Harbour

Castets-en-Dorthe

4.3France

Maximum length: 98 ft
VHF channel: 10
Maximum draught: 4 ft

River port at kilometre zero of the Canal latéral à la Garonne, 50 km upstream of Bordeaux.

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Junction between the tidal Garonne and the canal. Coming from the Gironde, time the arrival with the flood tide. Lock 53 of Castets marks the entrance to the canal; telephone the VNF lock keeper ahead to arrange the Garonne passage, as VHF is little used. Max draught 1.3 m, VHF 10.

Practical

68 berths on pontoons, around 16 euros a night including water and electricity for a 10 m boat. Diesel station at the port. Water and electricity on pontoons, with showers and a launderette. A small supermarket and a butcher are within walking distance in the village, larger supermarket in La Réole 6 km upstream. Canal guides are sold at the port for 24 euros. Port de Castets-et-Castillon 0.1 NM NW.

Ashore

A restaurant faces the port. Starting point of the Canal des 2 Mers cycle route toward Toulouse and the Mediterranean along the towpath. La Réole, a former royal town with a medieval priory, 6 km upstream on the Garonne.

History

Castets-en-Dorthe is the western terminus of the Canal latéral à la Garonne, opened in 1856 to bypass the unnavigable stretches of the upper Garonne. The canal links here to the tidal Garonne and on to Bordeaux.