KAYAKOMAT FRANCE - PADDLING GUIDE

The Ultimate Guide to Kayaking and SUP in France

France has always been a country best understood slowly and few things slow you down quite like being on the water. From Brittany's Atlantic edge to the quiet canals of the Somme and the forested lake shores of Burgundy, here is how to explore France with a paddle in hand.

Whether you are a first-time paddler or someone who has spent years on the water, France offers a remarkable variety of landscapes to explore by kayak or stand-up paddleboard.

Kayakomat's self-service rental stations make it straightforward to get on the water wherever you are. With stations all over France that are open seven days a week and a booking process that takes just a few minutes, there is very little standing between you and your next adventure.

BEFORE YOU PADDLE

How Kayakomat works

Getting on the water with Kayakomat is simple from start to finish. Here is the full process.

Book online

Reserve through the Kayakomat website. Choose your location, pick a time, and confirm.Takes just a few minutes.

Unlock on arrival

At the station, open your code that you received and type it into the lock and unlock your kayak or SUP. No staff, no paperwork.

Grab your gear

A life jacket is provided at every station. Put them on before you reach the water.

Paddle at your pace

Launch from the station and go. Your time is entirely your own, no rush, no desk waiting for you.

Return and lock up

Wipe down with the sponge, remove water with the bailer, then lock back at the station.

WHERE TO PADDLE

Three regions worth exploring

France's waterways span an extraordinary range.Exposed Atlantic coastlines, slow inland canals, forest-ringed mountain lakes. Here are three regions where Kayakomat stations sit within some of the country's most rewarding paddling landscapes.

LOCATION ONE; BRITTANY

The wild Atlantic coast near Paimpol

Station: Pleubian, Brittany

Paimpol is one of Brittany's most visited towns.Known for its working harbour, seafood, and the rugged coastline that stretches out in every direction.

The Kayakomat station in Pleubian sits right on the Atlantic, giving paddlers direct access to one of the most dramatic stretches of coastline in France.

Take your time paddling,the area rewards slow exploration.Hidden coves appear around rocky headlands, The open sea, granite cliffs, scattered islands. All hard to find anywhere else.

Closer to the station, the Sillon de Talbert is one of the most unusual natural formations in France, a narrow three-kilometre tongue of stone and sand that extends out into the sea. Seeing it from the water rather than from the shore gives you a completely different sense of its scale. Hidden coves and small sandy beaches appear between rocky headlands as you follow the coastline, making it the kind of paddle where there's always something new around the next point.

The sit-on-top kayaks from the Kayakomat station are stable and accessible for all levels, and the self-service setup means you can head out early, before the coast gets busy and stay as long as the conditions allow.

Direct Atlantic launch from the station

Rocky islets, hidden coves and sandy beaches

The Sillon de Talbert - best seen from the water

Cormorants, shelducks and coastal seabirds

Views toward the Bréhat archipelago

Suitable for all levels, open 7 days a week

LOCATION TWO HAUTS-DE-FRANCE

The calm waters of the Somme valley

Station: Sailly-Laurette, Canal de la Somme

There is a quietness to the Somme valley that is hard to describe until you are in it. Reed beds line the water’s edge, the canal moves slowly and the surrounding landscape feels completely calm. If Brittany is about scale and drama, the Somme is about stillness.

From Sailly-Laurette, paddlers can head toward Corbie, a picturesque market town on the Somme about 5 kilometres away, passing through a stretch of the valley that feels genuinely untouched. The canal is ideal for beginners thanks to its calm, flat surface, but experienced paddlers will find there's plenty of distance to cover and scenery to take in if they want to push further along the route.

It is also a different kind of day out from what the region usually offers. Walking and cycling along the Somme are popular for good reason. But seeing the valley from the water with a Kayakomat sit-on-top beneath you, is its own thing entirely.

Calm flat water - perfect for beginners and families

Rich birdlife including herons and kingfishers

Paddle toward the town of Corbie, around 5km away

Peaceful valley scenery - marshes, meadows, woodland

A different way to see the Somme

Open 7 days a week, no fixed departure times

LOCATION THREE BURGUNDY

Lac des Settons in the heart of the Morvan

Station: Lac des Settons, Morvan Regional Natural Park

Lac des Settons sits inside the Morvan Regional Natural Park of clear water surrounded by dense forest and the rolling hills that define this part of Burgundy. It is a very different setting from the coast or the canals and it has its own distinct atmosphere.

On a clear morning, the lake is perfect to be out on. It is the kind of spot that earns its place on any paddling itinerary in France.With 360 hectares to explore, there's real scope to make a day of it. Paddle around the two islands at the centre of the lake, follow the wooded shoreline to discover small beaches where you can stop and swim, or simply drift and take in the scale of the natural park around you. For those who want a solid route, a 15 kilometre loop of the entire lake is a satisfying full-day paddle with constantly changing scenery.

The Morvan is two and a half hours from Paris; close enough to make it a weekend trip, remote enough to feel like a proper escape. And with Kayakomat open seven days a week, you don't need to plan around anyone else's schedule.

360 hectares of clear, Blue Flag-rated water

Two islands to paddle around at the lake's centre

Small beaches for swimming stops along the way

Full 15km loop for those wanting a longer paddle

2.5 hours from Paris, open 7 days a week

Your next paddle is closer than you think

Kayakomat stations across Brittany, the Somme and Burgundy are open seven days a week. A phone, a booking, and a bit of curiosity are all you need to get started.