Harbour

Vireux-Wallerand

Name: Vireux-Wallerand
Address: Vireux-Wallerand, FR

Vireux-Wallerand, France

Maximum length: 30 m

River halt on the Meuse in the Ardennes, 15 berths, on the Charleville to Givet waterway between the slate villages of Vireux-Molhain and Vireux-Wallerand.

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Reached via the Meuse canalised between PK 101 and PK 105. Two locks frame the reach, écluse 52 de Vireux downstream and écluse 51 d'Aubrives upstream, both manned by VNF. Headroom under the road bridge just over 3,5 metres at normal water. No tide, current usually under 1 knot outside floods.

Practical

Pontoon with water and shore power on the right bank below the church of Vireux-Molhain. 15 spaces, depth around 2 metres alongside. Bakery and small supermarket at 300 m, restaurants on the main street. Railway station Vireux-Molhain on the Charleville to Givet line at 400 m.

Ashore

Collegiate church of Saint-Martin at Vireux-Molhain, Romanesque nave from the XIth century, 200 m from the pontoon. Mount Vireux Gallo-Roman hillfort above the village, signposted walk of 1,2 km with panorama on the Meuse loop. Trans-Ardennes greenway on the left bank, tarred cycle route to Charleville-Mézières 45 km south and Givet 9 km north.

History

Vireux was a slate and iron-working centre from the late Middle Ages. The Chooz nuclear power station sits 6 km downstream, and the old Vireux steelworks closed in 1978 after more than a century of production.