Boats are docked along the riverside as far as the eye can see, while anchors and grapnels are dotted on the ground, and masts and their flags are proudly pitched in gardens... In Saint-Mammès river transport is everywhere you look.

Located at the confluence of the Seine and Loing, this small town (224 hectares) is the meeting point of all waterways that cross the centre and west of France. Thanks to its strategic position, it is a prime location for river transport and has long played a leading role in the history of inland shipping in France. When river transport was at its height, downstream from Paris on the Seine lay Conflans Sainte-Honorine, while upstream lay Saint-Mammès. The two towns had been economic rivals since the eighteenth century. The evolution of river transport modes shaped life in the town, from man and animal-powered towing to navigation of river currents, mechanical traction, steam towing and the motorisation of boats. While river transport no longer has the economic power of old, it has made the town what it is today. From the end of the 1930s until the turn of the century, activities were organised around the shipping exchange, where weekly sessions were held for bargemen and charter companies to plan the transport of goods. The exchange is located opposite the picturesque former lock on the Loing. Built in 1724, it has been recently renovated, despite the fact that it ceased operations in 1974. The urban fabric, which is formed of small plots, kitchen gardens owned by bargemen, and garden sheds converted into small houses, is criss-crossed by a network of alleyways. The town centre, the heart of Saint-Mammès, has three large quays, along the banks of the Loing and the Seine, which remain the port of registry for many bargemen, both active and retired. The many barges docked along the banks, including shops and houseboats, are evidence of this, as well as the 2 shipyards nearby, the supply ship, and the boarding school for children of bargemen.

While, for the boatmen, the town of Saint-Mammès remains a beacon and symbol where riverboat heritage is cherished, for the past couple of decades, it has welcomed pleasure boats from around the world (including Australia, the United States, the Netherlands and Mexico) along its banks.
While the marina offers thirty or so moorings, from April to October, the canal and river welcome some 500 boats, ranging from small barges to 80-metre cruise liners. With a pier and river banks ideal for a stroll, dotted with café terraces, Saint-Mammès offers a breath of holiday air.