Nivernais Again

12th September, 2013 (Sally)

One lazy day followed another as we cruised ever so slowly back along the Nivernais, enjoying the glorious weather and revisiting villages that we have become quite familiar with: Mailly la Ville, Mailly le Chateau, Chatel Sensoir, Chatillon en Bazois, Cerecy la Tour; the names unfortunately are more enticing than the villages as time and the faltering economy have not dealt kindly with them. Shops once so essential to every french village, i.e. boulangeries and boucheries that we have shopped at in the last few years are now closed and there are empty premises in every street. Of course the supermarkets are drawing most of the custom but it is obvious as one travels through rural France that the country is not doing very well. We had hoped to use the time to explore more of the surrounding country on our motorbikes, they have hardly been used all year, but something is sadly amiss with mine and in spite of Tony stripping it down, cleaning everything he can, it still coughs and struggles to get to any speed. We rode them up to Vezelay to visit the magnificent church that is the starting point for many pilgrims on their long walk to Santiago de Compestella, a lovely trip but a worrying ride home with many coughs and splutters. We have decided they will stay aboard until we reach a reputable repair shop. It is a good thing we are not in a hurry as the canal is particularly busy with hire boats. The Germans seem to have discovered the delights of canal travel for they are very prevalent. One interesting delay was caused by someone driving their car into a lock. How they managed to do that is a mystery, and by the time we arrived there the next morning all signs of the mishap had disappeared.

We arrived back at Clamecy a week after leaving to cruise down to Auxerre. It's an interesting port with a long history as the centre of the firewood trade that supplied Paris for over three hundred years. Logs were cut in all the surrounding villages, thrown into the rivers and collected at Clamecy and bound together into cubes measuring a metre square. These then were constructed into rafts 75m long with a small thatched hut on board and floated down the Yonne and then the Seine to Paris. The quantity that was taken from the forests was huge and judging from the piles of firewood outside most houses today there is still plenty of available timber left. After Clamecy it was not far to another favoured stop, Chitry les Mines, where we met up with our old friend Ted Johnson who runs one of the very few chandlerys in France. His sister-in-law has converted part of the old port building into a very basic restaurant, a canvas marquee that has seen better days, mismatched tables and chairs and a very rudimentary menu of steak and chips, beefburger and chips or andouilette [a type of offal sausage] and chips. The dessert menu is a crepe, with sugar, lemon juice, or nutella. I don't know why but she does a great trade, busy every day for lunch and dinner. Well who can complain — at 7€ it's a welcome meal at the end of a days cruising. Part of the attraction may be the totally delightful waitress. She is the daughter of the house and recently won the title of Miss Bourgogne which included in the prize a modelling contract in Hong Kong. She comes home from there to help Mum run the cafe for five months then jets off to the catwalks of Hong Kong. Talk about contrasts in life.

We are often disappointed in the lack of initiative from the French people, part of living in a socialist country Iguess, so when we do see something starting up it is always nice to support them. One such opportunity was not far from Chitry where one of the abandoned lock keepers' cottages has been made into a cute little restaurant-bar. We biked there for Sunday lunch, selected a table in the sun and after a drink indicated we would like to eat. The waitress who must have failed her first semester at charm school and then been expelled told us we had to move to one of the tables already set for lunch, in the shade. No, we said, we'll stay in the sun as the breeze is cool, that is "If you don't mind." She grunted, stomped off and returned with the table setting from one of the shaded tables, dropped it in front of us and with a huge sigh of exasperation flounced off to the kitchen. Her attitude was so bad it was funny and when the next customer did exactly the same as us and got the same reaction I got a fit of giggles. The French lady being given the treatment saw me and we had a good grin together. Needless to say she did not get a tip. Such a shame as wait staff here are usually very good, and friendly.

From Chitry there is a flight of 16 locks that takes one to the top pond at Baye and the start of the downward stretch. Very pretty even though hard work and it is always nice to moor by the two huge lakes that provide the water for both sides of the canal. We took an extra day there and took advantage of the lovely weather to walk around one of the lakes. There is a well marked nature trail that could circumnavigate the 47 hectare lake; we took the lesser trail across the causeway that divides the pair and walked around the 19 hectare one. Lots of birdlife, herons, waterfowl and plenty of notices telling us to watch for kingfishers. Missed those but were rewarded later when they flitted in front of us down the canal stopping on overhanging branches to be admired. It is a popular holiday spot for nature lovers and fishing folk with several of the farms having converted outbuildings into holiday accommodation, so nice to see the old buildings getting a new lease of life. As we came back into the village we were delightfully surprised to see a very smart new renovation which will soon be opening as a restaurant. The tables and umbrellas were already there so a welcome stop for a coffee was made. Hopefully she will survive the winter and be there for the holiday season next year.

