Open canoe or kayak: the differences, and which to choose as a beginner

1867. That year, a Scot named John MacGregor arrived in France aboard the ‘Rob Roy’, a wooden kayak inspired by ancestral designs: for the French canoe-kayak federation, the FFCK, it marks the start of the modern era of the sport. A century and a half later, the federation has more than 700 clubs and over half a million paddlers [1], and the beginner’s question has not changed: canoe or kayak?

The real difference: the paddle

The two words describe neither a material nor a hull shape, but a way of paddling. In Britain, ‘canoe’ often covers both; in this guide, it means the open, or Canadian, canoe. The international federation sums it up for sprint racing: in a canoe, the paddle has a single blade and the paddler kneels on one knee, the other foot forward, pulling the paddle down whichever side they prefer; in a kayak, the paddler sits and uses a double paddle, one blade in the water on one side, then on the other [2]. The French federation also points out that flat-water paddling began among the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, and that it was then done with a single-blade paddle only [3].

For leisure, the most widespread form is flat-water touring. It is done in fairly long boats, over 4.5 m, which track very well, with watertight compartments for carrying a good load of kit; they glide along without intense physical effort, at the pace of the scenery [3]. A boat that tracks well holds its course: an asset for going straight, less so for turning tightly.

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What should guide your choice

No rule reserves the canoe or the kayak for any particular group. The choice comes down to a few simple questions, and to trying both: the French federation even teaches its first levels boat by boat, the canoe on one side, the kayak on the other [4].

• Taking kit, or going for two days: you need dry storage. Touring boats have watertight compartments [3], and canoe hire companies on the Ardèche provide waterproof barrels [5]; for a river trip with a night’s bivouac, see our guide to two-day canoe camping.
• Taking a child: the rules are local. On the Ardèche, a prefectural order sets the minimum age at 7 and requires paddlers to be able to swim; younger children who can swim may go down with a qualified guide [5]. At providers in France, the buoyancy aid must then offer extra buoyancy for anyone under 25 kg [6].
• Gauging the effort: the boat does not move by itself and your arms do much of the work; better a short route than an outing that is too long [5].
• Fishing from the boat: in France, on fresh water, you need a fishing card just as you would from the bank; see our guide to the French fishing card.

My view, for a first time: with a partner, a child or some kit, a two-seater hire canoe is the easiest way in; on your own, for a paddle on a lake, a kayak is just as quick to get the hang of. Either way, trying beats any amount of advice.

Hire first: what a provider in France must supply

Hiring is the way to try before you buy. In France, providers that organise canoeing and kayaking for people without a federation licence come under articles A322-42 onwards of the Code du sport, the French sports code [7] [6]. In practice, each paddler is given [6]:

• a buoyancy aid with a performance level of at least 50 newtons, with extra buoyancy for anyone under 25 kg; inflatable and hybrid lifejackets are banned;
• closed shoes and clothing suited to the conditions of the day;
• a helmet, but only on rivers of grade III and above;
• a boat designed to float even when full of water, and easy to get out of if it capsizes.

Outings take account of the weather, the water level and the paddlers’ ability: if conditions threaten health or safety, the provider adapts or cancels the activity. On calm flat water, the instructor may make some equipment optional when conditions allow, but the buoyancy aid always stays within reach [6]. These rules apply in France; elsewhere, they differ.

To give you an idea, the Gorges de l’Ardèche tourist office publishes indicative prices: €25 to €40 per adult between Vogüé and Vallon-Pont-d’Arc, from €35 for the gorges in a day and from €60 over two days. It allows two hours for 6 to 8 km, half a day for 12 to 14 km, and a full day beyond that. The hire company provides the canoe, paddles, buoyancy aids and waterproof barrels, and runs a bus shuttle on the way out or back; in high season, it is wise to book a few days ahead [5].

And stand-up paddleboarding?

A third option, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), is done standing up, with a single paddle 1.5 to 2 m long. The federation describes it as easy to get into and fun; for beginners and gentle outings, boards are long and wide, for maximum stability [3]. One sizeable difference on the rules side: the articles of the Code du sport that govern canoeing and kayaking at providers expressly exclude stand-up paddleboarding [6].

Start on flat water, and only there

The federation counts lakes and other still waters, canals and grade I rivers as flat water [3]. White water starts at grade II, and for it, the federation considers it essential for beginners to learn with a club or an instructor [8]. Where the federation has published no grading, the instructor grades the stretch of river themselves, using the criteria of the Code du sport [6].

Even a gentle river speeds up in places. On the Ardèche, the tourist office warns that ending up in the water in a rapid is not out of the question. If it happens: let your gear go, lie on your back, feet first, in line with the current, then recover the boat further down, where the water calms [5].

Another, less familiar risk comes from the fresh water itself: leptospirosis. A French Ministry of Health leaflet, distributed by the federation, lists canoeing and kayaking among the activities at risk. The bacteria live in rodents’ urine and in the fresh water it contaminates, even when that water is clear, and get in mainly through the mucous membranes or through a wound, however small. The leaflet advises washing any wound with drinking water and soap, disinfecting it and covering it with a waterproof dressing; if a high fever appears within one to two weeks of an outing, see a doctor quickly and tell them which activity you were doing [11].

Progressing at a club: the Pagaies Couleurs

To go further, the federation created a method in the 1990s that serves both for teaching and for certification: the Pagaies Couleurs, or ‘coloured paddles’. Since its 2021 version, the first levels, white and yellow, are taken boat by boat, canoe or kayak for example; after that, progression is by discipline, from flat-water touring to open canoeing. These levels also lead to an equivalent award in the European countries that belong to the Euro Paddle Pass [4].

With more than 700 clubs [1], the federation offers the simplest way to try both boats in France, with an instructor, before choosing your own.

Outside clubs, two schemes make first attempts easier. Flat-water centres, which appeared in France in the 1970s, fit out a lake or a beach for paddle sports, with an operator who guarantees the services and the safety of the site [12]. The Sentiers Nautiques, a federation programme of water trails, offer discovery routes by canoe, kayak or paddleboard, either with a certified guide or described in a guidebook published by a federation-accredited centre [13].

A single paddle or a double one, a buoyancy aid done up, a quiet stretch of water early in the morning: the rest you learn as you go, and few people come back from a first outing without planning a second.

Worth watching

Paddling Magazine weighs up the two boats: room for people and kit, kneeling or seated in a canoe; a lower seat, more speed and easier steering with two blades in a kayak.

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Nolwenn Bastide

Trail running, snow, water, nature and destinations

Nolwenn covers trail running, snow, water, nature and destinations for Outfarer. Curious about everything, from meteor showers to night-train timetables, she has a knack for unearthing the one detail that changes everything, and putting it in a single sentence.

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