Sable Casts Off

Week 3 – September 8th to September 15th (Tony) 

Lyon has to be one of the loveliest cities we’ve ever visited. Generally speaking we don’t enjoy cities, preferring the serenity of the countryside and small towns and villages. But Lyon really appealed. Geographically, it is set at the confluence of two rivers — the mighty Rhone, flushing cobalt glacial melt from high in the Alps and the sombre Saone, olive green and lethargic converging from the northwest. The old picturesque city, dating back to Roman times, nestles in the hillside on the right bank of the Saone the throbbing hub lies in the narrow strip between the two rivers whilst the new flourishing commercial heart spreads west across the Rhone valley. Anyone who knows me, knows I detest shopping. Lyon almost converted me. The shops, especially mens and womens fashions, including shoes, bags and accessories are so beautifully presented and reasonably priced we wished we’d left our laden, overweight baggage at home and replaced our entire wardrobe in Lyon.

We enjoyed dining out in what is reputedly the gastronomic capital of France. One meal was particularly memorable. Not only the food was delicious — our waitress was young and gorgeous and extremely professional. Her only blemish occurred as she cleared our table, knocking over my wine glass and spilling red wine over my trousers. She was mortified. I calmly tipped the carafe of water over my pants to prevent the stain spreading while the french lady at the next table exhorted the waitress to, “Take his trousers off!” To which Sally replied, “The last person who did that had to marry him.” We all ended up having a great conversation and lots of fun before we teetered off to our hotel, me looking as if I’d peed my pants.

We loved Lyon so much we extended our stay an extra day, then caught the train to Roanne. Sable is moored in the boat harbour there, along with twenty or so other boats. It is a delightful town and the people in the port are so friendly and helpful. Bob and Bea were stranded there for 71 days prior to our departure from Aus after the canal wall breached, requiring major repair works. We plan to return Sable here for the winter. It’s a great location, right at the end of the canal system yet handy to everywhere — Spain, Switzerland, South of France, when we get our car late November.

Today, Saturday, Bob and Bea are leaving for Paris then on to home in Florida with their big Doberman, Lilly. Everyone knows what I think of dogs, but I have to say Lilly is one of the best trained and best behaved dogs I have encountered. So far I’ve admitted to a change of heart over 3 aversions… am I going through a transition here? Every boat owner we’ve met here has been cruising the waterways of France for six years or more. Perhaps our plans to spend fifteen months here is going to require revision…

Sable is absolutely exactly what we dreamed of. Bob is an ex 747 captain and has documented and systemised everything, so as long as I don't forget the pre-float check list before we head off all should be fine. Sable’s spacious, comfortable and well fitted out. However, we did get on the scooters this afternoon and zipped over to the other side of town to buy new pillows, underblanket etc. The rest of the afternoon was spent vacuuming dog hair from every possible surface, crevice and covering we could think of.

Tomorrow we intend to head out into the waterways of France to begin our adventure. And the only thing missing is you.

En France

Week 2 – August 31st to September 8th (Sally) 

What a full-on week it’s been. Don't expect a newsletter every week. Once we have settled into a more sedate lifestyle newsletters will be less frequent.

We left London on Friday the day of the memorial service for Princess Di. I went for a last walk and once I was in Trafalgar Square thought I’d get a photo of Admiralty Arch from the other side. Well, it was a different world, the traffic had all been stopped for security reasons even though it was still hours before the service and the whole Mall was deserted except for the occasional pedestrian. What an opportunity. I walked the whole Mall, up the middle, to Buckingham Palace, photographed the three van loads of police, the security on top of the Palace and the myriads of TV vans parked in St James Park. Saw squirrels galore — one even ran up on the fence to beg from me, swans and other waterfowl, all in the heart of London. A lovely way to finish our stay in such a great city.

We then took a taxi to Waterloo Station to board the Eurostar to Paris. Such an effortless way to travel. I had a glass of champagne before we even left the suburbs and our dinner as we enjoyed the scenery of Kent. We were in our hotel in the Latin Quarter within 3 hours, time to settle in and catch the métro to Opéra to meet Delphine and Francois for dinner. She is still the same delightful character she was when she was with  us all in Australia in 1994, and on our canal boats, and Francois is a really nice bloke.

