Everything happened fairly much as planned. Geronimo was very helpful during check-in. He also provided us with a cart to bring back our groceries for the boat. The boat functioned properly except the... See more
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The towns along the Petite Baise were fabulous with power and water at most stops. It exceeded all expectations. The boat was old, beds uncomfortable with very thin mattress and pillows, and mould ar... See more
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An incredible experience on a large and beautiful E400 boat. We were greeted and instructed by very kind and helpful staff. We spent a wonderful weekend enjoying the landscapes along the river. My hus... See more
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The boats clean & tidty great kitchen for on board cooking, plenty of plates glasses etc & utensils.on our boat I was a little disappointed in the fridge,freezer worked well but fridge did not..Predep... See more
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Company details
About Riverly
Written by the company
About us: Riverly is the French No. 1 for licence-free boat rentals, offering getaways on the rivers and canals of France for stays of 2 nights or more (Canal du Midi, Burgundy, Camargue, Canal de Nantes à Brest, Alsace, Lot, Charente...).
Our boats can accommodate from 2 to 12 people and are fully equipped with all the comforts of home (kitchen, bathrooms, cabins...), making them perfect for disconnecting for a weekend or a week.
On the agenda: gliding along the water in the heart of nature, cycling along the towpath, visiting local wine cellars and buying regional produce at the market, exploring 15th-century villages, meeting passionate lock keepers, improvising a BBQ on the riverbank... so many special moments to share with friends, family, or as a couple.
Riverly was born from the merger of 2 leading French companies in the river tourism industry, combining over 50 years of expertise: Locaboat and Nicols.
As a result, our fleet features 2 distinct boat styles:
- The Pénichettes (like the Néo model), which evoke the authentic charm of traditional inland barges.
- The Cruisers, featuring the sleeker lines of classic yachts.
What our customers love: the new "riverlife"
- True disconnection: 99% of our customers say that river tourism offers a real sense of escape without having to travel far.
- Absolute freedom at your own pace: you have the wonderful luxury of following your own desires, with no schedules or set itineraries.
- Being surrounded by nature.
- Spending genuine, quality time together.
- It's very easy:
- No boating licence required.
- Accessible to everyone (including children and pets).
- It's great fun:
- A multitude of activities (boating, sightseeing, cycling, local tastings, golf, fishing, festivals...).
- A refreshing change and a whole new way to travel.
- It brings people together: everyone plays a role in the boat manoeuvres and participates in the adventure.
Contact info
France
- riverly.com/en
4.2
Great
963 reviews
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It was a beautiful area of France
It was a beautiful area of France . The boat was a great way to see it slowly . Boat was well equiped . We only had one issue the day before leaving we lost the bow thrusters and it was a Sunday so we had to call the emergency help line and he did not speak English and I didn’t speak French so he kept hanging up on me . But we got back without them .
June 23, 2025
Reply from Riverly
Thank you for your feedback. We're so pleased to hear that you enjoyed exploring this beautiful region of France at a relaxed pace, and that you found the boat well equipped for your journey.
We're sorry about the difficulty you experienced with the bow thrusters and the language barrier when calling our emergency line. That’s certainly not the level of support we aim to provide, and your comment has been shared with the team to help us improve communication in these situations.
Despite this, we're glad you were able to return safely, and we hope to welcome you back on board for an even smoother experience next time.
Our trip was great
Our trip was great. We had a great time on the boat of the Lokabot company. We got unforgettable impressions of our trip.
June 23, 2025
Reply from Riverly
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re delighted to hear you had a great time on board and that your trip left you with unforgettable memories.
We look forward to welcoming you again for another fantastic adventure!
Very friendly and helpful staff
Very friendly and helpful staff. They try to make things easy for their clients. The boat showed some wear-and-tear but it was reliable, well equipped and comfortable. The trip was wonderful; I fully recommend the experience to anyone who is comfortable with independent travel.
June 16, 2025
Reply from Riverly
Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re glad to hear our team made your trip easier and that you found the boat reliable, well equipped, and comfortable.
It’s wonderful that you enjoyed your journey and appreciate your recommendation for independent travelers.
We hope to welcome you on board again soon for another memorable adventure!
Reply from Riverly
Thank you for your feedback and for choosing to cruise with us.
We’re glad you enjoyed the experience, and we truly admire your spirit in taking on this kind of adventure. While our cruises are open to all ages, we do recommend that at least two people on board are in good physical condition, as some tasks — such as handling locks or mooring — can be a bit demanding.
We hope to welcome you again soon for another relaxing journey!
The King of the world! 5stars Holidays!
