10 Things We Wish We’d Known Before Renting a Canal Boat in France
After our week-long adventure in the canals in southern France, we learned a lot of things the hard way. Yes. So, we’re sharing our top 10 tips for things we wish we had known before we’d even stepped on the boat, so we can help you have a more enjoyable and less anxiety provoking and stressful experience. Subscribe to our channel for more Zeke and Terry adventures. Tip number one, get the all-inclusive package if it’s available. If your rental company offers an all-inclusive option, definitely look into it. We didn’t even know it existed until after our trip. We paid separately for fuel based on engine runtime, bikes that barely worked, and towels. The all-inclusive would have been cheaper and saved us headaches. Tip number two, pack smart and only bring the essentials. Stores aren’t always available when you need them, especially on Sundays. Coffee, toilet paper, dish soap, paper towels, olive oil, salt, pepper, and a sharp knife. Trust us on this one. And definitely bring food for the first two days so you don’t stress about where your first few meals and glasses of wine or cups of coffee are going to come from. Tip number three, lower your expectations of the boat. These boats get beat up year after year. Ours had a broken burner, no working oven, and a pump issue midweek. We called the emergency numbers multiple times, and no one called us back. They didn’t even check their messages until we returned the boat 4 days later. Don’t be surprised if things don’t work perfectly, but the boat should be just good enough to enjoy the adventure and get you to your final destination. Just good enough. Tip number four, budget for docking fees. We had no idea we’d be paying to dock, get electricity, and get water at all of the ports. Fees ranged from €4 for a few hours of electricity to €42 for an overnight stay. And some of the places only take cash like Columbia, so definitely come prepared. The rest of the places did take credit cards. Tip number five, the charts are terrible. The maps they gave us included handwritten notations with wildly inaccurate time estimates. That was very frustrating. We were flying by the seat of our pants daily, stressed about making our deadline to return the boat at the end of the week. Even if you try to do research beforehand, it’s not going to be enough. While there are French waterway planning sites, be prepared for it to take about 3 days to get a handle on your travel pace. And also expect to plan and replan each day based on where you stop, what ports or docks have space available, and weather. Tip number six, pack light and squishy. Storage is extremely limited on the boat. We used an entire bed just for our three small suitcases. Duffel bags are your friend. They’re squishy and fit into weird spaces better than hard luggage. And honestly, we cannot imagine how four to six people would fit on the boat we were on. It was super cozy with just the three of us. Tip number seven, understand the electrical system. Electrical outlets only work when you’re plugged into shore power at the dock. Our boat had exactly three outlets, one in each bedroom and one in the kitchen. Plan your device charging accordingly, especially if you’re wild mooring. Oh, and the fridge will work the entire time, assuming you follow the directions. On our boat, the engine recharged the battery that supplied the refrigerator. Tip number eight, master the bathroom situation. The toilets, well, they’re different. You’ll need to use the brush and flush multiple times. And despite what they tell you about not flushing toilet paper, the signs actually say to flush toilet paper only. Pro tip, move the toilet paper out of the bathroom before showering since the entire bathroom becomes the shower stall. Tip number nine, it’s less relaxing than you think. We thought this would be super chill, but the first few days were all about figuring out the boat, the route, and where to get supplies. Between the lock schedules, lift bridge timings, and finding available moorings, there’s a lot to coordinate. Plus, weather can completely change your plans. Our friends couldn’t enter the tow due to high winds when they did a similar trip. Tip number 10, embrace the chaos. Despite all these challenges, we absolutely love the experience and we would do it again. Just go in knowing there will be unknowns, variables, and things that don’t go as planned. Some of our best moments came from having to adapt and figure things out as we went along. The bottom line, lower your expectations around the boat and come prepared for the first couple of days and pack light. More importantly, be flexible and embrace the adventure. The French waterways in southern France are absolutely incredible. Have you been on a canal trip? What would you add to this list? Let us know in the comments and be sure to subscribe to our channel so we can share more honest travel advice. [Music]
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Planning a canal boat adventure in France? Here’s what they don’t tell you!🚤⚓
After our week-long self-piloted journey through southern France’s waterways, we’re sharing the 10 most important things we wish we’d known before stepping aboard our rental boat.
🚤 OUR TOP 10 CANAL BOAT TIPS:
1. Get the all-inclusive package (if available)
2. Bring essentials for the first 2 days
3. Lower your boat expectations
4. Budget for docking fees (4-42 euros per night)
5. The provided charts are terrible…plan to replan daily
6. Pack light and squishy (duffel bags over hard luggage)
7. Understand the electrical system (outlets only work when the boat is plugged into a dock)
8. Master the unique bathroom situation
9. It’s less relaxing than you think…there’s lots to coordinate!
10. Embrace the chaos…flexibility is key
💡 REALITY CHECK: These boats aren’t luxury yachts, stores aren’t always available, and you’ll be figuring things out as you go. But the experience is absolutely incredible, and we’d do it again in a heartbeat!
Perfect for anyone considering Canal du Midi, Canal du Rhône à Sète, or Étang de Thau adventures. Save yourself stress, money, and surprises with these hard-learned lessons!
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Video and images by Zeke and Terri from our iPhones
Video editing by Zeke using Finalcut Pro
Music from Epidemic Sound
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