For adrenaline addicts | www.somme-tourisme.com
You are here
Home » Discover » Breathe and relax » For adrenaline addicts
For adrenaline addictsSomme Valley
©Mathieu Farcy

For adrenaline addicts

  • 10LONG DISTANCE WATER TRIPS
  • 8KAYAK CLUBS
  • 480METRES OF CABLE FOR CABLE WATER SKIING

Unusual and great fun

RAFTING AT PICQUIGNY

La Catiche water sports centre at Picquigny offers a surprising and unusual activity for northern France: white water rafting. It is the only white water spot in northern France and you're in for a bumpy ride!

Before you embark on the 4-10 person raft, Johann will brief you on safety rules and equip you with paddle, life jacket and helmet. He'll explain how/where to sit on the raft and how to use your paddle. Before you try out the river Somme rapids for real you'll do a practise run on land. Bumps, slides, flips... and fits of laughter guaranteed!

kayak hortillonnages, Somme©SommeTourisme
Canoë en vallée de Somme ©tvergoz-ftommassini
Picquigny rafting, Somme©CRTPicardie-Comdesimages
Rafting à Picquigny ©Nicolas Bryant
Picquigny rafting, Somme©CRTPicardie-Rémi Feuillette
Canoë en vallée de Somme ©Nicolas Bryant

Keep your balance

WHILE STAND-UP PADDLING

It's pretty magical to slide along the surface of silvery shimmering water in the sunlight. You need to be able to keep your balance but once you've mastered how to stay upright on the board you can see so much more, above the riverbanks and deep into the water. It's a gentle reassuring sport with only a very small risk of injury and you can remain in the kneeling position if standing up is too scary. It's open to everyone whatever their age. It's also a sport that can be practised in diverse ways: tests of balance, sailing against the current, races. Alternatively you can just enjoy a peaceful trip along the water observing plants and wildlife.

Stand-Up Paddling is possible in the Somme valley but also in the Baie de Somme!

A miracle! Walk on water with your stand-up paddle board ;-)
Paddle en baie de Somme ©Nicolas Bryant
Paddle à Cayeux-sur-Mer©Nicolas Bryant
Picquigny Paddle, Somme©Picquigny rafting
Canoë en vallée de Somme ©tvergoz-ftommassini

On the move

LONG DISTANCE KAYAKING

There are no fewer than 8 kayak clubs along the river. They load the boats onto a trailer and take you upstream by minibus to the departure point for your trip. You then just kayak downstream back to the club. These trips generally take about 90 minutes but braver souls can opt for day trips or even longer (bivouac) trips, camping out for the night (the club will loan watertight containers), or an environmentally responsible trip helping to pull out invasive plants.

Choose clothes made of synthetic fabric (no cotton, no jeans) or a wetsuit in cooler weather, closed shoes. Take sun cream, a cap, swimsuit, large towel and change of clothes.

For all these activities you MUST be able to swim 25 metres.

Amiens Cable Park ©Mathieu Decle

Ski and speed

CABLE WATER SKIING AT DREUIL-LES-AMIENS

A group of friends created a cable water skiing facility on the lakes at Dreuil, near Amiens in the Somme valley. What's involved? It's a cable, nearly 500m long, that pulls the skier along, at 30km an hour, instead of the traditional boat (rather like a ski tow).

You can try out cable water skiing, wakeboarding, kneeboarding, etc.

There are special time slots for children and beginners so they can learn in safe conditions.

For experienced riders there are 7 structures in the lakes so they can practise their wildest air tricks! A life jacket and helmet MUST be worn.

You'll like too