Julie & Zenon
Let yourself slide along the Moselle River away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life
- For you, Epinal Tourism is : Services for all, which allow you to discover Epinal from an educational, sporting and historical perspective !
- Your favourite local dish : The raspberry pie
- Your favourite local tourist site : The Parc du Château of Epinal
Boarding at the Port of Epinal
This Sunday afternoon we are welcomed at the nautical base GESN canoe-kayak, located at the Canal Bridge of Golbey (19th century structure), not far from the Port. Before boarding, a few recommendations are necessary. An instructor provides us with the essential equipment to prepare our journey on the water: life jacket, helmet, paddle and boat, but also a waterproof container to keep our personal items safe. We are ready to face the wave!
We have a choice of different routes and different levels of difficulty. For a first, we opted for the green route, called the "nature" loop in autonomy. The price to pay for 2h30 of disconnection in the middle of nature? 15€ for children under 18 or students and 20€ for adults.
Descent between tranquility and thrills
The first few kilometers allow us to get used to our boat and to taste the joys of calm water. Far from the noise of the cars and the hustle and bustle of city life, we enjoy the tranquility. On our way, we have for only traveling companions some ducks as well as cyclists and walkers who traverse the blue way.
Our route map tells us that we have to take our canoes out of the water to pass them on the other side of a small island. Our biceps are put to the test! We arrive in the middle of the Moselle, the current transports us, the wild nature is revealed. In the middle of the trees, sandy beaches are visible and we can see birds flying overhead. We cross the path of a fisherman sitting on his camp chair at the water's edge.
A snack on the Moselle river
During the descent, we discover a more agitated Moselle, which gives us some shivers, especially when we cross the hydroelectric dam of the Gosse! We moor our canoes on a sandy beach: the perfect spot for a well-deserved break! Nearby, we pick some mirabelles to make our snack. Before heading back to our arrival point, we let ourselves be tempted by an invigorating bath in the waters of the Moselle.
Our return is done by the Canal des Vosges and we can moor in all serenity at the Port of Epinal. We get our stuff back, which was kept in a locked locker for the duration of our ride, and enjoy a hot shower, which is welcome after these 2h30 rather sportive.
Guinguette atmosphere at Emile Bonheur
When we arrived at the port, the Maison du Vélo, located not far from the canoe kayak club, suggested that we extend the experience with a ride on an electric bike. The proposal is attractive... Brand new Moustache Bikes were offered to us. However, we give up and postpone it to later: the campaign, it wins you!
We decide to have a good time and to push the door of the restaurant Émile Bonheur, located at the edge of the water. In summer, the place has a terrace and a rooftop with a guinguette spirit where we enjoyed a delicious cocktail and tapas with Vosges flavors while watching the sunset. All this, comfortably installed on a deckchair and in a musical and warm atmosphere.
A sport activity to practice as a couple, with family or friends
Courses adapted for all levels
The discovery of soothing landscapes and remarkable sites