Locaboat is about trust! Everything went Great! The personel where very kind and professional. The boat is well designer and equiped. A 5 five stars experiênce!
June 20, 2025
Reply from Riverly
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! We’re delighted to hear that everything went great and that you appreciated our kind and professional team as well as the well-designed and equipped boat.
A 5-star experience is exactly what we aim for, and we look forward to welcoming you again soon!
Excellent experience…
This was the 3rd time we hired a boat with Locaboat, and confirmed the excellent experience with their people’s attitude, nice and welcoming, professionalism and availability. Impeccable boat management
We’ll come back next year
May 31, 2025
Reply from Riverly
Thank you for your loyalty and kind words! We’re thrilled that your third experience with Locaboat met your expectations and that our team’s professionalism and welcoming attitude stood out.
We look forward to welcoming you back next year for another wonderful cruise!
The communication was very complete and…
The communication was very complete and very helpful all the way through the process and continued while we were on a boat.
June 16, 2025
Reply from Riverly
Thank you for your kind words! We’re pleased to hear that our communication was clear and helpful throughout your entire journey.
We look forward to welcoming you again for another great experience on the water.
Reply from Riverly
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re delighted you enjoyed the boat, the weather, and the beautiful scenery.
We hope to welcome you back on board soon!
Overall Great Experience
We had a great vacation with Locoboat from/to their Joigny base. Booking was easy, agent was helpful and responsive.
The checkin process was quick though it was odd that I had taken the time to complete forms 2x regarding wanting bikes and WiFi but it seems this was new information. The boat check in friendly and thorough.
The boat itself was great. It was a good size for 6 people. It was very clean and well equipped. The power switch for the bow thruster did not work correctly; it took two quick presses to turn it on. Our only other real concern was that there were no screens on the windows and no fans. We were there in late May/early June. Renting in true summer must be very hot and buggy.
We enjoyed a leisurely, out/back trip with short days on the water. The recommended itinerary is to get to Auxerre on day 1 - that’s 11 locks, 6+ hours. That’s a lot for the first day! And finding a mooring in Auxerre can be difficult. We enjoyed Gurgy instead on our first night.
When we returned to Joigny, there was only one very tight slip left that we needed to reverse into. Even with our extensive boating experience, it was a challenge. We got no assistance from the dockhands and I think newer boaters would have needed it.
We rented 4 bicycles. Don’t miss the short ride to Bris-le-Vineux and the Goisot wine tasting in their caves. Though the bikes were in good condition they were SO heavy. We saw much nicer bikes on some Le Boat boats… though many Le Boat boats were not as nice as the Locoboat boats.
Overall, it was a great experience.
June 13, 2025
Reply from Riverly
Thank you for your detailed feedback and for choosing Locaboat for your trip from Joigny.
We’re glad you enjoyed the boat, its cleanliness, and the biking opportunities — the Goisot wine tasting sounds like a great highlight!
Regarding the bow thruster switch and the lack of window screens or fans, we understand these aspects can impact comfort; while screens aren’t currently part of our equipment, we appreciate your comments and will keep them in mind.
About docking assistance, our base team is always available by phone to support you if needed — don’t hesitate to reach out next time!
We also take note of your points on the itinerary pacing and mooring spots to help future guests plan better.
Thanks again for sharing your experience, and we hope to welcome you back soon for another wonderful cruise.
Our Locaboat journey from Corbigny to Joigny
We had the most amazing week on our Penichette 1020. It had everything we needed on board. We included 2 bikes as well, which were fantastic, we did 3 or 4 bike rides each day. The instruction we got at the start was very brief, and probably not detailed enough, as the boat was actually not that easy to steer. The lock keepers along the way were wonderful, very friendly and helpful. We moored in some beautiful little villages, although some of the electricity boxes at the dock didn't work. Would have been nice to know ahead of time. Overall, a most amazing journey
June 6, 2025
Reply from Riverly
Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience aboard the Penichette 1020. We’re delighted that the boat and bikes added to the enjoyment of your week, and that you appreciated the friendliness of the lock keepers and the charming villages.
We take note of your feedback regarding the briefing and the steering difficulties, as well as the issues with some electricity points at the docks. We’re sorry for any inconvenience and will use your comments to improve our information and services.
Overall, we’re glad your journey was amazing and hope to welcome you again soon.
Family Holiday in a beautiful place
Family Holiday in a beautiful place. Great boat and excellent service from Locaboat team, from initial briefing to timely and professional assistance from their service team after a minor breakdown.
June 2, 2025
Reply from Riverly
Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed your family holiday and appreciated both the boat and our team’s support throughout your journey.