Now we are on the downward side and suddenly the weather has changed and it is Autumn. Gold in the leaves of the poplars, brilliant red of the virginia creeper and delicious, ripe blackberries in every hedgegrow. Almost overnight heaters are on and it's soup instead of salad with plans for a boeuf bourguignogne or a cassoulet before too long. At Chatillon en Bazois, our first stop on the downward side, we were joined in the port by a boat similar to Sable which was travelling up the canal. As it arrived we noticed considerable damage to the windows and wheelhouse. They had struck one of the low arched bridges. Interestingly it was the same one we had had a close encounter with on our very first voyage six years ago. However theirs was more 'up close and personal' as the front window was completely smashed and one side window, complete with frame, had been dislodged and disappeared into the canal. It must have been a horrible experience and they were still a bit shaken from it all and wondering how they were going to get all the damage repaired. In the course of conversation they mentioned if only they had a grappling hook they would have tried to recover the window. Lucky for them we were able to lend them one and they set off the next morning by taxi and after a few attempts not only retrieved the frame but also were delighted to find the glass still intact. What a bonus, then a passing boat gave them and the window a lift back to port so it was a good result after a daunting experience. Our grappling hook is now back on board hopefully never to be needed again.

We are now at Decize, the last stop on the Nivernais, on the Loire. The hills and forests of the Morvan are well behind us now, its all ordered fields with the white cattle of the Charolais and barns stocked with huge bales of hay for the winter. Thoughts are turning towards home, beach walks and barbeques are on the agenda.

Farewell to Britian

24th August, 2013 (Tony)

Narrow boating in England was a novel and enlightening experience, quite different to canal cruising in France, dreadfully confined and restricted living space of course but we wouldn't hesitate to do it again given the chance. There are thousands of narrow boats on the canals in UK. Fortunately most were moored up in marinas or along the banks but passing was always a delicate manoeuvre especially near the very frequent and narrow bridge openings or blind bends. In some ways we would have liked to complete the Cheshire Ring through Manchester. We were swayed by the opinion of other boatees who intimated that the abandoned old industrial heart of Manchester through which the canal winds is not pretty and the prospect of encountering the delinquent youth inclined to hang around the locks there dissuaded us from continuing. Instead we retraced our steps down the Macclesfield, through the Peak District. Everyone we met was friendly and cheerful. This, coupled with glorious fine summer weather gave us an opportunity to pause occasionally and take a ramble into the countryside. We climbed up to several high points which afforded wonderful panoramic views over the Midlands and to distant Wales. It is a very picturesque part of England and we were constantly awed by the trees everywhere and copses of woodland. Aside from the width the most glaring difference between French and English canals is the condition of the banks. We returned to France to the Canal de Nivernais where the banks were freshly mowed and the tow path sealed all the way and wide enough for cyclists to easily pass. In England, where the maintenance and control of waterways is now in the hands of a charitable trust and volunteers, the canal banks were wildly overgrown. Hikers on the tow paths were restricted to a single file footway trampled through the growth; cycling would be impossible. There seems to be a divided range of opinion on this: (a) the BWS simply cannot afford the cost of upkeep; and (b) the uncontrolled growth along the canals allows the proliferation of wildflowers and will help to regenerate the ailing bee population as well as providing a habitat for water fowl and other birds and animals. The jury is still out on this issue. Either way I am inclined to believe that mowing grass is a task to be avoided.

We spent almost three weeks on Dragonfly. We think a month would be as much as one could stand cooped inside a narrow boat. In miserable weather it wouldn't be fun at all for there is no shelter for either crew whilst cruising. We enjoyed the Midlands immensely. During the industrial revolution it must have been noisy, filthy and grimy with the atmosphere choking with the smoke from coal fires and industry. Nowadays it is clean smart and very scenic. We hired a car in Stoke on Trent and visited several potteries (additional to the ones we called at near the canal earlier). I was surprisingly blown away by Moorcroft. We often see Moorcroft pottery featured on BBC programs such as Flog It; or Antiques Roadshow and we've always considered it ghastly and frightfully overpriced. But seeing it being created one couldn't help but admire the degree of skill imparted into each piece. And some of the modern pieces in their showroom were truly beautiful, though rather expensive. A similar tour through Wedgewood's factory was also fascinating. We farewelled Cheddleton and set off on the long drive to Scotland. A detour to Chatsworth House was essential. It has long existed on our bucket list and didn't disappoint. What a mansion! The furnishing and art works alone warranted a couple of hours inspection. And the gardens were absolutely stunning. We'll be reviewing both Pride and Prejudice (the movie); and The Duchess which were filmed there.

We stayed a couple of nights at a rundown old pub miles out in the Scottish countryside beyond Falkirk. Accommodation anywhere near Edinburgh was at a premium because of the Edinburgh Festival, hence this last resort. It proved to be a handy location however for us to visit Sally's cousin Morag in Stirling; and my sister Gerry in Edinburgh, the principal reason for going north. We finally got to see the Falkirk Wheel, an ingenious engineering project to connect the two canals that cross Scotland from Edinburgh to Glasgow. It was opened in 2002 replacing the old eleven locks disused since the thirties. Two 36,000 litre tubs swing through 180o to lift or lower barges 11 m. How we missed seeing it last time we were here I've no idea. We were within half a mile of the site but the significance of the "wheel" just didn't register. We took Gerry with us to visit HMY Britannia, now permanently moored in the Edinburgh docks. What a marvellous ship. Commissioned in 1954 and decommissioned in 1997 it remains in perfect condition although the antiquated communications equipment in the bridge reveal a clue as to why she would be impossible to retain in service. All the furniture and fittings are displayed exactly as used by the royal family. We had a lovely lunch aboard in the Britannia dining room. Tick...

