Bradt's Paddling France is the first practical guidebook to explore the whole country by SUP (stand-up paddleboard), canoe and kayak - waterborne activities enjoying a popularity boom. Experienced paddleboarder, travel writer and local resident Anna Richards has toured the country's rivers, lakes and coasts to handpick 40 outstanding itineraries for water-based exploration that suit all abilities from novice to expert, enabling readers to experience Metropolitan France as never before!
Suggested routes extend from Brittany to the Spanish and Italian borders, and encompass some of France's best-known tourist attractions - from Paris's Bois du Boulogne and Mont St Michel to the Pont du Gard and Dune du Pilat - as well as less familiar destinations such as Lac du Der Chantecoq, Txingusi Bay and the Glénan Islands. Itineraries occupy dramatically varied landscapes: choose between paddling past coastal cliffs, small islands and steepling gorges, across twinkling lakes and down sparkling rivers, through wine regions, and even around urban surprises such as Lille's five-point citadelle.
Compared to the UK, paddleboarding is in its infancy in France, but hundreds of paddleboard clubs have opened in recent years. Join its members in experiencing a new take on France. Enjoy spectacular views of some of the country's grandest châteaux; spot seals, beavers and even flamingos from the water; and choose between paddling one lake that appears red due to the colour of the soil or another that glows emerald, or gawping upwards at chalky-white cliff arches.
Whatever your level of confidence on the waterways, there are suggestions for you: free paddles without a fixed route, short routes taking a half-day or longer, multi-day adventures. Routes are marked on maps and illustrated by photos, and complemented by cultural, historical and geographical titbits.
Accompanying information and advice is geared towards the independent traveller, covering travel logistics, equipment rental, accommodation options and food, plus handy vocabulary and need-to-know sections.
Building on the intense commercial and critical success of Bradt's Paddling Britain, this brand new guidebook to Paddling France is a unique almanac that equips any watersports enthusiast travelling to or around France with all the practical knowledge necessary to plan the adventure.
AUTHOR: Anna Richards (annahrichards.com) began paddleboarding in Cornwall, where she grew up. During lunch breaks from her office job, she would grab a board and set off on jaunts across the Penryn River. These soon turned into multi-day trips, often camping and participating in river- or sea-cleans. To hone her skills, she joined a Stand-up Paddleboard (SUP) club, where she learnt about all the other possibilities that SUP opens up (SUP yoga, SUP surfing, racing and touring). In 2021, Richards moved to France to become a full-time writer about travel and the outdoors, and started keenly exploring as much of the country as possible. She established her base in Lyon, a landlocked city with two waterways, and was pleased to find that living inland didn't mean giving up SUP. Far from it: it has helped her explore the country through a fresh, unique perspective. Bradt's Paddling France is her first book.
296pp colour photos, 41 maps
By:
Anna Richards
Imprint: Bradt Travel Guides
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 216mm,
Width: 135mm,
Spine: 10mm
Weight: 355g
ISBN: 9781804691069
ISBN 10: 1804691062
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 01 May 2024
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Unspecified
INTRODUCTION Getting there & around Paddleboarding: the basics Kayaking & canoeing: the basics What to take Safety Responsible paddling Using this guide Visiting France: the basics BRITTANY 1. The Celtic coastline 2. To the lighthouse 3. The Robinson Crusoe paddle 4. The little sea NORMANDY 5. A paddle pilgrimage 6. Paddling with painters 7. The watery highway HAUTS-DE-FRANCE 8. Seals in the Somme 9. Allotment antics 10. Starry eyed CHAMPAGNE (GRAND EST) 11. The great migration BOURGOGNE-FRANCHE-COMTÉ 12. Chasing waterfalls LOIRE VALLEY (CENTRE-VAL DE LOIRE) 13. Castles in the sky 14. A royal paddle 15. A tale of two rivers NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE 16. Through the salt marshes 17. Mountains made of sand 18. Paddling without borders LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON & MID-PYRÉNÉES (OCCITANIE) 19. A lot of limestone 20. Dilly-dallying along the Dordogne 21. Catalan Collioure 22. The Herculean way 23. The natural history museum 24. A galaxy far, far away 25. Paddles & pearls 26. Roman relic AUVERGNE-RHÔNE-ALPES 27. The saints' way 28. Curative waters 29. Bridging the gap 30. Coming round the mountains 31. An urban SUP-fari 32. The mountain jewel 33. Alpine adventure PROVENCE-ALPES-CÔTE D'AZUR 34. Nature's playground 35. The French grand canyon 36. Flooded villages 37. Lifestyles of the rich & famous 38. Riviera gardens CORSICA 39. Between cliff s & caves 40. Island idyll FRENCH PADDLING VOCABULARY & GLOSSARY Paddling vocabulary Glossary INDEX
Anna Richards (annahrichards.com) began paddleboarding in Cornwall, where she grew up. During lunch breaks from her office job, she would grab a board and set off on jaunts across the Penryn River. These soon turned into multi-day trips, often camping and participating in river- or sea-cleans. To hone her skills, she joined a Stand-up Paddleboard (SUP) club, where she learnt about all the other possibilities that SUP opens up (SUP yoga, SUP surfing, racing and touring). In 2021, Richards moved to France to become a full-time writer about travel and the outdoors, and started keenly exploring as much of the country as possible. She established her base in Lyon, a landlocked city with two waterways, and was pleased to find that living inland didn't mean giving up SUP. Far from it: it has helped her explore the country through a fresh, unique perspective. Bradt's Paddling France is her first book.
