Places to visit | Boat tours | Background information
Waterways leisure boating & river trips

Click on RED squares and towns for information about boat trips Developing facilities along the network The network of tranquil inland waterways through Nord PasdeCalais are a good way to explore the region. A legacy from the industrial revolution, they now carry much less commercial traffic, and are slowly being developed for leisure boating.
Hire boats & tours available at:
Armentieres - pleasure-boating port with 70 berths Tours around the Prés du Hem lake, with artificial beach, bird sanctuary, deer reserve, children's farm, cafe, etc. Port is near to town centre. Back to map		Prés du Hem lake, Amentieres near Lille
Arques - popular pleasure-boating port with nearly 100 berths and good facilities (showers, water & electricity, bar/ restaurant, access ramp).		Back to map
The Val de la Sensée, a canal that joins the rivers Escaut and Scarpe - running through a beautiful peaceful area of lakes, woods and marshes.
Bouchain or Cambrai Tours starting in Bouchain or Cambrai on l'Escaut and the Val de la Sensée to Douai, Vaucelles Abbey, etc. 'Eureka' seats 130 passengers on cruises, 80 if meals served.		L'Eureka 525 rue Emile Chevalier 59111 BOUCHAIN Tel: 00 33 3 27 25 34 57 Fax: 00 33 3 27 34 85 18 Back to map
Douai Tours along the Val de la Sensée to Lewarde (mining museum), the Musée du Vieux-Douai, the Musée de la Chartreuse, etc. Seats 50-120 dining passengers; Bar, DJ or band.		Swanny (pictured left) 1251 Chemin du Halage 59500 DOUAI Tel: 00 33 3 27 96 39 25 Fax: 00 33 3 27 96 26 12 Back to map
Essars (near Bethune) Tours to: Arques - Fontinettes boat-lift or Crystal glass factory Distillerie de Wamrechies (N.of Lille) - tour of gin distillery via river Lys to the Belgium border via river Scarpe to Arras to Lille, St.Omer, or Douai. Boat seats 120 passenger; 20 dining.		LE CH'TI (Mr. Demey) Rue du Silo 62400 ESSARS-LES-BETHUNE Tel: 00 33 3 21 27 55 18 Back to map
Cruising along the river Aa from Gravelines (right)
Gravelines River cruises to discover the communities along the river Aa from Gravelines on the coast towards Bourbourg and Watten. Meals served on board.		Office de Tourisme des Rives de l'Aa 11 rue de la République, GRAVELINES Tel: 00 33 3 28 - 51 84 84 / - 51 94 00 Back to map
Honnecourt-sur-Escaut Seasonal river cruises on the upper Escaut/ St.Quentin canal: Vaucelles Abbey, etc. "Pierre" seats 12 passengers.		Honnecourt-sur-Escaut Tourist Office Tel: 00 33 3 - 27 78 51 34 Back to map
Maubeuge "Robert Louis Stevenson" tours along la Sambre to Belgian border. Seats 128 passengers on cruises.		Sambre Evasion 22 avenue Franklin Roosevelt 59600 MAUBEUGE Tel: 00 33 3 27 62 12 12 Fax: 00 33 3 27 64 00 40 Back to map
Saint-Omer and Clairmarais Tours to: the marshlands of the Audomarois (1 hour) upstream to Arques and the Fontinettes boat-lift (2.30 hours) upstream along the Neuffossé canal to Lille (1.30 hours) upstream to Distillerie de Wamrechies (N.of Lille) - tour of gin distillery (3 hours) downstream along l'Aa to Houle, tour of Distillerie Persyn and Flemish villages (2 hours) An open boat cruising through the Audomarois marhes near Saint-Omer.		ISNOR (Mr Boet and Sandrine Looten 3 rue du Marais 62500 CLAIRMARAIS Tel: 00 33 3 21 39 15 15 Fax: 00 33 3 21 12 30 30 (Capacity - 3 boats x 52 passengers each, also small 6-person boats for hire) BATEAU L'EMERAUDE (Mr & Mrs Beese) 4 rue de Longueville 62500 SAINT-OMER Tel: 00 33 3 21 98 66 74 Fax: 00 33 3 21 98 38 54 (capacity - 50 passengers) AU BON ACCUEIL (Mr & Mrs Picquendar) Rivage Boitel Salperwick 62500 SAINT-OMER Tel: 00 33 3 21 38 35 14 Fax: 00 33 3 21 38 23 29 (capacity - 36 passengers) Back to map
Watten to Arques via Houlle gin distillery (1 day) up the river Aa Bergues (1 day) visit town on small tourist train Calais via canal - lace museum Gravelines, Bourbourg, or Dunkerque Boat seats 100, 60 dining inside (40 on outside deck)		IRIS CROISIÈRES (Mr & Mrs Verbeke) 56 rue de l'Ermitage 59143 WATTEN Tel: 00 33 3 21 88 09 47 Fax: 00 33 3 21 88 31 01 Back to map

Places to visit: L'Ascenseur des Fontinettes - hydraulic lift for canal boats, Arques nr. Saint-Omer Riverside trips in Lille - explore the city's industrial heritage by boat or tram Boat trips in Cambrai/ les Rues-des-Vignes - Vaucelles Abbey Boat trips from Douai - in the town and along River Scarpe Boat trips from St-Omer - along river Aa and the Audomarois nature park

Web Link: http://www.vnf.fr/tourisme/guide.htm (touring guide to waterways, in French - with maps. lock and draft details)

Related background information Sports & outdoor leisure facilities

Medieval wool trade				Early coalmines		Rise & fall of coal
		Industrial Revolution		Early canals		Waterways
				Textile industry		Railways

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