The Willemsroute is the tempting alternative for sailing from Roermond or Den Bosch to Maastricht and vice versa. This splendid route is primarily intended for recreational waterway users who want to do more than just sail from A to B. An easily navigable and pleasant route that goes past numerous attractive locations in the Netherlands and in Belgian Limburg.

The route goes via the Wessem-Nederweert canal, the Zuid-Willemsvaart and the historic route through Maastricht to ’t Bassin, the atmospheric and historic harbour in the centre of the old city. The Willemsroute is a quiet route with small locks and plenty of mooring sites. The area around the route itself is recreational and highly attractive. There is a minimum of 5 metres headroom on the Willemsroute.*

Visit the Dutch and Belgian provinces of Limburg

If you would like to visit both the Dutch and Belgian parts of Limburg by boat, you should take the Willemsroute, which crosses both provinces. Enjoy all the beauty that the surroundings have to offer. If you have the time, consider taking the branch that goes through a splendid piece of Flanders: the Bocholt-Herentals canal towards Lommel and Leopoldsburg (in Belgian Limburg). But do note: a waterway network toll sticker is needed for sailing on the Flemish part of the Zuid-Willemsvaart.

Work on the Julianakanaal

Rijkswaterstaat – the Dutch Department of Public Works and Water Management – is currently lengthening the locks at the Dutch towns of Born, Maasbracht and Heel. This means that a considerable proportion of the lock capacity on the Julianakanaal is unavailable for some time. To avoid long waiting times and to help recreational traffic such as you, a splendid alternative route is being offered. Have a look at the map for more information about the waterways and the surroundings of the Willemsroute.

Obstructions at Maasbracht and Born: September 2009 to mid 2012

The ‘temptations’ of the Willemsroute:

• attractive and calm recreational route
• only navigable for recreational vessels and smaller professional craft
• attractive small locks with minimal height differences
• low banks giving you a good view of the magnificent surroundings
• nice towns along the route, both in the Dutch and Belgian parts of Limburg
• plenty of mooring sites
• numerous tourist attractions and catering venues along the route
• easy access to the familiar cycling and walking route networks

Have a look at www.dewillemsroute.eu for more information about this attractive route, the work on the Julianakanaal and the mandatory sailing permit..

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* The only exception to this minimum headroom is the historic boating route through Maastricht. The minimum headroom here is 3.31m. However, an alternative route through the Bosscherveld lock is available.

History of the Zuid-Willemsvaart

There was a route by water from Maastricht to ’s Hertogenbosch (or ‘Den Bosch’) even before the
Zuid-Willemsvaart was dug: the River Maas. This did mean a major detour, though. Moreover, the Maas
was often very shallow and therefore only navigable for five months of the year. The Willemsvaart is
named after the Dutch king William I, who decided in 1822 that a connecting canal should be dug
between Maastricht and ’s Hertogenbosch. Excavations started in 1823 and the canal was completed
three years later. When another Willemsvaart was dug later in the province of Drenthe, the canal in
Brabant got the sobriquet ‘Zuid’, meaning South.