Night carp · 25

Night Carp Fishing in Doubs

Venues sourced from the prefectural decree in force.

venues
35
rivers and canals
31
public lakes
3
private waters
1

The essentials in 20 seconds

Night carp fishing is legal in Doubs on designated stretches defined by prefectural decree. Vegetable baits and boilies only, catch-and-release is mandatory. Geocarp lists 35 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

Étang Lucien (Frasne)

22 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 — Doubs

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

Official list — Doubs fishing federation

Frequently asked questions

Is night carp fishing legal in Doubs, 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).

Is the Doubs a good destination for a carp fishing trip from the UK?

It is a long haul from the Channel ports — roughly six to seven hours' drive from Calais — so it suits anglers heading east rather than a quick ferry hop; flying into Basel-Mulhouse (EuroAirport), close to Montbéliard, is often easier. The reward is the river Doubs and the long Canal du Rhône au Rhin winding through the Jura foothills, with the Allan and Ognon alongside, in a region of real character — Besançon and its UNESCO Vauban citadel, the Swiss border and the Jura lakes close by. It also makes a natural stopover en route to Switzerland or Burgundy. Besançon, Montbéliard and Baume-les-Dames make convenient bases, with bank stretches designated by prefectural decree.

The Doubs, on the edge of the Jura mountains and the Swiss border, builds its night carp fishing around the Doubs valley and its canals. The river Doubs is the main axis, from the Montbéliard area (Voujeaucourt, Bavans, Dampierre-sur-le-Doubs) down through the L'Isle-sur-le-Doubs valley and Baume-les-Dames, then around Besançon (Deluz, Roche-lez-Beaupré, Rancenay, Montferrand-le-Château, Boussières, Osselle). The Canal du Rhône au Rhin shadows the river in long sectorised stretches, from Allenjoie to Branne and from Torpes to Osselle. The Allan opens parcours around Montbéliard and Étupes, the Ognon is fishable at Moncley, and the Canal de Haute-Saône at Dambenois. For lake sessions, the Frasne étangs (Étang Lucien, Étang du Moulin), open from 1 July to 31 December, complete the offer. Fishing is bank-only, with plant baits and catch-and-release, on stretches designated by prefectural decree.