Parc des Eaux Vives in Huningue – Kayak, SUP, hydrospeed…

The Parc des Eaux vives of Huningue is a rather atypical place. As you can see, it is a place where you can practice white water sports, but its particularity is to be located in the middle of an urban area! When I heard about this park, I always wondered where it could be because of the area in which it is located. Well, simply in town! Huningue is a small town in the south of Alsace, located right on the border with Germany and Switzerland, in the region of the Three Countries (you will have understood the origin of this name, by the way!). This is where the Three Countries Gateway is located, which I had already told you about. The Parc des Eaux Vives is located on the banks of the Huningue Canal, right at the entrance to the canal, i.e. at the junction with the Rhine.

The Parc des Eaux Vives offers many activities: you can practice canoeing, kayaking, hydrospeed (white water swimming), rafting, stand-up paddle (SUP)… Yes, all that! Don’t be afraid of the term white water, which in fact corresponds to only a part of the activities: there is indeed white water (it is impressive to see!) on a part of the park, but there are also calmer bodies of water where you can for example practice SUP serenely. In short, there is something for everyone!

Depending on the sport, it is possible to rent the equipment and practice on your own and/or participate in a supervised activity. You can rent a kayak or a hydrospeed, but all inflatable equipment (including SUP) must be supervised by a park instructor. The park is aimed at individuals and groups (it can be an idea for an EVJF or a birthday party!), but also at companies (organization of a team building for example).

I tested an initiation to Stand up paddle with the friendly Nicolas. Group lessons are offered every week but it is also possible to book your own time, rather from 3 people (it is also possible alone but it is expensive because you have the instructor just for you!) Please note that SUP is only available from Monday to Friday. I really enjoyed my session: the explanations are clear and help to feel quickly more comfortable on this funny board… There is a risk of falling in the water anyway, but we lend you a wetsuit if the water is a bit too cold (in summer, it gets pretty warm pretty quickly, though!). We spend a good time and we work the muscles of the legs at the same time: we would not say like that, but the fact of remaining stable on the SUP requires a lot of small contractions… A good fitness session as a bonus!

If you are looking for a refreshing activity to do in summer in Alsace, take a look at the Parc des Eaux Vives, you should find what you are looking for 🙂

My photos of the Parc des Eaux Vives in Huningue