Freestone · Granite · Normandy / Calvados (lower Normandy freestone), FR

Noireau

FranceNormandieCahanLesPlanchesLeNoireau

Normandy stream with mixed geology — chalk influence in lower reaches, granite further up.

Tomorrow · Closed season
Pheasant Tail Nymph
Forecast · Tomorrow
Closed season
Out of season. Try elsewhere.
75% projected
Today's fly
Pheasant Tail Nymph
Pheasant Tail Nymph
Conditions on the water · Tomorrow
Live gauge
Level
Falling
0.13 m
Dropping after lift
Water temp9.5°C
ClarityClearing
Weather4°C
WindN 14 km/h
Pressure1015 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm
Rain · ahead5.3 mm

The nearest gauge doesn't record temperatures, so we've estimated it — defer to the river keeper's advice.

Water temperature for Brown Trout
Cool — slow
10°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Brown Trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Hatch timeline · tomorrowPeak at 12pm

12pm(now) — Autumn Olive

Stage: On emergersApproach: Emerger or dryActivity: 36%
Also:Autumn Needle Fly30%Black Midge25%
Peak emergence window6 food groups active

Peak activity at 12pm — Autumn Olive (Autumn Olive, Peak emergence window)

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 2 guilds as a supporter.

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Evidence
Survey-backed · regionalHigh confidence

Backed by regional invertebrate surveys; no sampling on this exact reach yet.

Through the year
0–3 scale · November highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
3
2
Mayfly (Green Drake)Hatch
2
2
Freshwater ShrimpHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Large Dark OliveHatch
1
2
2
1

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Brown Trout fly box

Classic French chalkstream fishing. Gin-clear, weed-rich, slow to moderate flow. Dry fly and sight nymphing dominate. Stronger sedge hatches than English equivalents. French tradition favours flush-sitting dries (comparaduns, CDC patterns) and upstream presentation.

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • AAPPMA permits.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
Rouvre
18 km
0
Brown trout · Sea trout
Orne
46 km
0
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
Pisciculture Les Sources d'Elle
40 km
Rainbow trout
Pisciculture Chanteraine- Occagnes
42 km
Rainbow trout
Pisciculture Les étangs du Val de Sée
43 km
Rainbow trout
Gallery · 2
  1. FranceNormandieCahanLesPlanchesLeNoireau
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Wild brown trout. Pastoral water, intimate in places, more open in others. Fly-fishing on accessible beats. Spring (April–May) offers good dry-fly potential when insect activity aligns. Some sections may have restrictions; check AAPPMA before visiting.

Hatches & food

On Atlantic trout rivers in Normandy and Brittany, regional studies and on-the-bank experience point to spring mayflies as the main early driver, a strong band of spring and early-summer caddis as channels warm and open, background buzzer life ticking away right through the year, and terrestrials from wooded banks adding important surface food in summer and early autumn, with autumn olives extending sport wherever trout-season rules allow.

  • Granite
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Good
  • Chemical: Unknown

WFD classification · FRHR302

The full read · show the working · for Brown Trout · confidence 75%
How the 0 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature100 × 28%28.0
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity95 × 18%17.1
Feeding Time60 × 13%7.8
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity48 × 12%5.8
Conditions total= 82
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitysurvey-backed invertebrate datasurvey
What would change the calculation
The dawn and dusk windows score higher than the midday lull.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 2nd Saturday of March → 3rd Sunday of September
Related guides
Pyrenees PlaybookFrench riversEuro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts
At a glance

Noireau is a freestone river in Normandy / Calvados (lower Normandy freestone), France. The catchment geology is recorded as granite, and the water sits at about 114 m above sea level. The river is described as roughly 51 km long. The species listed for this water is brown trout. The trout season is recorded as running from 2nd Saturday of March to 3rd Sunday of September. Best window recorded for anglers: March–October. Core methods listed: Dry fly; nymphing. Level and flow data for this water is linked from 1 gauge. Its Water Framework Directive ecological status is recorded as good. Access is recorded as day tickets through the local AAPPMA (angling association). Nearby waters in our listings include Rouvre at 18 km, Pisciculture Les Sources d'Elle at 40 km and Pisciculture Chanteraine- Occagnes at 42 km.