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Rhône River Water Levels Outlook, Week of August 18, 2025

Pont Saint-Bénézet arching over the deep aqua Rhône River, rustic stone balustrade and flowering lavender sprigs in the foreground, lavender blossom texture overlay, bright midday sun and crisp shadows.
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3 min read

Navigation between Lyon and Avignon looks routine this week on a managed river that has 12 large locks and a guaranteed channel depth near 10.5 ft (3.20 m) in normal conditions. 1 The main near-term driver is a midweek storm pulse, with seven-day rainfall totals around 0.8 in (20 mm) near Lyon and about 0.3 in (8 mm) around Avignon. 23 Travelers should monitor pre-departure emails, verify any late docking notes with their advisor, and keep flexible insurance options in mind.

Current Conditions

Primary gauge: Lyon, Le Rhône à Lyon, Pont Morand (Hydro station V300002001). 4 1.5 ft (0.46 m), normal range data unavailable. Risk level Normal, with green vigilance posted at the Lyon station. 5

Seven-Day Outlook

Chart unavailable. Seven-day data summary for the Lyon to Avignon corridor shows storms peaking midweek, with totals near Lyon close to 0.8 in (20 mm) and near Avignon around 0.3 in (8 mm). 67 River response should be modest on the managed reaches, so the call is Normal for the next 7 days.

Three-Week Risk Forecast

PeriodLikelihood of DisruptionConfidence
Days 1 to 7NormalHigh
Days 8 to 14NormalMedium
Days 15 to 21NormalLow

A late-summer pattern favors passing fronts and scattered storms rather than prolonged extremes, and this reach is heavily regulated with dams and locks that provide operational margin for cruise drafts and lockages. 8

Cruise-Line Responses

Data unavailable.

Traveler Advice

Booked guests sailing in the next two weeks can plan on normal operations. Still, watch your line's app or emails 48 to 72 hours before embarkation for any timing tweaks around Lyon, Vienne, Tournon, Avignon, or Arles.

If you are shopping near-term dates, this is a favorable window. Choose fares or policies that allow minor itinerary adjustments without heavy penalties, and confirm your line's contingency plan for brief weather delays at locks.

For trips more than three weeks out, keep monitoring but avoid changes based on today's guidance. The Rhône's engineered profile and lock system reduce the odds of major busing or reroutes outside unusual high-water or wind events. 8

Methodology

We use official French gauge portals for station identity and observations, public forecast pages for precipitation guidance, and internal thresholds, converting meters to feet at 1 ft = 0.3048 m. 9

Disclaimer

Forecasts beyond ten days are probabilistic and may change without notice. This information does not constitute financial or insurance advice.

Sources

  1. French Waterways, River Rhône guide, key dimensions, locks, and guaranteed depths
  2. Timeanddate, Lyon 14-day forecast, precipitation amounts, updated Aug 18
  3. Timeanddate, Avignon 14-day forecast, precipitation amounts, updated Aug 18
  4. Hydro Eaufrance, station fiche, Le Rhône à Lyon, Pont Morand (V300002001)
  5. Sentival, Rhône at Lyon, latest level and vigilance status
  6. Timeanddate, Lyon 14-day forecast, midweek storms and totals table
  7. Timeanddate, Avignon 14-day forecast, midweek storms and totals table
  8. CNR, "Navigating the Rhône," locks, operations, and managed river overview
  9. NIST Handbook 44, exact meter-foot conversion, 1 ft = 0.3048 m