A family route between Cantal and Aveyron
The canoe and kayak base serving this area has its main home port in Vieillevie, just across the border between Aveyron and Cantal, with a finishing point in Grand-Vabre. From there starts the most popular family route, a trip of about ten kilometres, suitable from the age of five and with no major technical difficulty. We particularly like this stretch of river, wider and calmer than the nearby Dourdou gorges, which suits families and less experienced paddlers well.
Fishing, another way to enjoy the river
It is also one of the few places in the area where people fish straight from the banks, for those who remembered to get their permit before leaving. Between paddle strokes, you often pass anglers settled on the quiet banks, a sign that this stretch of the Lot is as popular for fishing as it is for canoeing.
Our advice: an outing in its own right
A trip of about ten kilometres, plus the time to launch and get back to the starting point, easily fills half a day. We would much rather you devoted that time entirely to the river than tried to fit in a village visit the same day: it is an outing that is enough on its own, between the pleasure of paddling gently and picnic breaks on the banks. Remember to put your phone, documents and camera in a dry bag before setting off: rental bases usually provide them, and it avoids nasty surprises if a wave or a clumsy manoeuvre sends water into the canoe. In high season, we advise booking ahead: places go fast on very hot days.