Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
Canoe Guide - Meuse/Maas
Canoe Tour in France/Belgium/Netherlands: Meuse/Maas
I have not canoed this route.
This river is known as the Meuse where it rises in Vosges of Eastern France before flowing into Belgium and
reaching the North Sea in the Netherlands. The navigable section of the river starts at Bazoilles where the river
is small with some easy whitewater and weirs to negotiate. As you head north the river becomes canalised,
initially the canal and river often run parallel to each othe but further north the canal tends to follow the route
of the river.
Start: Bazoilles in France. Bazoilles is on the D74 south of Neufchateau, which is on the N74 SW of Nancy.
Finish: The Maas flows into the Rhine. You will probably want to finish your tour before you reach that busy
commercial waterway. The Jachthaven at Drimmeln, which has a campsite might be the place to stop.
Distance: 715 km
Difficulty: Medium. There are many small weirs to shoot or portage. Once the canal is reaches there are
locks to portage. As the Rhine is approached their will be an increase in motorised vessels to cope with. I will
need to canoe the river before getting a full appreciation of the difficulties.
The route:
0 km Bazoilles: There will be small weirs and rapids before the canalised section of the Meuse is
reached. I am not describing or giving details of most of them. Inspect as necessary before shooting or portaging.
6 km Neufchateau
14 km Coussey: Portage necessary at weir
61 km Pagney-sur-Meuse
64 km Rheine-Marne Canal
74 km Canal de l’Est joins Meuse.
76 km Commercy: Portage into Meuse as it leaves canal on right
80 km Meuse rejoins canal
The distances in the German guidebook are confusing. They give distances along the canal, but the route of
the river is longer. Therefore the distances could be considerably greater than I have quoted in the sections
where you are in the river rather than the canal. There will generally be weirs where the river leaves the canal.
81 km Take canal past Sampigny by canal. The aerial photos suggest to me that Meuse is navigable. River
rejoins canal beyond Sampigny. River then leaves canal on the left and rejoins at St. Mihiel.
98 km St. Mihiel
Les Paroches: River leaves canal on left.
135 km River rejoins the canal
137 km River leaves the canal on the left
159 km Brabant-sur-Meuse. River rejoins the canal.
River leaves canal on the left
165 km Sivrey-su-Meuse: River joins the canal
River leaves canal on left
177 km Dun-sur-Meuse: You are probably better following the canal here because of a difficult weir on the
river.
Sassey-sur-Meuse: River leaves canal on left
Mouzay: River joins the canal
189 km Stenay: River leaves canal on left
Inor: River joins the canal
Pouilly-sur- Meuse
214 km Viliers devant Mouzon: River leaves canal on right
Bazeilles: River joins the canal
220 km Sedan: The next section will be along the canalised Meuse. There are a few sections which you will
need to portage.
259 km Charleville-Mezieres
298 km Revin
303 km Givet: Belgium border
387 km Namur
416 km Huy
456 km Liege
Netherlands border
477 km Maastricht
480 km The river leaves the canal on the right and follows the Belgium-Netherlands border.
Maasgouw: River joins the canal
Venlo
706 km Dimmeln
715 km Maas joins the Rhine south of Rotterdam
Information:
Kanu DKV-Auslandsführer Band 6: Nord frank Reich Benelux
Route description in German
Guide - Itineraires 700 Rivieres de France
A very brief route summary in French of French section.
I have not canoed this route.
This river is known as the Meuse where it rises in Vosges of Eastern France before flowing into Belgium and
reaching the North Sea in the Netherlands. The navigable section of the river starts at Bazoilles where the river
is small with some easy whitewater and weirs to negotiate. As you head north the river becomes canalised,
initially the canal and river often run parallel to each othe but further north the canal tends to follow the route
of the river.
Start: Bazoilles in France. Bazoilles is on the D74 south of Neufchateau, which is on the N74 SW of Nancy.
Finish: The Maas flows into the Rhine. You will probably want to finish your tour before you reach that busy
commercial waterway. The Jachthaven at Drimmeln, which has a campsite might be the place to stop.
Distance: 715 km
Difficulty: Medium. There are many small weirs to shoot or portage. Once the canal is reaches there are
locks to portage. As the Rhine is approached their will be an increase in motorised vessels to cope with. I will
need to canoe the river before getting a full appreciation of the difficulties.
The route:
0 km Bazoilles: There will be small weirs and rapids before the canalised section of the Meuse is
reached. I am not describing or giving details of most of them. Inspect as necessary before shooting or portaging.
6 km Neufchateau
14 km Coussey: Portage necessary at weir
61 km Pagney-sur-Meuse
64 km Rheine-Marne Canal
74 km Canal de l’Est joins Meuse.
76 km Commercy: Portage into Meuse as it leaves canal on right
80 km Meuse rejoins canal
The distances in the German guidebook are confusing. They give distances along the canal, but the route of
the river is longer. Therefore the distances could be considerably greater than I have quoted in the sections
where you are in the river rather than the canal. There will generally be weirs where the river leaves the canal.
81 km Take canal past Sampigny by canal. The aerial photos suggest to me that Meuse is navigable. River
rejoins canal beyond Sampigny. River then leaves canal on the left and rejoins at St. Mihiel.
98 km St. Mihiel
Les Paroches: River leaves canal on left.
135 km River rejoins the canal
137 km River leaves the canal on the left
159 km Brabant-sur-Meuse. River rejoins the canal.
River leaves canal on the left
165 km Sivrey-su-Meuse: River joins the canal
River leaves canal on left
177 km Dun-sur-Meuse: You are probably better following the canal here because of a difficult weir on the
river.
Sassey-sur-Meuse: River leaves canal on left
Mouzay: River joins the canal
189 km Stenay: River leaves canal on left
Inor: River joins the canal
Pouilly-sur- Meuse
214 km Viliers devant Mouzon: River leaves canal on right
Bazeilles: River joins the canal
220 km Sedan: The next section will be along the canalised Meuse. There are a few sections which you will
need to portage.
259 km Charleville-Mezieres
298 km Revin
303 km Givet: Belgium border
387 km Namur
416 km Huy
456 km Liege
Netherlands border
477 km Maastricht
480 km The river leaves the canal on the right and follows the Belgium-Netherlands border.
Maasgouw: River joins the canal
Venlo
706 km Dimmeln
715 km Maas joins the Rhine south of Rotterdam
Information:
Kanu DKV-Auslandsführer Band 6: Nord frank Reich Benelux
Route description in German
Guide - Itineraires 700 Rivieres de France
A very brief route summary in French of French section.
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