We were woken at 0600 by the wash from the first pusher of the day - obviously paying little heed to the thought of slowing down for moored boats. As the locks were due to open at 0700 we decided it would be a good idea to get under way, and by 0715 we were safely in the lock - although only after the lock keeper had pointed out the limit of navigation for pleasure boats sign half way along. Obviously being too close to the sluices is not a good idea, as we soon found out. Once safely through, we could begin our final leg up to central Paris where we planned to stay for a few days. As you get near Paris the number of houseboats increases dramatically and we wondered how their metal hulls were coping with this relentless heat. Nearer to the centre of the city, the houseboats are replaced by the Bateaux Mouches - dozens of trip boats waiting for their tourist customers.

Cruising up to Paris is not dissimilar to the trip up the Thames through central London, although the tidal conditions are much easier, being so much further from the sea. There is a similar feeling of sailing past history as famous landmarks come into view.

We took the narrow Bras de la Monnaie arm past the Ile de la Cite, and joined the one way traffic round Ile Saint Louis. Then it was onto the VHF to speak to the Port de Paris Arsenal and arrange to join the next lock into the marina, nestling at the end of the Canal Saint Martin. The metro bridge which crosses the lock is a nominal 5.2m high and with only an inch or two clearance above our mast light, we can confirm that this is correct!

Cruising Statistics

Distance: 10 nm

Total to date: 1616 nm

Avg Speed: 5 knots

Duration: 2 hours

Diesel: 30 litres (est)

Mooring: €33/night

Electricity: Free

Bridges

Too many to mention

Locks

Suresnes

Min headroom: 5.2m at entrance to Paris-Arsenal
(6m on main river)

Min draught: 3m

Charts

Navicarte 1