River Rance to Dinan

RIVER RANCE to DINAN

A distance of approximately 14 miles (22.6km)

l’Ecluse du Chatelier is situated at the La Hisse crossing on the map

At the mouth of the River Rance lies Saint Malo on the east shore and Dinard on the west. The river is tidal as far as l’Ecluse du Chatelier which lies between La Hisse on the west bank and Port Lyvet on the east. The lock is at the northern end of the canal system which stretches from the Bay of Biscay in the south. The canal was constructed in response to the British blocking Brest and other ports in the area early in the 1800’s. The canal became operational 1850’s and remains so to the present day, with the locks being manned free of charge during the summer months.

A number of yachts every season remove their masts at Dinan, place it on the deck and proceed south through the system into the Bay of Biscay, and sometimes onwards through the Canal du Midi into the Mediterranean.

As with most canals, it was designed and built for horse drawn barges, and the first low bridge across the canal is at Dinan. Excursion vessels have when tidal condition allow made the scenic trip from Saint Malo and Dinard up through the river and canal to Dinan.

In the late 1950’s it was decided to harness the huge tidal flow resulting from the large 40 feet rise and fall and during the 1960’s the Rance Barrage was built.

SAINT MALO / DINARD to LYVET

Picture :

A picturesque view of the estuary looking up-river from the barrage with the lock

on the right and the turbines on the left. The approach road from the Saint Malo

being clearly visible on the left. 1966 462k

Picture : Levy et Neurdein Reunis. No. 68

BRETAGNE at the start of her journey to Dinan. 315web 251k

Picture : Edition Guerin 74

DESQUINE passing under Le Pont de Lessard. 301web 182k

Picture : Edition Guerin 3945

DESQUINE passing Le Chene Vert. 305web 200k

Societe Maritime de la Rance

1988 - 1991

Croisieres Chateaubriand

1991 -

The company commenced their restaurant service on the River in 1988 using the vessel CHATEAUBRIAND based at La Richardais, just inside the Rance barrage.

In 1991 the company changed its name to Croisieres Chateaubriand and ten years later in March 2001, replaced CHATEAUBRIAND with CHATEAUBRIAND II.

CHATEAUBRIAND (I) 1988 - 2000

Built 1988

2000 Sold to Oderhaff Reederei Peters, Ueckermunde Germany –Baltic coast.

Picture : 001c 463k

The first CHATEAUBRIAND about to pass under the Pont Chateaubriand road bridge.

Picture : Editions d’Art “JACK” 002c 723k

A post card showing the vessel cruising on the Rance.

CHATEAUBRIAND II 2001 - Present

1968 Built as THEODORE BOTREL for Les Vedettes Vertes, Vannes.

1985 Renamed SALAMANDRE

2001 Acquired by Croisieres Chateaubriand, renamed CHATEAUBRIAND

II, and she had a blue hull in her first year of operation.

Picture : © PHOTO ONE 001c 387k

CHATEAUBRIAND (II) Pictured July 26 2006

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LYVET to DINAN

Although the vedettes from Saint Malo cannot pass under the bridge at Dinan, there is a small vessel which provides a trip from Dinan to Lanhon passing through one of the locks.

Picture :

BRETAGNE in the lock at Lyvet during a down river passage. 305web 161k

Picture : Levy et Neurdein Reunis

JACQUES CARTIER emerging from l’Ecluse du Chatelier on a down stream

passage 305web 190k

Picture : agencies Jules Boutin

A vessel of Vedettes Dinardaises leaves Lyvet lock, note the masts of two other

vedettes in the lock and one waiting to enter.

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Picture :

BRETAGNE 111w 15k

Picture :

ROBERT SURCOUF 008 634k

Picture : Edition Artistique A. Lamire 313

GUESCLIN discharging her passengers at the quay at Dinan port. 301web 188k

Picture :

GUESCLIN seen here departing Dinan

Picture : IRIS No 699 201w 129k

Dinan with FEE DES GREVES (Vedettes Vertes) excursion vessel in the fore

Ground, and a Vedettes Blanches vessel astern.

Picture : 301w 195k

Dinan port from the bridge, with BELLE D’ARMOR waiting for passengers.

Picture : 310w 459k

Another shot from the bridge, but different boat - LA SALUNE which also operated as TIPHAINE for Emeraude Lines.

Picture :

BELLE DE DINAN 003 255k

Picture : © PHOTO ONE 002c 365k

BELLE DE DINAN (I) departing Dinan July 2001.

Picture : © PHOTO ONE 003c 382k

A year before she finished service and the end of Emeraude Lines on this route.

Picture : © PHOTO ONE CP00/7/14 001c 360k

Rance cruise vessel TIPHAINE NA 1620 F, which also operated as LA SALUNE. Seen laid up in Saint Malo August 10 2000.

Picture : © PHOTO ONE 010c k

BELLE DE DINARD (II) Passing Taden upwards July 2006

Picture : © PHOTO ONE

Here CORSAIRE DE DINAN lies at the Port Dinan quay 2009. 111w 14k

Croisieres Repas

sur la Rance

With the success of restaurant dining on the lower Rance, this company introduced a similar service on the canal above the lock at Port Lyvet using MALTESS.

MALTESS having just swung off the quay at Dinan commences her return journey to Lyvet

BEYOND DINAN

For a number of years the wooden vedette JAMAN IV (58 passengers) has operated a sight seeing trip from Dinan up to Lehon and a little beyond. Such was the success of these trips that a larger purpose built metal craft JAMAN V was introduced in 2014.

JAMAN IV seen on the canal just before the lock at Lehon, August 30 2011.

JAMAN V

Built Alunox, Saint Malo 2014

Tonnage

Dimensions 43.0m x 18.5m

Proplusion 2 x Beta Marine 56cv

Passengers 85

2014 6 August (Wednesday). Entered service.

The new JAMAN V seen departing Dinan August 08 2014.

The vessel exiting the lock at Lehon on August 06 2015.

RANCE BARRAGE

The Barrage is 800 metres stretches between Point de la Briantais on the east bank, to Point de la Brebis on the west bank.

There are 24 turbines which can generate 240,000 kW of electricity, and apart from the generation of electricity the project also provided for a dual carriage across the Rance which cut 35 km off the road journey between Saint Malo and Dinard. This brought about the end of the vehicle ferry between St. Servan and Dinard and greatly reduced the number of passenger vedettes between Saint Malo and Dinard.

The power station was officially opened by the French President General Charles de Gaulle on November 26 1966 while the roadway came into use on July 1 1967.

As a certain depth of water is always maintained up river of the Barrage it has allowed a restaurant vedette to operate every day on that section of the river and as far as l’Ecluse du Chatelier when the tide allows.

Picture : Editions d’Art JOS v. 175

The Rance Barrage under construction, showing the cofferdam which was pumped out to allow the work to take place. The cassions used to create the cofferdam

were constructed in the small dry dock in Saint Malo. 2010 560k

Picture : Editions JEAN 96 484

View from the Saint Malo side of the barrage, with the turbines in the foreground

and the lock on the opposite side.

Picture : Sofer

The view from the Dinard side, with the lock in the foreground and the approach

road very visible on the opposite side. 003 651k

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