France · Alps, Pyrenees, Jura & Basque Country
Fly Fishing France
France is the best-kept secret in European fly fishing. More than 280,000 kilometres of rivers, wild trout that have never seen a hatchery truck, and the country that invented modern competition nymphing, all at a fraction of the cost of the famous destinations.
◷ Season mid-March to September ⚲ Lyon, Nice, Toulouse & Biarritz ✦ Wild brown trout, grayling & salmon
Guided trips
Two guided ways into wild France
We work with state-certified local guides who have spent their lives on these rivers. Choose the Basque Country and its Hemingway water, or the wild fario streams in the mountains above the French Riviera.
Basque wild browns and Hemingway’s river
Fish the Basque Nives with Yvon Zill, a certified Tenkara guide who knows every side valley of this border country. Clear water, wild brown trout, and barbel that pull far harder than they should on a fly rod.
In May and June he runs the Hemingway expedition to the Rio Irati across the Spanish border, the big, clear canyon river Hemingway wrote into The Sun Also Rises.
About France
Where modern fly fishing was born
France holds ten World Fly Fishing Championship golds, more than any other nation, and gave the sport euro nymphing and the CDC dry fly. Yet for English-speaking anglers it stays off the radar. No celebrity lodges, no waiting lists, no glossy marketing.
What there is: a huge network of public water, thousands of certified professional guides, and wild trout fishing that rivals the best freestone rivers in the world for a fraction of the price.
Why France
What makes fishing France different
River variety you cannot match
Alpine freestone, Jura spring creek, Pyrenean torrent, Atlantic salmon river and Mediterranean gorge, often within an hour of each other. Few countries pack this much variety of water into so little distance.
Wild, self-sustaining trout
First-category rivers hold naturally reproducing brown trout, both the Atlantic strain and the red-and-black Mediterranean zebra. Stocking is being wound back in favour of catch and release, so the fishing keeps improving.
Superb guides, honest value
Every guide holds a state-recognised diploma and carries professional insurance. Guiding, gîte accommodation and travel all sit well below Scandinavia, Iceland or the English-speaking world. A self-guided week runs 800 to 1,000 euro a head.
Practical info
The best time to fish France
First-category trout waters open from mid-March to mid-September, with exact dates set department by department. May is one of the best months, with heavy mayfly hatches on the Jura and the Rio Irati opening. June is the pick if you only fish France once, when the alpine rivers hit their prime and water temperatures reach that ideal 12 degrees. September thins the crowds and the trout feed hard before the close.
Trip package
What every guided trip includes
Book a guided day or a full itinerary and the details are handled before you arrive.
- State-certified local guide matched to your rivers
- All guiding, instruction and on-water coaching
- Rods, reels, flies and waders available on request
- Your carte de pêche fishing licence arranged
- Pre-trip briefing on regulations, access and kit
- Advice on where to stay, eat and explore
Testimonials
What Our Anglers Say
“Yvon took us up a side valley of the Nives we would never have found on our own. We fished Tenkara for wild browns in crystal-clear water with the Pyrenees right above us, not another angler in sight. The Hemingway trip to the Rio Irati the next day was the highlight of our whole European trip.”
— Mark & Sarah T., Wellington, New Zealand
“I had written off the south of France as a beach holiday, but Guillaume changed my mind completely. We fished the Verdon Gorge in the morning, wild fario in the most dramatic scenery I have ever cast a line in, then drove an hour into the mountains for trout rising freely to CDC dries. I am already planning my return.”
— David R., Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Enquiry
Tell us how you want to fish France
Send us your dates, your experience and which regions pull at you, the Basque Country, the Riviera, the Alps or the Jura spring creeks. We will match you to the right guide and the right week.
If a different plan would fish better, we will say so. The aim is a trip that suits your ability and your budget.
Your guide to fly fishing France
Plan your trip
From the regions and the fishing to licences, tackle and getting there, here is how to plan a French trip.
Regions & rivers
The Alps hold 1,700 kilometres of first-category water in the Hautes-Alpes alone, with the undammed Clarée a standout. The Pyrenees run Atlantic salmon on the Gave d’Oloron and wild browns across 400 kilometres of the Basque Nives. The Jura spring creeks, the Doubs and the Ain, are gin-clear and technical, while the volcanic Massif Central holds zebra trout on the Ardèche and Allier.
How the fishing works
France is where euro nymphing was born, and it is still the most effective method on pressured water. CDC dry flies are standard for rising fish, and Tenkara works beautifully on the small mountain streams of the Pyrenees. A 9-foot 4-weight covers most rivers, with a 10-foot 3-weight for nymphing and 6X to 7X tippet where the fish have seen it all.
Getting there
Lyon, Marseille and Turin serve the Alps, Nice the Riviera, Toulouse and Biarritz the Pyrenees, and Paris connects to everywhere by TGV. Budget flights from the UK start around 50 to 100 euro return. You will want a hire car to reach the river valleys.
Tackle & what to pack
A 9-foot 4-weight is the workhorse, with a 10-foot 3-weight for euro nymphing and a 5 or 6-weight for the bigger Pyrenean rivers and mountain lakes. Bring leaders from 4X to 7X, a box of Perdigons, Pheasant Tails and Gold-Ribbed Hare’s Ears, and CDC emergers and Parachute Adams for the dries. Some departments ban felt soles because of didymo, so pack rubber-soled boots.
Season & licensing
First-category trout waters run mid-March to mid-September. Every angler over 16 needs a carte de pêche, from around 15 euro a day or 34 a week, available online at cartedepeche.fr. Fishing without one carries a 450 euro fine and bailiffs do check. If you book a guided trip, your guide sorts the licence for you.
For non-anglers
France is an easy trip to share. Medieval towns, UNESCO sites and world-class food and wine sit close to every fishing region, from Basque cuisine to the wines of the southern Rhône and the fortified old town of Briançon.