brittany Tourist Board
1 rue raoul ponchon
35069 Rennes Cedex
Tel. : 0033 2 99 28 44 30
Fax : 0033 2 99 28 44 40
www.brittanytourism.com

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