France » La Mayenne

Additional informations: Piers, ports & harbours with informations on waters. House boat & yacht charter.

French water way:
La Mayenne

Suitability for a house boat & canal holiday *****
Length; 122 km, Looks: 45

Geographie and History  and Description
The River has its spring at La Lacelle and flows through the department Mayenne from north to south. It is navigable from the town Mayenne and meets with the Sarthe at Angers. Until the beginning of the last century, merchant shipping was prospering but had to be closed down in the sixties. It got quiet on the river. But not for long, already in the beginning of the eighties the, Region Pays de la Loire, restored it and it was for tourism. Today, this region belongs to the best, a house-boat hirer can find in France.

Information for Your holiday on a house boat at Departement Mayenne, Pays de la Loire.
Advantage: Very well developed for tourism, best infrastructure, beautiful surrounding.
Disadvantage: Unfortunately, the waterways of this region are not connected to the rest of the French canal system.

Tourism
Friends of nature and quietness shall feel very comfortable on the upper stretch of the river, between Laval and Mayenne. There are hardly any villages between the two towns, the banks are often cliffy and inhospitable and you have to take care of the locks by yourself outside of the season. Since one hardly gets this opportunity anymore, it can be a nice experience, especially with children. This stretch is with 33 kilometres only short but has 17 locks. In the lower, southerly part, one gets to the towns of Chateau-Gontier and Angers. Between them lie some charming villages. The area is also well known for its castles and mills.

Vine and Dine
If one finds them at all, wonderful dishes are served. Pike-perch from the Loire, fish stew, canard, apples etc. and this all accompanied by the vines of the Anjou, by cider and Cointreau.

waterways, for a houseboat holiday and inland waterways tourism in France