The Border District through Northumbria couldn't have looked prettier than the morning we drove down to York. We planned to pop into York to look through the National Railway Museum. Mistake. Traffic into York was horrendous and we were trapped in a convoy that crawled at snails pace for more than an hour and a half. We abandoned any hope of making it to the museum, grabbed a quick cup of tea and fled the city as soon as possible. We spent a night with John and Corinne at Branston, just out of Lincoln. They very kindly took us out for a sumptuous meal in a delightful old manor hall converted into a luxury hotel. We would have loved to spend more time in this area.

On to Kent where we had intended to spend a couple of weeks in Jeff and Jane's cottage while they took over Sable from Philip and Sue. However a nasty fall rendered Jeff unable to make the trip to France so we stayed only two nights as Philip and Sue were understanably reluctant to leave Sable unattended. Our reduced timeframe did not prevent us from making numerous forays around the county to see some great places: Leeds Castle, one of Henry VIII's favourite residences and luxuriously renovated by Lady Baillie in the 1920's; Rochester a quaint old fortified city on the banks of the Medway — its buildings were source of inspiration for many of Dickens' novels; Canterbury with its historic cathedral and attractive arcades of shops; Margate and Ramsgate, seaside resorts perched near the eastern-most prominitory of the UK. Ultimate highlight however was Dover Castle and the tunnels beneath it, famously used during WWII, especially as headquarters for Admiral Ramsay as he oversaw the evacuation of Dunkirk in May, 1940. We spent half a day there and would have loved to have had longer to fully take in all the site has to offer. Before our ferry sailed for Calais we took a long hike up to the top and along the crest of the "White Cliffs". The sight was stunning. The town of Dover has little going for it, then neither does Calais but we were obliged to spend a night in both. A five hour journey by train took us to Clamecy to be reunited with Sable (looking very spic and span) and a relieved Philip and Sue packed and ready to depart for Bretagne.

Since arriving back in France the weather has been exceptionally sunny and hot — every day +30oC. We headed north for a week getting as far as Vincelles which enabled us to bike into Auxerre for essential shopping. We've now turned around and are travelling up the Nivernais, eventually back to Decize and from there on to Roanne to Sable's winter mooring.

En Auxois

0th July, 2013 (Tony)

The Massif Morvan, the hills of Burgundy, have long presented a problem for travellers journeying to the East of France from Paris. In the 1600's a plan was devised to cut a canal from the river Yonne up the valley of the Armançon, almost to its source near the small town of Pouilly en Auxois. A 3.4km tunnel carved under the col at an altitude of 378m provided a link to the Ouche which flows into Dijon which in those days was a very important centre of wealth and power. And from Dijon an almost perfectly straight 35 km canal gave access to the Saône, and thus the Mediterranean. Work began in 1775 and following lengthy delays brought about during the period of the Revolution the Canal de Bourgogne was completed in 1832. 242km; 189 locks, virtually all still manual and many only a few hundred metres apart. However, the VNF ensure there are always lock-keepers to assist every vessel through every lock and at this time of the year a large contingent of students are employed to supplement the workforce over the summer holidays. There are many twists and turns along this beautiful canal — too many for todays fast railways but the TGV races up the Armançon far above the level of the canal almost to Montbard before it branches into a more direct valley via Montchanin towards Lyon whilst the line to Dijon crosses over to the Oze until it joins the Ouche a short distance from the city.

We lingered in Dijon for three weeks. It was no hardship. It is a lovely city and we had a great mooring with free electricity and water. All the other boats that had attended the DBA Rally departed soon after the rally and we were more or less on our own except for the occasional overnight stayer. The weather was mostly pleasant and we fully explored the city's fabulous new tramway system as well as venturing on bike and foot to various places. It was also an opportunity to get some painting done. Last year, in Holland, I put off painting the decks because at first the weather was too cold and wet; and later it became too hot. By the time the weather was agreeable it seemed too late in the season to be bothered. So the decks have been annoying us for more than a year but now look sparkling. And once in the mood I couldn't resist starting inside, repainting all the ceilings and bathrooms. Next job, the walls.

Gray and Suellen joined us in Dijon. They spent several days taking in the attractions of the city, including an escorted tour of the vineyards and villages of the Cote d'Or. We all took the train to Beaune one day so they could visit the must-see Hôpital and wander through the beautiful town centre. Lunch at Caverne des Arches, another restaurant featured in Shannon Bennett's book, was magnificent. The girls' boeuf bourguingnonne was to die for; whilst Gray and I thought our chicken with mustard sauce; and duckling with foie gras every bit as delicious. My apple tart was specially baked and served piping hot with made-in-house icecream... yummmy!

