For paddlers looking to experience the French River by either canoe or kayak, the river offers an enticing, scenic, adventurous wilderness waterway system of channels and tributaries. Whether you're looking for calm open water, white water rapids or a small river experience, a French River canoe trip is a great paddling experience for all skilllevels of experience.

Novice canoeists can spend a leisurely day on its calmer, smoother and more sheltered stretches, navigating among grassy islands, bays while scanning the riverbanks for turtles, beavers, otters, waterfowl, bald eagles, black bears, while listening for the elk cows bugling, and even see the occasional deer or moose. More experienced rafters and paddlers may want to check out the Flat Rapids, Dallas Rapids, Rainy Rapids and Pine Rapids as well as the rapids down the Old Voyageur channel to add challenge to their French River experience.

For those wanting the adventure of portaging to various levels of the French River or Georgian Bay there are areas of rapid white water that is full of speed and turbulence, especially in spring, when swirling, swelling currents grind river stones deep into the limestone riverbed below the rapids such as the Oullette Rapids, Five Finger Rapids consisting of Little Pine Rapids, Big Pine, Rainy, Double, Blue Chute, Little and Big Parisienne Rapids, and the Voyageur Channel all followed by an easy paddle to smoother, calmer areas on the French River or Georgian Bay.

Enjoy this paddler's paradise from the comforts of your cottage accommodations at Bryer Lodge