Harbour

Pontoon Port A Binson

Name: Pontoon Port A Binson
Address: Olizy, FR

Olizy, France

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Type: Harbour

River halt on the Marne at Mareuil-le-Port, between Épernay and Dormans, set among the Champagne vineyards of the Vallée de la Marne.

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Pontoon on the right bank of the Marne, downstream of the road bridge linking Port-à-Binson to Châtillon-sur-Marne. The Marne is navigable here via the canal latéral à la Marne system with a standard Freycinet gauge of 1.80 m draught. Current is light in normal regime but rises sharply after heavy autumn rainfall.

Practical

Short pontoon with a handful of berths for boats up to about 15 m. Water tap on the quay, no fuel. Village shop and bakery in Mareuil-le-Port within 500 m. SNCF station Port-à-Binson-Châtillon on the Paris-Est to Épernay line is 300 m from the pontoon.

Ashore

Châtillon-sur-Marne and its statue of Pope Urban II, 25 m tall, overlook the valley 2 km across the bridge. Walking loops through the Champagne vineyards leave from the village. Dormans and its Mémorial des Batailles de la Marne sit 8 km downstream along the D3.

History

The site is documented as a river crossing since 1242. Port-à-Binson was one of the Marne river ports used to ship timber and Champagne wines toward Paris before the railway reached the valley in 1849.