From Geneva, the Rhône runs through deep valleys that widen as it approaches the city of Lyon. From their glacial youth, the waters of the river keep a very particular milky hue. It looks like a mountain torrent, without the impetuosity of the dams that have softened its course. It is precisely these dams that make the Upper Rhône. They make it navigable, but they also isolate it from the rest of the waterways.
CNR dams
These structures regulate the course of the river but are also obstacles to navigation. Indeed, the Compagnie Nationale du Rhône (CNR) has established structures for the production of hydroelectricity. The CNR's mission is threefold: energy production, preservation of water resources and navigation. The latter is still only partially accomplished.
Ah the card...
Even for the navigable part, no navigation map has been published. There is a Boater's Guide available online and in most tourist offices. It lists the stops and facilities along the river, but does not include a real map. On the VNF website, there are illustrated plates detailing the approaches to the dams. Finally, it is the brochure for bicycles and canoes published by the Syndicat du Haut Rhône that is the most useful document for visualizing the entire route.
Cycling is another good way to discover the Upper Rhône: the river is bordered by the ViaRhona, a beautiful bicycle path that follows the Rhône on most of its course between Geneva and the Mediterranean, and which offers privileged access to sites that are difficult to reach by car.
A gantry crane
From Sault-Brénaz to the Brégnier-Cordon plant, a long unmarked reach is accessible, but there are many shoals. The Brégnier-Cordon dam is equipped with a ferry: a rolling gantry that goes down a ramp and takes the boat out of the water, to put it back in on the other side of the structure. This equipment is limited to boats weighing less than 3.5 tons.
Locked dams
Upstream, the Rhône is navigable over 52 km between Brégnier-Cordon and Seyssel, thanks to dams equipped with locks. This part of the river allows to reach the lake of Bourget by the canal of Savière. Further upstream, the dams of Seyssel and Génissiat cannot be crossed. On the other hand, it is possible to explore the dams on board a transportable boat, even if there are no markings.
A world apart!
The fact that the navigable section of the Upper Rhone is cut off from the rest of the network makes it a special world of endearing variety: lakes have been formed by the reservoirs. Wilderness areas alternate with canal connections, but these canals are so wide that they do not alter the impression of space. The riverside villages each have a strong personality that prevents monotony. One is dedicated to leisure, the other to crafts, while the next is rich in history...
From Bugey to Savoy...
The small port of Murs-et-Gelinieux opens onto the water of Cuchet. The landscape then becomes steep to the point of being truly mountainous. The Old Rhône sinks between the walls of deep gorges while the main channel follows the canal that leads to the locks of Belley. The port of Massignieu-de-Rives is nestled in a cove of the Lit au Roi lake. It is a site that literally enchanted us: everything is there, the sweetness of life, the landscape, without forgetting the water birds by hundreds.
Chanaz, gateway to the lake
The local boaters hurry to use the Savière lock and the canal that lead to the Lac du Bourget. It is understandable that they are anxious to go and mingle with the beautiful yachts that gild their varnishes on the shores of the lake, but this is to forget a little quickly the richness of the route. Chanaz is a small village almost on the lake. It is a popular destination for tourists who come to stay in chalets on stilts, to practice water sports or simply to enjoy the charm of this village on the water's edge. Chanaz is one of those places to remember: an attractive place, but one that has managed to avoid the usual traps of success and keep its soul!
Seyssel la batelière
In Chautagne, two twin locks provide access to the Seyssel reach, a high point of local navigation. In the best days of inland navigation, a large volume of freight was loaded on board the seyssines, open boats of 25 meters long, which were often sold in Lyon for timber or firewood. This avoided the long and arduous hauling back.
