Harbour

Saint Jean De Losne

4.4France

Maximum length: 15 m
VHF channel: 12
Maximum draught: 1 m

Inland boating hub on the Saône at the junction with the Canal de Bourgogne, Côte-d'Or.

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Reached by river from Chalon-sur-Saône upstream or Auxonne downstream, and by canal from Dijon via the Canal de Bourgogne. Max draught around 1 m on the canal side, more on the Saône. No tide. VHF 12 for the port.

Practical

Town quay and private basins of H2O and Blanquart for visitor moorings. Diesel available. Water, electricity, laundry, chandlers and two major hire-boat bases on site. Bakery, butcher, supermarket and restaurants within 300 m.

Ashore

Towpath of the Canal de Bourgogne for walking and cycling straight from the quay. Saint-Jean-Baptiste church dates from the 15th century. Dijon old town reachable in about 35 km by road or by canal. Côte de Nuits vineyards of Gevrey-Chambertin and Nuits-Saint-Georges begin about 20 km west.

History

The town sits at the historic junction opened in 1832 when the Canal de Bourgogne was completed, linking the Saône and the Yonne. It became one of the main inland ports of France for timber and wine barrels during the 19th century and remains the largest hire-boat base on the French waterways.

Story

In 1636 the town of 600 inhabitants held off a siege by 60,000 imperial troops during the Thirty Years War, earning the title Belna Fidelis granted by Louis XIII.