We’re glad our service team could assist you promptly during the minor issue.
Looking forward to welcoming you back for another great trip!
We loved our time on the Canal du Midi
We loved our time on the Canal du Midi and the little Penichette Evolution was a dream.
The locaboat employees were all very helpful and welcoming. We just wish that our orientation had talked a bit about the locks and how to handle the boat in the locks. Once we figured that out it was all fine but the first day or so was quite stressful.
June 9, 2025
Reply from Riverly
Thank you for your kind words about your time on the Canal du Midi and for your compliments about our team.
We appreciate your feedback regarding the lock handling instructions. We do explain how to navigate the locks during the orientation, but we’re sorry if this wasn’t detailed enough to make the first day easier. We’ll take your comments on board to improve this part of the briefing.
We’re glad you enjoyed the rest of your cruise and hope to welcome you again soon.
Reply from Riverly
Thank you for your kind words! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the boat and appreciated our team’s support.
We hope to welcome you back on board soon!
Cruising in Brittany
This was our 7th trip on the canals with Locaboat. This time we hired a Penicette Evolution for the Brittany canal. As expected the experience from booking to undertaking the cruise was easy and seamless. Although we had a few issues with electricity onboard we enjoyed the cruise and found staff were helpful and responsive to try to resolve these issues.
June 9, 2025
Reply from Riverly
Thank you very much for your continued trust and for sharing your experience on your 7th trip with Locaboat.
We’re glad to hear that your booking and cruise went smoothly and that you enjoyed your time exploring the Brittany canals. We also appreciate your understanding regarding the electrical issues, and we’re pleased our team could assist you promptly.
We look forward to welcoming you on board again for many more memorable cruises!
We love Locaboat!
This was our second Locaboat holiday in the south of France and we loved it. Great selection of boats and super service. We will be back!
June 9, 2025
Reply from Riverly
Thank you for choosing Locaboat again and for your wonderful feedback! We’re thrilled to hear you loved the boats and our service.
We look forward to welcoming you back for another fantastic holiday!
The training guys were good and…
The training guys were good and thorough and the boat was i good condition. It would have been good to have a list of the items for the boat we needed when arriving, as there is no place at the boat marina to purchase supplies and the only restaurant was closed. Thank goodness for the wine and water we could buy.
June 6, 2025
Reply from Riverly
Thank you for your kind words about the training and the boat’s condition. We appreciate your feedback regarding the supplies list.
Please note that we provide a detailed inventory and recommendations on what to bring in the Captain’s Book, sent to our guests before their trip. This helps prepare for locations where shops may be limited.
We’re glad you managed to find some essentials locally and hope to welcome you again soon!
Everything I had dreamed of and more
Everything I had dreamed of and more. Thanks for your help
May 30, 2025
Reply from Riverly
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! We’re delighted to hear your experience was everything you dreamed of and more.
We look forward to helping you plan your next adventure!
Terrific boat,plenty of room on…
Terrific boat,plenty of room on board,very clean and good equipment. We were originally booked Argens Minervois to Negra. We were informed a month before that there was a building with potential to collapse at Trebs and would have to do an in and out of Negra. We were told by the staff at Negra when we picked up our boat that the canal was open, disappointing for us that you had not let us know or attempted to have us start on our original route.
May 12, 2025
Reply from Riverly
Thank you for your positive comments about the boat and its equipment. We’re sorry to hear about the change in your route and the confusion regarding the canal status near Trebes.
We understand how disappointing it can be when plans change, and we apologize if our communication about the route update was not as clear or timely as it should have been. We always aim to keep our guests well informed and regret any inconvenience caused.
We appreciate your understanding and hope to welcome you back for a seamless experience in the future.
Canal du Midi with Locaboat
Easy process to book. Helpful information prior and for the canal trip. Great orientation. Helpful people at all the stops and docks. Amazing cruising experience.
May 16, 2025
Reply from Riverly
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re thrilled to hear that you found the booking easy, appreciated the helpful information and orientation, and enjoyed the support at the stops and docks.
It’s fantastic that your cruising experience was amazing—we hope to welcome you back soon for another great adventure!
Good welcome
Good welcome, training, introduction and advice. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Clean boat snd detailed inspection.
Easy and friendly checkout at destination.
The Linssen 34.9 was perfect for our crew. A lovely boat.
June 2, 2025
Reply from Riverly
Thank you for your kind words! We’re delighted that our team provided a warm welcome and helpful training, and that the Linssen 34.9 was perfect for your crew.
It’s wonderful to hear you found the boat clean and enjoyed the easy checkout process.
We look forward to welcoming you back on board soon!
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