We departed from Dijon and meandered slowly up the Canal de Bougogne, Gray and Suellen biking most of the way, each day taking in more of the sights of the countyside and exploring the small villages nestled in the valley. At Velars sur Ouche we strolled up to the top of the village to admire the spectacular railway viaduct. A wonderful old farmhouse complete with its ancient huge barn with a monstrous cantilevered roof hanging over the farmyard caught our attention. As we peered through the wrought iron gates admiring the expansive gardens and all the animals — horses, chickens, rabbits (in hutches), ducks, geese — and an extensive range of old implements and machinery, an elderly woman emerged and struck up a conversation with us. She was as fascinated with us, from Australia, living on a boat, as we were with her priceless heritage property. Well, it deserves to be a "Heritage Property" as it was the best realistically preserved farmyard typical of a bygone era that we have seen. Further down the street all our eyes were averted to a man standing in his open garage stretching on a pair of rubber gloves. A second glance revealed a carcass of wild pig reposing on a bench. Another fascinating conversation ensued. Obviously an enthusiastic hunter, he had shot the pig in the forest a few miles away and was about to butcher it and store it in his freezer, already laden with previous 'kills'. Sadly we weren't invited to the barbecue.

An overnight stop at Bussiere prompted a pilgrimage up to the beautiful village church which three years ago was undergoing a major restoration. In the old cemetery above the church lie seven commonwealth graves, the entire crew of an RAF bomber that crashed nearby in August, 1943. La Bussiere Abbey resides in about 10ha of stunning botanical gardens. A small lake, broad stretches of manicured lawns and more than fifty varieties of mature trees create a scene of chocolate box beauty around the lovingly renovated 15th century abbey. It is now an exclusive boutique hotel with a renowned restaurant. When the British owners applied to restore the property they were met with over three thousand objections — far in excess of the local population — mainly based on outrage at the Church selling a crumbling historic property to foreigners. (Wait 'til the Chinese discover France.) Fortunately their patience and perseverance prevailed. Strolling into the grounds on our way to lunch we met a couple taking an enormous Saint Bernard dog for a walk. Assuming they were guests we exchanged greetings and in the course of a chat which followed we inquired, "Are you enjoying your stay here?" "Oh, no, we own the place..." Lunch was absolutely fabulous. Despite ordering only two courses the chef plied us with numerous tiny appertizers and amusées: calamari stuffed with coriander mousse; mushroom and escargot soup; red wine sorbet; and petit-fours. It has to rate as one of the most stupendous dining experiences ever — and not just because of the bill! We had intended to dine at the less expensive Bistro but being Sunday it was closed.

From Pont d'Ouche Gray and Suellen biked into Bligny while Sally and I took the motorbikes. We browsed for some time among the chaos of an antique dealer's premises adjoining a gracious old home built in 1840 by his great-grandfather. We interrupted his clean-up of his flood damaged cellar where many of his vintage bottles of wine has lost their labels. He was a charming fellow and was happy to chat forever but how he ever made money from his business defies belief. The home would have made a great guesthouse, or B&B. Gray bought a couple of excellent Bordeaux. Beneath the imposing castle of Chateauneuf, we rested in the delightful port of Vandensse for five glorious sunny days. Gray hired a car for their return to Dijon but before they left we spent a day touring the high spots of Auxois: Flavigny, a quaint village where the movie "Chocolat" was filmed; Alésia, site of Roman archaelogical excavations; Abbey de Fontenoy and Chateau Bussy-Rabutin. None of these should be missed by any visitor to the region. However, we fully described our visits to these places three years ago so I won't repeat our impressions here.

We've made it through the tunnel and are safely moored at Pouilly en Auxois enjoying the heat and sunshine. Boats bigger than Sable cannot fit through the tunnel, therefore commercial traffic on this canal is now rare. Some can make it by demounting the wheelhouse etc, but hotel boats only come to the summit either side and then return. On Saturday we have to move around the corner to allow the port to be the focus of a fireworks display to herald Bastille Day. To date we have not seen any harvested fields. Most years all the wheat and barley have been harvested before now. Many crops still look as if they will need another month to ripen and many lack the usual healthy vigour that French farmers produce. Next week we're off to England.

Dijon

20th June, 2013 (Sally)

Knowing we would be held up before we could negotiate the flooded Saône we took our time through the lower reaches of Burgundy. Chagny is only a few kilometres from Santenay but with a good place to pause and as it was a cold wet day, a good excuse to sample one more of the recommendations in Shannon Bennett's book. Maison Lameloise is a renowned food stop in the town, with an extensive and expensive menu which befits its 3-Michelin star status. However just around the corner is Pierre & Jean, the bistro named after the present owner's father and grandfather and a perfect place for a leisurely lunch on a miserable day. The building was an 18thC wine storage area, vaulted ceiling, timber beams with a mezzanine floor added for extra space. Our meals were superb, my veal could have been cut with a butter knife it was so tender and Tony's duck breast was equally so. We declined desert but were offered and accepted Coffee Gourmand which was a small coffee and four tiny desserts, a mouthful each but what a mouthful. Definitely on our next stop when we are there again.

