Port

Port Royal

3.6Auxonne, FranceBurgundy and the Saône

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Maximum length: 124 ft
Maximum draught: 5 ft

River marina of 150 berths on the Saône at Auxonne, on the Bourgogne side of the Jura foothills, between Dijon and Dole.

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Saône is navigable class Vb here. Entry from the river, port on the right bank below the Auxonne bridge. No tide. Maximum draught 1.8 metres. Current usually under 1 knot, stronger after winter rains. Boats are berthed stern-to the pontoon as the harbour master directs. Nearest lock at Pagny upstream.

Practical

150 berths with water and electricity, around 1 euro a metre plus a few euros for electricity. The marina is part of the H2O group based at Saint-Jean-de-Losne and has only a small office, so deliveries can be awkward and there is no black-water pump-out. The sanitary block is small, with one shower and one toilet, but open 24 hours, and there is a washing machine and dryer. Halte fluviale d'Auxonne municipal pontoon at 0.2 NM SW offers overnight berthing. Town shops, bakery, supermarket and weekly Friday market within 500 metres.

Ashore

Bonaparte barracks complex and 16th century Château d'Auxonne at 500 metres, where Napoleon Bonaparte served as artillery lieutenant from 1788 to 1791. Musée Bonaparte inside the château, with artefacts from his garrison years. Saône towpath cycling route EuroVelo 6 passes the port, Dijon 35 km west, Dole 18 km south.

History

Auxonne was a frontier fortress of the Duchy of Burgundy. Vauban reinforced the ramparts after 1678. Napoleon spent three formative years here at the artillery regiment, studying ballistics and mathematics in the town library.