i 🌊 Lakes & swimming
Canoeing, sailing and paddleboarding on the lakes of the Grand Est
The Grand Est has no coastline, but it does have vast lakes and rivers ideal for gentle paddling and sailing. In Champagne, Lac du Der and Lac d’Orient offer wide open water for sailing; in Lorraine, Lac de Madine, nearly 1,000 hectares at the foot of the Côtes de Meuse, brings together sailing, paddleboarding, canoeing and board sports; in the Vosges, Lake Gérardmer combines a beach, sailing and paddleboarding amid the fir trees. In the Ardennes, you can paddle down the Semoy or along the Meuse between wooded cliffs, while the lakes of Les Vieilles-Forges and Pierre-Percée lend themselves to canoeing in the forest.
To choose, start from what you want to do. Beginners and families will find canoes, paddleboards and pedalos for hire at Madine, Der and Les Vieilles-Forges, along with swimming beaches in summer. Wind lovers should head for Madine, where windsurfing, wingfoiling and kitesurfing are also on offer, or for Der, which has sailing schools. For a proper river descent, the Semoy, from Haulmé, is suitable from the age of 5. Finally, bear in mind that boating is seasonal: on Lac d’Orient it is open from the first weekend in March to the third weekend in October, and hire companies set their own dates.
How to choose?
If you are a beginner or coming with the family
These three sites combine canoe, pedalo and paddleboard hire with a beach that is lifeguarded in season, ideal with children.
🌊 Lac de Madine🌊 Swimming & Sailing on Lake Gérardmer🌊 Lac des Vieilles-Forges
If you are after wind and board sports
Madine hosts windsurfing, wingfoiling, kitesurfing and keelboat sailing, Der has sailing schools, and Lac d’Orient is reserved for non-motorised boating.
If you prefer rivers
A trip down the Semoy from Haulmé, an easy river suitable from the age of 5, or hourly hire on the Meuse at Bogny-sur-Meuse.
If you are looking for peace in the forest
The “Canada lorrain” (Lorraine’s Canada) of Pierre-Percée and the Lac des Vieilles-Forges, ringed by Ardennes forest, are best explored by canoe, far from the big resorts.
ComparisonData taken from each listing, checked against official sources
| Place or activity | When | Time needed | Who it suits | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lac du Der📍 Marne / Haute-Marne | All year round; summer for swimming, mid-October to mid-March for common cranes | Half a day to a full day (lake circuit by bike: 36 km) | Families, cyclists, birdwatchers, anglers | Car: D384 from Saint-Dizier, D13 from Vitry-le-François; nearest SNCF station: Saint-Dizier |
| Lac de Madine📍 Nonsard-Lamarche · Meuse (55) | Leisure base open all year round; lifeguarded swimming from mid-June to 20 September (weekends only outside July and August) | Lap of the lake: about 2 hours by bike, 5 hr 30 min to 6 hours on foot | Families, water-sports fans, birdwatchers; disabled parking and hire of mobility scooters | By car: Nonsard-Lamarche or Heudicourt-sous-les-Côtes (Meuse), car parks P1 to P3 with disabled spaces |
| Swimming & Sailing on Lake Gérardmer📍 Gérardmer · Vosges (88) | Summer for swimming; water sports during the summer season | Half a day to a full day | Families; with children, choose the supervised Union Nautique beach | No railway station in Gérardmer: stations at Remiremont (30 min), Saint-Dié (40 min) or Épinal (45 min), then a Fluo bus |
| Lac d’Orient – Forêt d’Orient📍 Mesnil-Saint-Père · Aube (10) | Open access all year; boating from the first weekend of March to the third weekend of October | Half a day to a full day | Families, swimmers, non-motorised boaters, birdwatchers | A5 exit 23 “Thennelières”, then follow “Grands Lacs”; stations at Vendeuvre-sur-Barse, Troyes or Bar-sur-Aube; greenway from Troyes |