At Fragnes, the last mooring on the Canal du Centre we caught up with all the other boats who had made such a rush to be here, all waiting to hear if the Saône was safe. At one stage I counted eight boats all waiting to venture out. We cycled to Chalon sur Saône on the Saturday to have a look at the river and were sufficiently reassured by the colour and the flow that it was good to go so Monday morning off we went. Of course in the meantime there had been flooding in Germany and various other parts of Europe, enough to cause some run off in the Doubs which empties into the Saône 30km north of where we entered. Instead of the green flow we were expecting it was a muddy rapid river but still able with a few more revs on the engine to be navigated. We knew once we reached the junction of the two rivers it would be easier, however about 5kms before the confluence we came upon a 1,076 tonne fully laden gravel barge stranded in the middle of the river. He welcomed us with open arms, his french was non-existent or a dialect we could not understand but it was made clear to us that he wanted us to push him 500 metres upstream to a landing we could see. Ridiculous, but with the boats tied together we attempted and surprisingly managed to move him at least to the top of his anchor chain. Another barge arrived, slightly smaller than ours and he too was co-opted but the commercial was having trouble with their anchor winch (probably just as well. otherwise we might all have ended up in the Mediterranean); and after an hour of struggling he had to admit defeat and let us carry on without him in tow. They looked to be financially struggling, as well as mechanically, which I'm sure explains why he wasn't phoning for professional help but realistically he had no choice. At the very least we provided entertainment for the hire boats passing so am sure we will feature in quite a few holiday snaps with the catch phrase, "What were they thinking..."

We made Dijon in time for the Dutch Barge Rally along with 18 other boats so there was a good display of various craft all bedecked in bunting and flags. The original total was supposed to be 27 but several never made it because of the weather, canal closures etc. One actually sunk after being holed on the river Yonne. The folk were rescued by another barge. Their loss was covered by insurance but a bit of a wake up call for all. We enjoyed the rally, various games and competitions, all in good fun, book swap, a couple of meals together and some interesting talks and demonstrations. Nice to put a face to a few of the names we see mentioned in the Blue Flag magazine; good that some people want to deal with officialdom in both countries. Monday morning most boats left and we found ourselves a nice mooring with power and water and have settled down here for two weeks to await the arrival of Gray and Suellen and to do some long needed painting. An added bonus for us was when we went to find the Capitain to pay for the mooring we found that due to some unresolved dispute they have no one in charge of the port and therefore no one to collect port fees. So here we are for two or three weeks, central Dijon, power and water supplied and completely free. Now in the second year of the dispute, with moorings for about 50 boats at 80€ a week one would think wiser heads would prevail. Tony has cleaned and repainted the side decks, and today is finishing off all the bollards. Hard to believe after the wettest Spring in 50 years we have spent the last two weeks dodging the sun. Yesterday was so hot we took the deck chairs and settled under the shade of some trees with a good book and I have a feeling today may be no different. Of constant interest to us and a good number of the townsfolk are the number of birdlife that inhabit the port. The island in the middle of the port is a wonderful nesting place for geese, ducks and coots with occasional herons. After a very late start due to the cold weather we now have a number of goslings and ducklings newly hatched patrolling the water and looking for handouts from all and sundry. The geese are wonderful parents, one youngster in particular has a family of three guardians who march around watching his every move and any other bird that comes close gets a very short shrift. An angry goose is not to be trifled with, as a few walkers with dogs have learned.

Dijon is a lovely town, the centre is a warren of little streets leading to inviting squares lined with cafes and restaurants. It was the capital of the Dukes of Burgundy who built up one of the most powerful states in Europe reaching into Belgium and parts of Holland. They supported many of the painters of the day and have an impressive collection housed in the original Palais des Ducs, now the Musée des Beaux Arts. A must-stop in the collection is the room housing the tombs of the Dukes, each one supported by a procession of carved mourners united in their grief. Unfortunately for me on a recent visit, after an hour of studying paintings I searched for the room housing the tombs only to be told it was closed and will not reopen until September. The Musée is undergoing a 60€ million renovation and in the meantime they have sent one of the tombs, on an extended tour of various galleries in USA. One presumes the body of the aforesaid Duc has remained behind. The whole Palais is included in the renovation with the courtyard being converted into a covered cafe and a facelift to the outside. I only hope it does not lose the feel of the original Palais and become a modern gallery. Today one wanders through 15th century rooms complete with creaking oak parquet floors and panelled walls much as it was in the time of Philippe le Bon.

The new tram system that has ben installed since our last visit is a great success. We have used it a few times, 3.60€ for a 24h pass. It is smooth, efficent and constantly full. One can only hope the Gold Coast system once it is in place will be as well used. The secret has to be in making it affordable. Tomorrow is the annual music day in France, where every street corner or square becomes a platform for various artists to display their musical talents. Always good fun and an excuse to sit and sip in the sun or the shade and enjoy the ambience. Dijon also supports more shoe shops than any other town. I counted 15 last time we walked through, and as the sales start next week we expect Suellen to contribute freely to the French economy.

