Night carp · 08

Night Carp Fishing in Ardennes

Venues sourced from the prefectural decree in force.

venues
12
rivers and canals
7
public lakes
2
private waters
3

The essentials in 20 seconds

Night carp fishing is legal in Ardennes on designated stretches defined by prefectural decree. Vegetable baits and boilies only, catch-and-release is mandatory. Geocarp lists 12 verified night venues in this department, with maps, access details and angler reports — in English.

Positions shown to within 1 km. The precise swim map is for members.See the map

Featured — largest lake

Le lac des Vieilles Forges

Les Mazures · 141 ha

See the venue

Verified venues

Venues sourced from the current prefectural decree; private estates follow their operator's rules.

Explore on the Geocarp map

Night fishing rules — Ardennes

Always check the departmental fishing federation's official list before your session.

Official list — Ardennes fishing federation

Frequently asked questions

Is night carp fishing legal in Ardennes, France?

Yes, on designated stretches defined by prefectural decree. Geocarp lists these venues with maps, access details and angler reports.

Do I need a French fishing licence?

Yes. A valid French fishing licence (carte de pêche) is mandatory and can be bought online at cartedepeche.fr. Some venues require an additional night carp option from the local angling club (AAPPMA).

What baits are allowed at night in France?

Vegetable baits and boilies only. Any carp caught at night must be released immediately — keeping or transporting carp at night is prohibited by French law (decree 2004-599).

Where can you fish for carp at night in the Ardennes?

On the rivers, first: the prefectural order in force opens night carp fishing all year on the Meuse and its canal from Mouzon to the Belgian border, on the Semoy, the Chiers, the Aisne right across the department, and on the canal des Ardennes. Two lakes are added from 1 February to 30 September, the lac des Vieilles Forges and the étang de Bairon, with excluded sections and a reserve marked on site. At night: plant baits only, no carp kept or transported.

The Ardennes is river country, and the prefectural order in force opens night carp fishing on long stretches rather than on a scatter of lakes. The Meuse and its canal are open from Mouzon all the way to the Belgian border — through Sedan, Charleville-Mézières, Monthermé, Fumay and Givet — and, upstream, on the left bank from the Létanne stream to the Moulins stream. The Semoy is open from where it enters France to its confluence with the Meuse, the Chiers from La Ferté-sur-Chiers to the Meuse, and the Aisne right across the department from the Marne boundary to the Aisne boundary. Two canals add still, slow water: the canal des Ardennes from Semuy to Pont-à-Bar, and the canal des Ardennes with the canal latéral à l'Aisne from Vouziers to the departmental boundary. All of these are open all year. Two lakes complete the picture, both from 1 February to 30 September: the lac des Vieilles Forges at Les Mazures and the étang de Bairon — each with sections excluded (dams, beach, roadside) and a no-fishing reserve on part of the water, marked on site. The gravel pits at Donchery, Les Ayvelles and Nouvion-sur-Meuse are not among the waters opened by the order in force. Conditions at night: plant baits only, no carp kept in a keepnet or transported, and no fishing in the reserves set by the prefecture. For visitors from Belgium and the Netherlands this is the nearest French night-carp water: Givet is on the border, Charleville-Mézières is under three hours from Brussels. Three private estates round out the offer under their own rules.