For those who have been on the Loire Valley tour and did the canoeing on the Dordogne River, what should I pack for this? Trying to pack light and only bringing a backpack and day bag. I'm hoping I don't need a swimsuit and can just do flip-flops and shorts. Do they provide towels? Are there life vests? I'm not a strong swimmer.
I will be going in late September and from what I understand, it will still be nice, so guessing we will still be doing this.
Thanks in advance!
You can get away without a suit for canoeing, though I did use mine several times (granted this was late June). Some of the hotels had pools/spas and I also went to the beach in Nice. I wore shorts and a t-shirt and flip flops for canoeing. They provide life jackets as well as containers to keep your items dry. Hope that helps!
Wear what you don't mind getting wet e.g. shorts and t shirt (or bigger shirt for sun) and hat and sandals or shoes you don't mind getting soaked. Life vests are always provided. You can also rent a barrel -- a plastic barrel you can use to put items like lunch that you don't want to get wet --). The only time we capsized was on the Vezere when we went close to shore and got caught in a current -- we were trying to avoid a huge weed patch in the center. Luckily my camera was in the barrel but our lunch was ruined as it wasn't.
The way parking works is that you drive to the rental site (our best experience was with one just down river from le Roque Gageac). and then they bus you and the canoes to put in sites up river -- you can choose the approximate length you want. We spent pretty much a whole day on the Dordogne, pulled over to a riverside cafe for lunch etc -- wonderful -- but you can put in for shorter trips. They launch you and then you paddle down to the rental site where your car is.
FWIW the Vezere was boring -- all cows and fields -- and especially boring paddling the whole way from Les Eyzies to Limieul soaking wet because you stupidly managed to capsize in the first half km of the voyage. The Dordogne is lined with charming villages and chateaux and is quite magical.
This was a top highlight of our tour. I wore water resistant Columbia pants, waterproof sandals. Don't forget sunscreen and a hat. As mentioned, they do provide life vests and waterproof containers. My husband and I are long time rowers- row boats, canoes and kayaks. That said, not necessary to have experience. Many of our tour members had never been in a canoe. It's a beautiful experience. The views are spectacular. One thing I would caution is being careful getting out of the boat upon your return. A couple people lost their balance and fell. Just have someone help you out at shore if you are uncomfortable. We were there in the month of September a number of years ago. Hope you have wonderful weather as well.
You won't even need a towel if you don't want to carry one. I wore my shorts and my waterproof hikers. Life jackets are provided, but it's a pretty lazy river and you'd have to try hard to tip over.
Yes Allan we feel pretty accomplished that we managed to capsize. It really takes skill and effort and stupidity. WE moved towards shore to avoid a giant weed patch -- should have just skimmed over it -- and it pulls us under some branches. I reached up to push us away and when I grabbed the branch the laws of physics and hydraulics took over and we foundered -- I flattened quickly leaning back and the branches whipped by overhead and we were through. When I looked back to see if my husband was okay, I was alone in a swamped canoe and he was drifting, luckily unharmed but ripped from the canoe by the branches. Not a brilliant day of decision making.
No one else on the river. It was shallow and we got to a sandy beach but could not lift/tip the canoe to drain it, so bailed with our plastic lunch sack, the lunch being fish food by now. Once we bailed it down half way we could tip it then lift it. So it was fine except no lunch, and a long paddle through boring countryside on a somewhat chilly overcast day while sodden. Not our finest hour. It really is almost impossible to capsize on these lazy rivers and there is not a lot of heavy paddle work as you are drifting slowly down stream.
Thank you all for the information. The canoe trip has me quite worried. I don't swim but I don't want to miss out.
We boated for years in jet boats (not jet skis) on lakes and rivers, but it's a totally different type of boating.
Question: is the barrel or waterproof container large enough for a day pack which will carry my small purse, camera and a change of clothes?
The barrel probably fits a small day pack that can be squished; not a regular backpack. They are medium -- certainly a camera and jacket and lunch. I wore sandals; don't recall a requirement for close toe shoes and can't imagine why. I think there is almost no risk of drowning and you should of course be wearing the life vest if you can't swim. There are no rapids -- often very shallow and a slow river. It is really fun. Absolutely have a sun hat and good sun protection. I'd probably wear a long sleeve rash guard if I were to do it now.