A Cosy Ark

We have no idea if May has been a record month for rainfall in France, but we do know it has rained for all but a handful of days — and it has been bitterly cold on most of them as well. Since returning to France we have enjoyed only two days of warm spring sunshine (apart from those spent in Provence).Never mind, Sable is a cosy ark and has a wonderful heating system. We are frustrated most of all at not being able, or brave enough, to venture outdoors and explore places as we normally like to do. The waterways of France have not escaped the vagaries of the weather either. Virtually every river has been, and in many cases still is, in high flood and too dangerous for all but the largest and most powerful craft to navigate. We are on the Canal de Centre where the sluice feeding the top pound from the reservoirs collapsed and the canal was closed to effect repairs for three weeks, reopening only Monday. A year ago this canal was closed due to shortage of water! Fortunately the reservoirs have more than enough water to replenish the 4km stretch of canal that drained away when the breach occurred. We drove up to inspect the empty section — not a pretty sight. A few boats were caught in a boat-builder's pond and a couple were listing at a precarious angle and looked to be stuck in the mud. I'm sure a crane would have been needed to lift them to prevent them being flooded through their windows when the water was released back into the pond. Needless to say, as a result of the delays we have missed our appointment for dry-docking Sable in St Jean de Losnes. She was due in dry dock on 27th for routine cleaning and painting of her bottom. Who knows when this might now occur — we'll have to wait until we get there to negotiate another slot. And to get there we will have to wait until the Saône reverts to its normal flow. This also means our chances of making Dijon in time for the DBA Rally, June 6 - 10 are looking slim. So far we've made it to Santenay. Another couple of days cruising will get us to Fragnes where we'll have to wait until its safe to tackle the current.

It was a pleasure to have Deb and Mark visit us again. We were disappointed they didn't have better weather to make further excursions into Burgundy on bikes, as they did last year. However we all had some great experiences, mostly featuring food and wine, of course! Deb, CEO of a rapidly expanding corporation outreaching into all corners of the globe naturally required a faster and more reliable connection to the internet than our modest pre-paid SIM card service can provide. So we walked into the town centre at Paray le Monial for a coffee, after which I directed her to the Orange shop while I intended to walk up to the commercial hub at the top of town to enquire about a hire car. After waiting aimlessly for half-an-hour in a queue that never diminished they elected to join me in the hope there may be an alternative provider up the hill. As it turned out the hire-car places were unmanned and also refused to answer their telephones. And no alternative internet provider. Then everything shut for lunch so we trudged 3km back to Sable for a recovery repast. Deb returned to Orange after lunch and patiently waited, returning mid-afternoon with a new device and a voucher for 7days/1G internet. I phoned through with the secret code and presto, she was online and was a happy girl while it lasted, for about 30 mins. Must be a mistake! First thing, next day, back to purchase another voucher. This time when I phoned with the number for the device I was told, "The number is incorrect!" Now, there are three places I have no desire ever to revisit: Dunedin; IKEA; and Orange (as in France Telecom store). But, back we both went to wait 40 mins to be served by an incredulous woman whom I finally managed to convince to try calling the number herself. Quelle étrange! Another 30 mins waiting for a techno-twit in Paris to sort it out (a duplicated number apparently). After less than an hour on the net Deb's credit was again exhausted, along with her patience. She stormed back to Orange and demanded an explanation. It is impossible to use 1G sending a few emails... Our daughter with more than half a century's experience of inquisitiveness, and as she confronted the assistant in the store, waving her tablet and gesticulating at the data-usage meter in the corner of the screen whirring away like the odometer in an F1 racing car, she had an epiphany moment... she remembered that her tablet is usually synchronised, via the Cloud, to her office computers. She switched off the auto-synch program and with a gracious sigh agreed to purchase another voucher. When she returned to Sable we had already cast off for imminent departure and we had gone through the first lock before I phoned through to activate the credit — "the number is incorrect!" At the second lock we put both Mark and Deb off to cycle back to town. They returned, cold wet and exasperated but with more internet coverage. We inherited the device when they left for home a week later. It works like a charm for us; and I've recharged it online.

I had better success with the hire car companies after lunch. Both returned my call and at 4pm the successful hirer delivered a Fiat Panda (the only car available) to our boat — 149€ for 5 days/500km. For day trips it was surprisingly comfortable for the four of us to get out and forget about the weather. A grand lunch to celebrate Deb's birthday seemed like a great idea. A friend had given her a book reviewing outstanding French restaurants written by Shannon Bennett an Australian critic. It included a review of "Le Grand Couvert" which hitherto was unknown to us but was a relatively new establishment founded by one of the Troisgros brothers whose 3-Michelin star restaurant in Roanne is world famous. More intriguing was the fact that this now popular restaurant is situated a mere 2km above a mooring where we almost always stop, at Iguarande, about 20km out of Roanne. The site commands extensive views over the beautiful Loire valley countryside. Lunch was delicious, the ambience exquisite and we all agreed it was an unforgettable dining experience. We'll definitely return, even if it does require a "special occasion" to make the effort. Some quite architecturally-trendy guest lodges have been built close to the restaurant which would provide an attractive location for a family celebration — a 70th birthday, perhaps. As we had to pass through Marcigny a visit to the Emile Henry factory outlet was mandatory; as was the purchase of some fancy cooking oils from the artisan oil maker in Iguarande. A return trip over the rolling hills, fat Charolais cattle belly-deep in grass, via St Christoffe and Charolles concluded a very pleasant day.