| Kayaking on the Meuse📍 Bogny-sur-Meuse · Ardennes (08) | Spring to early autumn; Semoy: 31 March to 15 October, depending on water levels | Hire from 1 hr on the Meuse; 1–2 hrs’ descent on the Semoy | Semoy from age 5 (an easy river); must be able to swim 25 m; under-14s must be accompanied by an adult | Monthermé is 15 km north of Charleville-Mézières; canoes on the Meuse at Bogny-sur-Meuse, on the Semoy at Haulmé |
| Lac des Vieilles-Forges📍 Ardennes (08) | All year for walking; supervised beach and water sports in summer | From a few hours for a walk to a full day in summer | Families, swimmers, anglers, walkers; Wi-Splash from age 7; animals accepted on the site | By car: Les Mazures, north-west of Charleville-Mézières; car park, including for coaches |
| Lac de Pierre-Percée📍 Pierre-Percée · Meurthe-et-Moselle (54) | All year for walks; beach at Lac de la Plaine during the summer bathing season | Half a day to a full day depending on activities | Families, walkers, mountain bikers and anglers | By car, in the south-east of Meurthe-et-Moselle, near Badonviller; swimming at the Celles-sur-Plaine leisure centre |
Map: Canoeing, sailing and paddleboarding on the lakes of the Grand Est
When to go?
- JanPossible
- FebPossible
- MarPossible
- AprPossible
- MayPossible
- JunPeak season
- JulPeak season
- AugPeak season
- SeptPossible
- OctPossible
- NovPossible
- DecPossible
Peak season Possible Off season
📅 The water-sports season is concentrated from June to September, when hire companies and lifeguarded beaches are in full swing; in spring and early autumn, check each provider’s opening dates and river water levels, as the Semoy can be paddled from 31 March to 15 October, depending on conditions.
Tips & insider advice
- Wear your buoyancy aid
Put on and fasten your buoyancy aid before getting in, even on a calm lake and for a short outing.
- You must be able to swim
For canoeing on the Meuse and the Semoy, you must be able to swim 25 m, and under-14s must be accompanied by an adult.
- Check the weather and wind
On large lakes such as Der or Madine, the wind can make boating tricky: stay close to the shore on a paddleboard or in a canoe if you are a beginner.
- Check dates and water levels
Boating on Lac d’Orient runs from the 1st weekend in March to the 3rd weekend in October, and the Semoy can be paddled from 31 March to 15 October, depending on water levels.
- Swimming: choose lifeguarded beaches
With children, choose lifeguarded beaches, such as the Union Nautique beach at Gérardmer; at nearby Lac de Longemer, swimming is not supervised.
- Bringing your own boat?
Madine welcomes private craft; elsewhere, check the local regulations before launching.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I go paddleboarding in the Grand Est?
Paddleboards can be hired at Lac de Madine, Lac du Der, Lake Gérardmer and Lac des Vieilles-Forges, where Cap Ardennes Events also offers giant paddleboarding. Hire is mainly available in the summer season: check the dates on the providers’ websites.
Where can I go river canoeing or kayaking in the Grand Est?
In the Ardennes, around Monthermé: canoes can be hired by the hour on the Meuse at Bogny-sur-Meuse, and you can paddle down the Semoy from Haulmé in 1 to 2 hours. The Semoy is an easy river, suitable from the age of 5, from 31 March to 15 October, depending on water levels.
Where can I learn to sail in the Grand Est?
Lac du Der has sailing schools, and Lac de Madine offers sailing, keelboat sailing, windsurfing and wingfoiling. At Les Vieilles-Forges, the site hosts sports courses for children and teenagers run by the Ardennes Département, including sailing and rowing.
When can you go boating on the lakes of the Grand Est?
Lac de Madine and Lac du Der are accessible all year, but hire and lessons mainly operate from late spring to early autumn. On Lac d’Orient, boating is permitted from the 1st weekend in March to the 3rd weekend in October.
Information checked in October 2026. Opening hours, prices and conditions may change: check the official website before you travel.