Haute Meuse

Week 46 — July 5th -18th (Sally).

The Canal de la Marne au Rhin has taken us fron Vitry le Francois east at a very slow pace. The canal itself is 138 kms with 98 locks so one is rising constantly with the person handling ropes getting plenty of work. It is a pleasant waterway with farmland on one side and forest on the other. More interesting is peeping over the garden fences into the locals' vegetable gardens which are works of art for the quality and the abundance. Some could be commercial plots with the quantity that they grow. Our only complaint was the scarcity of stopping places, some villages go out of their way to provide a quay and services for little or no cost while others are content to ignore us and our contribution to their economy. We did find one well appointed spot at Pargny sur Sauli where for the princely sum of 3€ a night we had paved quay, picnic tables, water and electrity. Very welcoming. We used our three nights there to finally finish painting before carrying on. Our first major stop was at Bar le Duc, a town we had never even heard of so were pleasantly surprised at all it had to offer. The Haute Ville is renowned for the streets of renaissance buildings all in good repair or being renovated to same. The church holds two masterpieces of a French sculptor, Ligier Richier, [some of you more educated people may have heard of him, we hadn't.] The most famous, " Transi" represents the decomposing skeleton of a local nobleman standing in triumphant pose. Quite macabre and made even more so that it is mounted on an ossary containing the bones of several more noble folk whose graves were destroyed during the revolution. Bar le Duc also has good selection of resturants and we were able to find one in which to celebrate my birthday with a good lunch, and later an even better bottle of champagne sitting on the deck of Sable that evening. Some of our grandchildren were impressed that Mumma drove to her birthday lunch on her motorbike, some were unimpressed and others who know more about motor bikes than we ever will think that anything described as 50cc should not be called a motor bike.

Bar le Duc is most famous for being the start of the Voie Sacree, the road that supplied Verdun during the battle. It is now a national monument, the only road in France to have no numbers and every kilometre post is a plinth bearing a soldier's helmet and a laurel wreath. The 75 km stretch carried a vehicle every fourteen seconds. i.e. 6,000 vehicles a day, and was responsible for the supply of 90,000 men and 50,000 tons of material and munitions per week over the 300 days that the Battle of Verdun lasted. We took a bus from Bar le Duc to Verdun for the day, and spent a pleasant day wandering the streets and visiting the various expositions and museums. In spite of its grim memories Verdun is a very pleasant cheerful town with wide pedestrian streets and a great waterfront quay. The former bishop's palace is now a huge Peace Centre and under the original citadel there is 7kms of tunnel that is now a recreation of the French Headquarters, hospital and kitchens that operated there in 1916. Very interesting to visit, especially when they provided a petite train to ride on and a commentary in english.

Our travels continued up the Canal de la Marne au Rhin but as Bastille Day was approaching we decided to find a village with some chance of celebrating in style so made a very big day of the 12th to get us to the start of the 4.8km tunnel that links the Marne Valley to the Meuse. It is only one lane and one goes through in convoy at appointed times so if you are not there at 8.30 am it is 1.30pm before you can proceed. We managed to make the last stopping place by 6.00pm on the 12th but to do that we did 28 locks and 26 kms. A big, big day and not one you would want to do too often.

Bastille Day we celebrated at Void, a pretty village with a nice grassy quay that we shared with several boats. Villages in these areas compete to be rewarded with a rating as a Village Fleurie of France and Void, with just two stars, was literally dripping with window boxes and baskets full of geraniums and petunias in all shades of pink and red. Several of the streets cross various small canals and waterways with highly decorated bridges and the old wash houses which are now outdoor retreats for those lucky enough to have access to one. On Sunday night the locals provided a community meal in the covered market place for 6€ a head. I can safely say that we disproved the saying that it is impossible to get a bad meal in France. However the fireworks made up for the cooking. Great showers of stars and rockets over the river. The view from our wheelhouse was stunning!!!! A little close at times, but stunning.

At the next junction we once again had to make a decision. Do we continue to Toul and on to Nancy or turn left and come down the Meuse again? Left turn won and we have spent the last five days sailing north again. Commercy was our first stop, with its magnificent palace and town square, then a couple of nights at Verdun where we made use of the aforesaid quay. Unfortunately the city has decided to be extra generous and provide free moorings and as a result it is always full and not easy to find space for a boat as big as ours. We rafted alongside a friendly American couple and enjoyed their company so much that we all shared a taxi to the sound and light show that plays in an old disused quarry. It is called From the Flames to the Light and is a recreation of the battle with a good strong message of peace to end with. Completely played by volunteers from France and Germany, 300 actors, 900 costumes, lights, fireworks etc. Great show, not to be missed but now we have left Verdun and both looking forward to a lighter taste of French culture. Enough battlefields...

Our wonderful weather continues, harvest taking place all around us, and with daylight still at 10.00pm they can really take advantage of the days. We are following with interest the Tour de France, as I imagine is every red-blooded Australian. Bit of a scurry every night to get settled and at least watch the closing stages of the days race. Go Cadel....