A trip to Cluny was rewarded with a visit to the renowned abbey and its grounds. The original abbey was founded in 910 by William the Pious, Duke of Aquitane. Accountable only to the Pope, the abbey grew considerably over the following six centuries and was, in its heyday, the biggest church in the world until St Peter's was built in Rome. Cluny was the mother house for over 1,000 monastries and became the headquarters for the Cluniac order, the largest monastic order in the western world. The Wars of Religion in the 16th century hastened the abbey's decline but it remained a stronghold of Christianity until the French Revolution when it was almost completely destroyed. Much of the stone was reused to build horse racing stables in the 1800's. We put Deb and Mark on a TGV to Paris for a weekend business engagement while we meandered back through the stunning valleys and vineyards of the Macon region. Steep, winding roads past incredible rocky outcrops and spectacular scenery. A journey impossible to undertake without a motor vehicle.

We tarried for a week in the pleasant port at Génelard, most of the time spent indoors relishing the warmth and comfort, reading, solving puzzles and generally losing our minds. However, in the town we discovered a hotel bar that has been exotically and/or eccentrically (take your pick) decorated by the elegant and youngish hotelier. At least it was cosy and warm and a hit with the older men of the town for there was always a few patrons. Deb and Mark made good use of the free internet and virtually everyone enjoyed small carafes (250ml) of the house Rosé. At 1.30€ per carafe who wouldn't? There's never a shortage of surprises in this country and it is heartening to come upon someone with some entrepeneurial panache. The entire railway line from Paray le Monial to Montchanin is being relayed at a cost of 47M€. It was fascinating to watch the amazing range of track laying gear and ballast spreading equipment working across the port from our mooring. Had the weather been more amenable I would have ventured closer to get a better understanding of how it all actually worked. But we were held up at the crossing, returning from the pub, as they pulled off pairs of rails more than 100m long, stacked on five wagons each obviously more than 20m in length.

From Génelard we farewelled Deb and Mark onto a bus to Beaune from where they hired bikes and finally got to spend a couple of days biking through the Cote d'Or, Bourgogne's finest vineyards to Gevrey-Chambertin and Dijon. We contend there is no finer region for cycling than Burgundy and today, fine at last, we sampled the pleasure ourselves with a 25km ride from Santenay to Mersault and back. To us Burgundy is always unique because it always a different season when we are here.

A Few Days in Provence

15th May, 2013 (Sally)

Welcome to our first 2013 newsletter, and what a different start to our cruising year this has been. As usual we left the sunshine of the Gold Coast expecting the weather would be cool in Europe but temperatures plunging to near freezing and the hint of snow as we arrived at Roanne train station was a trifle extreme. However Sable was as welcoming as always and with the heating turned up, cases unpacked and a trip to the supermarket to restock the cupboards and fridge we were soon settled into our home away from home. We had been met at Charles de Gaulle by Gill who had had a few days in Paris before joining us to cruise but with the daytime temperatures of 5oC we looked for some sunshine and all decided the south of France looked promising so on a misty wet morning we set off in a hire car searching for some warmth. First stop, Lyon, where the normally placid waters of the Saône meets the snow-fed Rhone to continue its way to the Mediterranean, a massive body of fast moving water. At Lyon the Saône was a muddy raging torrent, a result of several huge rainfalls that have caused damage on several of the waterways of France, as we have since found out.

Our first night we spent at Orange, the site of the Roman Theatre which we had visited 13 years ago. A magnificent structure, 2000 years old and still in use as a theatre, it was actually being prepared for a new production while we there. We spent a couple of hours there with a very good audio presentation reliving the experience of 10,000 Roman citizens crowding in to witness the latest productions. Magistrates in the best seats, slaves, prostitutes and foreigners in the worst and everyone else in between. After clambering over the tiers of seats and exploring the tunnels behind I was pleased to say my new knee passed it all with flying colours. Dinner that night in a picturesque town square and a wander home in warm sunlight at 9.00pm convinced us that it was the right decision to have come south.

Next morning we had intended an early start to our travels but that plan was waylaid by the local market. What a delightful way for the ladies to while away an hour or so, stores laden with local produce with fresh strawberries and asparagus featuring on so many stalls. A linen display caught our eye and the stall holder was delighted to make two good sales before she had barely opened. We bought our lunch from the market, tomatoes, fresh off the vine and a kilo of mandarins for 1.50€. Tony eventually prised us away to drag us off through the vineyards of Chateauneuf du Pape. Our memories of our last visit were not wonderful, it had been late in the day and nothing was open so it was a delight to walk into a cute friendly village, have a coffee in the square and find of course a nice little wine shop where we could buy a bottle or two.... or was it three. At Avignon we boarded the tourist train for a tour of the town and the remnants of the famous bridge. This saved a lot of walking and left us time for a wander through the massive Palais des Papes before moving on to the Pont du Gard, another 2000 year old structure that is still in amazing condition. It is the tallest Roman aquaduct in the world standing at 48 metres high and was designed to bring water to the city of Nimes. We walked across marvelling at the size of the blocks that were used in the construction, and the symetry of the tiers of triple arches. Will anything we build today still be standing in 2000 years?

