Saint Valery Base Information - Locaboat Holidays Canal Boat Hire.

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Saint Valery - Picardy & Somme Regions France

At Abbeville the church of Saint-Vulfran is a masterpiece of flamboyant gothic art. Saint-Valéry, a town full of art and history, was founded by an Irish monk who came over to convert the pagan Picardians. This was the port from which William the Conqueror launched his invasion of England. The charm of the place lies in its old town, with its fortified walls, and all the activity centred on the channel up to the port with all its stalls and restaurants.

Take advantage of a halt here and moor up. Further south, wilderness takes over and the vast landscapes of the Somme estuary make a walk here truly memorable.

In the opposite direction from Cappy, another cruise lets you discover St Quentin , where Picardy shows Flemish influences, with its tall and narrow town houses, Ham with its lovely church of Notre Dame, and Noyon, the town which saw the anointing of Charlemagne and of Hugues Capet. Picardy is the cradle of Gothic art and boasts superb abbeys and cathedrals as well as other significant medieval remains, its towns having rivalled one another ever since the 12th century in building the finest religious monuments.

STARTING OUT FORMALITIES :
Departure Days between 2 and 6pm.

BOARDING :
as soon as the boat is ready.

ACCESS :
By Motorway :
- Direction West: A16 (E402) Exit 23 Abbeville, Direction Saint Valéry sur Somme (D40-D940)
- Direction North: A16 (E402) Exit 24, Direction Saint Valéry sur Somme (D32-D940)
- Direction South: A28 (E402) Exit 1, Direction Sáint Valéry sur Somme (D40-D940)
- 3 km after Noyelles sur Mer take a right after the bridge over the Somme. From there, it is only 500 m to the base.

By Rail :
- train station in Noyelles sur mer (4 km), www.sncf.fr

By Air :
- Lille-Lesquin airport (111 km)
- Beauvais-Tillé airport (130 km)

LOCKS :
The Canal de la Somme is open daily (HS) from 9-12.30am and 1.30-6pm. From the Pont de Feuillères to Saint Valéry sur Somme the locks are mechanical and manual, open 7/7 days from the Easter w-e to Novembre. On the Canal du Nord and Canal du Saint Quentin the locks are automatic and mechanical.

PARKING :
Public parking

HOTELS :
- Les Pilotes, tel.: 03 22 60 80 39
- Du Port et des Bains, tel.: 03 22 60 80 09
- La Colonne de Bronze, tel.: 03 22 60 80 07, Fax 03 22 26 98 13
- Du Cap Hornu, tél.: 03 22 60 24 24, Fax 03 22 26 85 13 cap.hornu@baiedesomme.fr

RESTAURANTS :
- Les Pilotes, tel.: 03 22 60 80 39
- Du Cap Hornu, tel.: 03 22 60 24 24, Fax 03 22 26 85 13 cap.hornu@baiedesomme.fr
- Le Drakkar, tel.: 03 22 26 94 80
- Le Corail, tel.: 03 22 26 98 40

MARKETS :
At St. Valéry: every wednesday and sunday mornings

SHOPS:
Closed on Sundays

GASTRONOMIC SPECIALTIES :
Ficelle picarde, anguille fumée and “en matelote”,duck,…
Local drinks : Artisanal beers

FISHING :
Fishing licence obligatory, on sale near to the base
bleak, bream, roach, eels, tench, carp, catfish, mullet, pike, perch, pikeperch, chub,…

TO SEE :
Bay of the Somme, Parc du Marquenterre, Chapelle Saint-Pierre