The river
Ecluse de la Benatre à Origné - Vallée de la MayenneEcluse de la Benatre à Origné
©Ecluse de la Benatre à Origné - Vallée de la Mayenne|Emilie Delétang

The river Mayenne

The river is the central feature of the Mayenne département

All aboard for a cruise of a few hours or several days aboard a houseboat along the 300 km of navigable rivers.

Bord De La Mayenne Sud Mayenne HoussayBord De La Mayenne Sud Mayenne Houssay
©Bord De La Mayenne Sud Mayenne Houssay |Emilie Delétang

River tourism

The Mayenne, one of the most beautiful rivers in France, is navigable from Mayenne to Angers. Houseboats are available to hire with no need for a special permit by the weekend, the week or longer.

In less than an hour, your boat rental company will tell you everything you need to know about skippering your boat and you can set off in complete freedom for a few days of quiet sailing.

At an average speed of 4 mph you can discover the sites of interest and natural landscapes that you would never have seen otherwise. The Mayenne river is famous for being calm, and is used exclusively by pleasure boats.

Meet the animals of the riverbank and discover the rich aquatic plant life. An old village here and an abbey there, everywhere a water mill or a château! Navigate to the rhythm of the locks along slow bends and broad open stretches. The lock keepers are always happy to see you as you pass through, and can you you on all the best spots to discover on their stretch.

River cruises

Three boat trips on the Mayenne:

  • the “Vallis Guidonis” from Laval,
  • the “Duc des Chauvières” from Château-Gontier
  • the “Meduana” from Mayenne

All offer guided cruises for individuals or groups, with or without catering.

A great way to discover and unravel all the mysteries of the river!

Useful information

for boat users

Using the locks – going up

Using the locks – going down

Symbols used on the locks

Picto Jaune Rivière La Mayenne

Lock keeper present to open the lock for you

 

Picto Bleu Rivière La Mayenne

No lock keeper – opening under the responsability of the user, respecting times of use and other regulations

Symbols used on the locks

Picto Jaune Bleu

Lock keeper temporarily absent:
• April, May, June and September: 9.30 am to 12.30 and 2 pm to 7 pm
• July an August: 9.30 am to 12.30 and 1.30 pm to 7 pm

Picto RougeLock closed – It is forbidden to use this lock

Download the Mayenne river app

Embark on a cruise of a few hours or several days on the Mayenne river.
To the rhythm of the 37 locks between Mayenne and the south of Château-Gontier there are 60 km of rolling countryside to explore, with lots of unsuspected castles, manors and old villages to visit
Use the Mayenne river app for all the practical information you’ll need for safe navigation and easy passage through the locks.

Googleplay
Bouton Appstore Rivière La Mayenne

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