We had hoped to find accommodation near the village of Baux but being school holidays the only room we were offered was decidedly sub-standard so on to Arles and another test of the knee with a stone spiral staircase up to the third floor room. Once again it passed and we had enough energy for a wander down the Rhone waterfront visiting sites that Van Gogh painted so many times when he lived here in the latter years of his life, including a stop and a very expensive drink at the cafe that features in two of his paintings. It retains all of the shabby charm and is a great place for a bit of people watching. Arles also has two great Roman structures, a theatre and amphitheatre. The latter is used for bull fights, not our sort of sport but I would go to these as the matadors only have to remove the rosette suspended between the horns of the bull and he lives to fight another day. (Not always so for the matador!) However no bull fights that day so we settled instead for a meal at a resturant recommended by our hotelier. Luckily we arrived early, so early we were sent away for 15 minutes, as the tables filled very quickly and people were turned away before we were even served our main course. Gill and I shared the slow cooked shoulder of lamb which was delicious while Tony opted for the three course set meal.... Why are we not surprised?

High on my bucket list is to eat a Boullibaise at a Mediterranean waterfront cafe, so much so that I have resisted the same dish when served anywhere else, so next day by a circuitous route through lavender fields and olive groves we finally made our way to Cassis, a small fishing village east of Marseille. Highly recommended by friends (thanks Barb and Pete) it lived up to all expectations and after once again taking the recommendation of the hotellier we had a wonderful meal where we all sampled a traditional boullibaise. Big tick. Dining at night in the lingering twilight and wandering home with the sun setting over the fishing fleet leaves special memories. Next morning we watched a small fishing boat selling its catch to the locals, you can't get fresher than that. One whole fish 1.5kg for 14€. And you can't get cheaper than that. We bypassed Marseille and headed west stopping at the small town of Aigues Mortes for lunch and a walk around the ramparts. Aigues Mortes was built in 1240 by Louis IX as a port for France when all other access to the sea was controlled by foreign powers and today it is a town within intact fortification walls. The port is long silted-up and today it makes its money as a tourist spot and also from salt which is taken from the evaporation flats nearby. The white mountains are visible from the top of the walls.

We spent the next night at Sète, another fishing village we had enjoyed on our first year in France and the next morning turned towards home with a planned stop at the Millau Bridge. Such a highlight, our third time across this modern engineering marvel but the sheer scale of it still takes one's breath away. It is the tallest bridge in the world with the central pier being higher than the Eiffel Tower, and graciously curves for 2,460 metres across the Tarn Valley. When completed in 2004 at a cost of 400M€ it took 4 hours off the journey between Paris and Montpellier, but the truly amazing fact was it was completed in 3 years. We spent our usual couple of hours there, a film to watch and various photo opportunities as well as a good coffee stop. Our trip from Millau to home could be completed on the motorway but I did propose a slight detour to the town of Le Puy en Velay, one of the truly spectacular sights in France with three giant structures built on top of towering basalt pillars. One, a huge statue of Notre Dame was cast from 213 cannons captured at Sebastopol; but how did they get it there? There is access up a very steep path but even today I think engineers would be scratching their heads never mind in 1830 before the age of cranes and hydraulic lifts etc. The Chapelle St Michel d'Aiguille sems to grow out of a giant finger of lava rock and once again causes one to wonder at the ingenuity of men in the 10th and 11th centuries when it was built.

Sight seeing over it was time to turn for home and prepare for the start of our cruising. Monday was spent in final purchases, return the car and say goodbye to the few friends still remaining in port, ready for an early start on Tuesday. This is a later start than usual and the countryside is in full spring flush. Charolais cattle, belly deep in grass, crops well advanced and even some hay being harvested. However the heavy rain earlier has caused more than a few problems on the canals. Our plan was to cruise to Dijon to put Gill on a train and wait for Deb and Mark. However it was reported the Canal de Centre was closed due to a bridge being down, that has now been clarified to a breach in a canal wall which has emptied a 7km stretch of canal. It was discovered on the 5th, but with the 8th and 9th both holidays — and why would one start work on a Friday — it appears that the work was eventually started on the 13th and it could be two weeks before it reopens. All this means that we cruised left instead of right as we left the Roanne Canal and took Gill to Decize to catch a train to Paris, before returning and joining the queue of boats waiting. There was also a queue at Decize waiting to cross the Loire which was in full spate, and rumour has it that the Burgundy canal is closed due to too much water again. We have a pleasant berth at Paray le Monial, a couple of good restaurants in town, and Tony's favourite shop, Mr Bricolage, has a sale starting today. Yesterday as we sat in the sun under a shady tree we both thought there was a whole lot worse places to be.