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Hiring a houseboat in France: can you drive canals and rivers without a licence?
Short answer
In France you can drive a hired houseboat on many canals and rivers without a licence,
after a briefing from the hire company.
You still answer for the boat, the locks and other people's property,
and the hire contract sets where you may go.
Hiring a houseboat in France, on the Canal du Midi, in Burgundy, Alsace or Brittany, is one of the best known boating holidays you can take without a licence. A special rule for hire boats makes it possible. Before you leave, the hire company briefs you on the boat, handling and the rules of the waterway and issues a temporary card, often called a carte de plaisance, valid only for that boat and the hire period. The boats are usually built for gentle speeds, speed limits are posted along the canal and river banks, and you may only use the stretches the contract allows.
The briefing does not take the responsibility off you. Whoever is at the helm answers for damage to the houseboat and for damage to others: lock gates, quay walls, other boats. The boat is insured through the hire company, your share is usually the deposit, and if damage is caused by gross negligence the company or its insurer may come back to you for more. Much of the damage happens in locks. The boat swings against the wall as the chamber fills, a line is not let out as the water drops, the rudder catches the sill going down. Some locks are worked by a keeper at set hours, others are automatic.
Before you book, ask which waterways are included, whether the larger rivers are excluded and whether the waterway licence fee is in the price. Plan the first day without a deadline, practise coming alongside during the briefing and have the handover recorded with photos. Read the deposit terms and the damage the contract specifically excludes before you sign. If you damage someone else's property, liability can land on you personally, so check whether your own skipper liability insurance extends to hired boats. With a NAMMERT policy your liability as the responsible skipper of a hired boat is included in every tier, for up to 30 days and with the hire agreement in your name.
Worth remembering
No licence
needed after the briefing, within the permitted area
Full liability
for the boat, the locks and other boats
The briefing replaces the licence, not the care you take in the lock.
Questions
What owners ask us about this
Do I need a licence to hire a houseboat in France?
Not for a hire boat on the permitted canals and rivers. After the briefing the hire company gives you a temporary card valid only for that boat and the hire period.
Who pays if I hit the wall in a lock?
Damage to the hire boat goes through the hire company's insurance, and your share is normally the deposit. Damage to the lock or to other boats is a liability matter, and you can be held personally responsible.
Can I take a hire boat anywhere in France?
No, only within the area named in the hire contract. Larger rivers or some stretches are often excluded or allowed only with conditions. Ask before you book.
Related
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