Boating Holidays in Burgundy Nivernais Loire

Joigny is a small town which sits next to the River Yonne with a wealth of water activity particularly during the summer months. On land Joigny offers a refreshingly contemporary art gallery and a lively marketplace making this a vibrant place to experience and explore. If relaxation is what you're looking for why not take a more serene trip just out of town to the Pays d'Othe region- a cider-making area which invites you to sample the French version of this refreshing drink.

Dompierre is a haven for nature of all types; for a romantic excursion the rose garden at the Abbey of Sept Fons is bound to provide a walk full of peace and quiet. For animal lovers Dompierre also has a safari park with a wide range of species on display. And at the end of the day why not relax with a bottle of white rosé or red produced in nearby Saint-Pourçain?

Chatel-Censoir is your gateway to what many consider to be the most beautiful and romantic of all French canals the Canal du Nivernais. Its shady banks and peaceful seclusion draw you into a dreamworld far far from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and you'll find life on board a very relaxing experience!

The construction of the Canal du Midi made many changes to the landscape of the town with mills and buildings sprouting out of the landscape. The Canal heralded a time of unprecedented development and Castelnaudary grew in accordance. Now home to over 2000 inhabitants the town is the capital of Cassoulet – a rich stew made from local ingredients of white beans pork goose duck and sausages.

The construction of the Canal du Midi made many changes to the landscape of the town with mills and buildings sprouting out of the landscape. The Canal heralded a time of unprecedented development and Castelnaudary grew in accordance. Now home to over 2000 inhabitants the town is the capital of Cassoulet – a rich stew made from local ingredients of white beans pork goose duck and sausages.

Situated at the confluence of the Yonne the Armencon and the Serein the history of Migennes has been tied to the canal for centuries. Since ancient times it has been at the heart of the crossroads of the commercial routes through Burgundy and has been an important town in the religious landscape of France.

Tannay is situated in the centre of a wine-producing region which spreads over chalk fields to produce excellent dry white wine. Whilst you stroll down the roads and side streets you will discover many houses which have exterior staircases enclosed within either round or square towers.

An ideal starting point from which to explore the canal du Nivernais. Being on an embranchment off  the main canal makes it a secure and tranquil mooring with easy access by road and rail  the town also provides a good range of services. Vermenton is on the RN6 and is close to the A6 motorway it also has a station with direct trains from Paris. In the town there are several bars and restaurants a good selection of village shops and a supermarket there is also a village market on Fridays. It was once an important village on the old coaching route to Lyon and the port was used to send wood and wine from this region to Paris.  Today there are still many local wine villages and wood is still sent to Paris but these days by rail! The Nivernais is a beautiful canal and often makes use of the river Yonne which had been used for transport since medieval times but the canal which was built to link the Seine and the Loire was never a success. This happily for us means that the region has lost none of rustic charm and the beautiful scenery is punctuated by ancient towns and villages. Burgundy is also rightly famous for it's food and wine and along the Nivernais there are ample opportunities to sample both. Vermenton is home to the English family that have run this port for the past 16 years. Steve & Zoe Adams and Mike & Lesley Gardner-Roberts left England and a variety of careers to take over the port and to start a new life in France. They now have 5 children between them all born in France and are involved in the day to day running. They are supported by their base manager Chris Down and hostess Alice Brianne. They have a wealth of knowledge about the French canals and the region and are very willing to help with any questions or requests.