Guide n° 15 - La Somme

The Bay of the Somme, the maritime canal from Abbeville to Saint-Valery, the Somme Canal.

The river Somme is often called the Canal de la Somme and this is understandable when you see its uniform features and straight banks. We have chosen to retain the title Somme River, a name which has on important place in the military history of France and so many other distant countries.

In this guide we follow the river from Ham to Saint-Valery situated on the beautiful Baie de Somme. A small section from Ham to Voyennes is “temporarily” closed to navigation. We hope that one day it will be reopened.

The Somme river was recently handed over to the local Conseil Général. It is managed, very efficiently, by a body called the Agence Fluviale. As you cruise on the river you are in constant contact with waterways staff who ensure that lock-keepers are ready to meet you at each lock.
Circulation is limited to about 500 passages each year on the whole of the river.

The cartography is at the scale of 1/20 000 for added detail and we give a profile of each bridge with available headroom.