Tony decided that Saturday we were off to Dijon to look at our first boat. He was determined not to miss out again so our first day in Paris was not in Paris but on another TGV train to Dijon. We both were concerned that we may not find Sable as she was travelling on the canal towards a little town called Suerre, but we took a taxi and as we crossed the bridge into Suerre, Sablewas sailing under it. Two hours later after an extensive tour of the boat the deal was struck. I think Sable was ours from first sight, there isn’t anything about it we would change at this stage… except the linen. The owners have a DOG…Lily is the joy of their lives and lives in their bed. Lily is also a b… great Doberman. I didn’t dare look at Tony’s face as we watched this dog burrowing not onto but into the bed until only her backside was showing. I am shopping in Lyon for new sheets etc etc.  All the photos are on the website so I won’t go on.

Sunday we made up for not sightseeing the day before. I had gone for a walk in the morning and discovered how close we were to all the sights plus not one but 2 markets in our street. Came back to the hotel drooling over the fruit, vegetables and cheeses. Can’t wait to have my own kitchen again. Which by the way is a great kitchen, gas stove top, fan forced oven, plenty of bench space and a good fridge and freezer. But I did say I wouldn’t go on.

Sunday we walked up past the Pantheon and over to St Sulpice of Da Vinci Code fame. I hope they are charging an entrance fee as they are totally redoing one of the towers and it looks very expensive. From there we carried on to Montpanasse as Tony wanted to find an Orange shop for his phone and laptop. From there we walked to Hotel Invalides where we went in to view Napoleon’s tomb and a display of his regalia. And then on to the Eiffel Tower. We had been saying that the crowds were thin wherever we had been and now we saw why, they were all at the Tower. Crowds and crowds but we decided to join them and got right to the top for fantastic views in all directions. Saw barges moored neared the base and that is one place that we definitely want to go to. Just to sit there with a glass of wine and watch the lights on the tower at night would be very special. From there it was home after a very long but satisfying day.

Tuesday, Tony went off to buy his phone card and I explored The Marais area, walked and walked the streets of this old Jewish Quarter, not at all touristy so more interesting and shops that are more for the Parisians. Funky fashions the teenagers would love, a chocolate shop with the window full of wine bottles, all chocolate, and a tea shop that sells 400 varieties of tea. We then met up at the base of Sacré Coeur at the café that featured in the film Amélie  and after lunch meandered slowly up the hill to the top. Glad we lunched at the bottom, the top is a cacophony of overpriced restaurants and artists all plying their wares. We didn’t linger there but moved on and paused for the views and obligatory photos before heading home.

Tuesday we headed out to La Défense which is the huge arch one can see from the Arc de Triomphe. We were going there to meet Delphine as she wanted to help Tony sort out his internet connection. And what a surprise it was. Huge commercial area, very modern buildings and open spaces with views back down to the Arc. And great shopping centre. Tony and D were over 2 hours at Orange and I still think it is not working. I spent the two hours strolling the centre. Just as well I’m not shopping, as the selection was fantastic.

Finally got away from there and back on to the métro to Gare de Lyon to pick up a car and negotiate the roads to our hotel and then out of Paris which was achieved [enough said].  

We stayed  at Troyes, a delightful old town full of half timbered houses and the most magnificent old churches. The town speciality is sausages, knitting mills and, from the parcels two young girls had in the foyer, factory shops. Wednesday, we drove to Auxerre which we visited 10 years ago and then retraced our steps down the Yonne to Autun, staying at Saulieu and visiting Vézelay with his historic pilgrims' Cathedral. It is an important meeting point for pilgrims en route to Santiago de Compostela. It looked to us like a long long way to Spain.

We planned on Thursday to drive to Roanne and set up a base until we heard from the Laines on Sable to say they were at Paray and we could catch up with them earlier than Saturday. Well, I don’t think they thought we would be there within 20 minutes but we were and spent two nights aboard learning the ropes. We have left them now so they can pack in peace and we take possession next week we hope.  Can’t Wait.

We had to return our hire car to Lyon, so on Saturday we arrived in Lyon, in gorgeous weather, in time to watch the Wallabies trounce Japan in the World Cup. Pity we didn't take PD's  offer of a couple of tickets to the match. We're pleased we didn't spend 295Euros each for tickets to a game that was rather unexciting. Not Lyon though, it's a wonderful city and in WC fever, very exciting!