Jill….we just returned home from an April-May trip to the Dordogne…..a high priority for us was canoeing down the Dordogne while we were staying in Beynac. We chose Canoe Loisirs and drove to Vitrac to leave our car for the 3 hour canoe trip to Beynac. Since it was May 2 we were almost alone but a delightful day….just a few other boats on the river. We wore jeans and water shoes as it was still cool. It was an easy ride…hubby in the back of the canoe paddling the entire way as I took it easy. We were avoiding getting wet as we both had long jeans and long-sleeved shirts on…..and the water was still cool in early May…..we wore our Tevas as we felt we would more than likely be getting our feet wet as we got in and out of the canoe. Put your things in the bucket to be protected! Be aware that the directions they give you should be more specific to help you…..they told us to get out before the 5th brick arch we canoed by….so we counted and that was easy…..but when we got to the 5th arch we canoed to the left bank, I got out on the muddy beach and turned around and grabbed the canoe ring at the front of our canoe to pull it up on shore to make it easier for my hubby to get out without getting his legs wet up to his knees. When I did grab the ring my feet slipped on the mud and i must have gone up a foot before landing on my bottom on the muddy bank…..thank goodness for a big padded butt! I knew I had really hurt myself…..and had to get on all 4’s and crawl up the bank to a grassy patch to be assured I would not slip again…..the bad news was my hubby telling me that we had gotten out at the wrong bank…..no obvious place for a van to drive in and pick up our canoe! We both got back in the canoe….and after going UNDER the 5th arch on the left bank we saw a sandy beach and a Snack bar where we very obviously were supposed to park our canoe and get out. We did and I was walking around, trying my best to make sure I had not injured my tailbone……thank God for a hubby that travels with lots of drugs and he took care of me…..no climbing the steep streets to see the Beynac castle as I was on heat pad and taking Motrin. I nursed my back well and am fine….but in my opinion this could have so easily avoided if the directions had been more specific…….get out AFTER the 5th arch on the left side of the river AT THE SNACK BAR. Their response to me on Trip Advisor, in my opinion, was a little snarky….but still i would say do the trip and be aware! The river is beautiful and if you want to swim it would be fun to wear your suit and stop the canoe and bail out….but you don’t have to at all! It will more than likely be warm so I would dress for that. Of course wear your life vest if you cannot swim well!
Thank you all for the feedback! This is part of the Loire Valley tour, so no idea what particular canoe vendor we will be using. I've been kayaking a few times in the past in California and this sounds more low key, which is cool.
I have just returned home from a trip to France. One thing we noticed was that it’s very dry and some of the waterways were very low this year compared to previous trips.
We canoed in the Dordogne some years ago and water levels were low then too, so at one point, we had to get out and carry the canoe for several minutes as the river was too dry. The barrels provided probably wouldn’t have fit a day pack in there but there was plenty of room for lunch and a few essentials. They don’t provide towels but they do give you life vests.
Our holiday insurance now considers canoeing to be a “dangerous activity” so we aren’t covered for any accidents so check that yours does give you appropriate cover.
Bring a waterproof bag (i forget the name) that you can buy at REI, a sporting goods store, or online, for your smartphone/camera if you end up in the river. It’s small, lightweight, and has a strap so you can wear it crossbody. You’re going to want to take photos along the way, can’t do that if your phone/camera is in a barrel.
I’ve tipped over and ended up in the river canoe-ing… sandals that stay on (like Tevas) are better than flip-flops which you could lose.
Hi To canoe on the Loire is very different than to canoe on the Dordogne. The current is less strong, and generally you paddle against the wind, so it's more difficult, and also more boring on long distances. There are many large islands, and in some places, it's better to have a map to find the main channel. For bathing, the Loire is warmer than the Dordogne.
So I did this canoeing activity on the Dordogne during my Sept/Oct RS tour. I had been kayaking several times in the past and this wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. It was a bit different in that we had flat bottom boats and single-ended paddles. Wasn't quite as easy to steer as I remember from kayaking. Also, the river level was quite low and several in our group got stuck over the rocks. Thankfully I didn't get wet, but one of the people in our group did when he was trying to help he and his wife's boat off the rocks.
They do give you dry containers, which are essentially giant plastic mayo jars--people kept their wallets, phones, socks, and sunglasses in them.
Recommend non-slip shoes you don't mind getting wet and a small towel just in case. And while it wasn't windy on the river, it was slightly breezy and cool, so depending on the time of year, you might want to dress in layers, including a light sweater or jacket. And don't forget the sunscreen!
It was pretty exhausting, and while it was a beautiful ride, I think one hour vs. two would have been plenty.
Glad it worked out for you to enjoy the river!
We will be canoeing/kayaking on the Dordogne River next June. I am assuming that since it is spring, too-low water won't be a problem. Any thoughts?
Judy- I took this tour at the end of June and the water level was great for canoeing. Enjoy!
Judy, I think it depends on how much snow the area gets this winter... along with other weather-related factors.
..the bad news was my hubby telling me that we had gotten out at the wrong bank…
Jane - What a great story, now that you have recovered - "scenes from a marriage"!. I totally agree with you - they should have at least said to look for the snack bar on the left. And yes, their response was somewhat snarky.
