Guide n° 06 - Charente

The Charente between Angoulême and the sea, the river Boutonne.

The Charente is a coastal river 361 km long, navigable between Angoulême and the sea. It can be divided into two sections: the canalised part between Angoulême and Saint-Savinien and the free flowing section between Saint-Savinien and the sea. Inland waterways craft can go as far downstream as Rochefort.

With the exception of the lock at Saint-Savinien, all the locks are self operated. The river is rarely closed to navigation, even during the driest periods but the available draft upstream from Jarnac can be limited in mid-summer.

In the latest edition of this guide we concentrated on the estuary, updating information on the seaside town of Fouras and the historic maritime city of the Rochefort. We also added a map of the River Boutonne which used to be navigable as far as Saint-Jean d’Angely. With very little effort, this navigation could be reopened……..Perhaps, one day !