Return to Bourgogne

12th May, 2014 (Sally)

Another term in France, and a totally different start to our season with evidence of an early Spring, some flowers past their peak, trees in full spring growth and the charolais cattle out of their winter sheds and grazing with their calves in the paddocks. We were only in port a couple of days, time enough to discard the winter coverings, stock the pantry and say Hello Goodbye to the few hardy folks who had wintered over. It seems they had an easy winter, lots of festivities, plenty of socialising and no snow or ice. Not good enough to tempt us to winter over, we like our sunshine and surf too much to stay. As always the first supermarket shopping expidition left us astounded. A trolley full of groceries, plus a back pack and two large bags to carry and the bill was only 129€. We staggered back to Sable trying to think how much that would cost at our local store. Especially the cheese. I bought four pieces of French cheese for less than 7€. Mind you the pleasure of the cost of living was slightly diminished on finding Tony's bike had been stolen from outside the shop while we were inside. A generous donation to someone less well off? Not sure about that, but he is back to the old green supermarket special until we find a good bike shop to buy the replacement.

We travelled quite quickly down our lovely Canal de Roanne. Is it thirteen times we have done that journey? Stopping only for me to do the usual quick trip into the outlet store at Emile Henri, in Marcigny. Definitely can not go past that stop — wonderful cookware at a fraction of the cost one pays at home. Well one doesn't buy it at home but a considerable amount has made it back in our suitcases. Next stop Paray le Monial, Tony was on a mission to go to a great shoe shop there. Yes he bought his shoes, even if the array to choose from was almost overwhelming. Could have bought more but when someone lives in boatshoes in one season and sandals the other there is not a lot of need for good shoes. Last time he bought a pair of shoes was 2007, in France.

Next day we bypassed our usual stop at Genelard and made it to , as we needed to be close to the TGV station to collect our first visitors for the year. May 1st is a public holiday, everything is closed, plenty of people on the street selling small bouquets of Lily of the Valley, a tradition on this day, and a chance for the locals to come out with a Vide Grenier which loosely translated means "empty your attic" and seriously one has never seen such a collection of unwanted rubbish. This was no exception, childrens clothes, toys, books, old videos, china and then a whole table of brass band instruments. Always good for a look. The following day, after lunch, we moored above the flight of seven locks at Montchanin and walked and biked to the local TGV station to meet good friends Barb and Peter Overell. They had come off a cruise at Venice, flown to Lyon then caught the train to join us. As the TGV station is in the middle of rural France with no other habitation in sight I think they were relieved to see our welcoming faces when they alighted.

What a delightful few days we had with them exploring one of our favourite stretches of the Canal du Centre. At Santenay we sampled our first Burgundy wines at the local Chateau and then stopped at Chagny only a few kilometres on for the local Sunday market. Quite an experience, stalls and people everywhere with an array of mouthwatering fresh fruit and vegetables plus meat, fish, bread etc. I had mentioned that we had once met an interesting couple of Dutch ladies at a similar market selling good Dutch cheese and how much we would like to see them again when lo, within 100 metres we came across their van. Well what a hoot. I don't know if they recognized us, but they claimed to and we suddenly had an impromtu concert going as everytime we said something in English one, sometimes both, burst into an appropriate song. We love your cheese, brought forth "All you need is Love". Please stop I said we only want cheese...."Stop in the name of Love". Have you got "Old Amsterdam" cheese roused a rendition of "Tulips in Amsterdam".... And so it went. Of course the more we laughed the more they sang, as they explained all the songs they hear are in English so when they hear English spoken they relate to songs. We had a ball, they loved the attention and as we left the crowd was waiting for more so sure it was good for business. Chagny is home to one of the best restaurants in France, Maison Lameloise. We always pause to peruse the menu and the prices displayed outside. It boasts three Michelin stars and the menu prices are to match. However just around the corner is the bistro of the same family and we chose to dine there that night. A very memorable meal, we shared two entrées between the four of us to leave room for dessert. Tony's chocolate lava cake which oozed molten chocolate was not to be missed. We staggered back to the boat replete.

On a Monday we took the train to Beaune, a lovely town to wander the streets and included a visit to the world famous old Hospital, built to cater for the poor in 1435 followed by a lighter lunch at a sidewalk cafe. From Chagny the canal turns south east, away from Burgundy vines and through fertile fields of wheat and golden rape.Everything grows so well, I'm sure french farmers do not know what a drought or bad season is. It's a gentle stretch down to the Saône with our last stop at the gorgeous little port of Fragnes. Once again a delightful stop and of course a nice restaurant for our last meal with our friends. We were joined for drinks beforehand by Pat and Jill, a Scots couple whom we met here some years ago and as they had a car they offered to take the visitors into Chalons the next morning to catch their train on the next leg of the journey. We relaxed, caught up with washing and ate very sparingly.

Now we are at St Jean de Losne, a prominent inland port of the waterways where the Burgundy canal meets the Saône. It is where most boats come to be serviced, there are several boatyards and chandlers here as well as various dry docks and slipways. Big boys heaven but not of great interest to ladies. Sable was dragged up the slipway this morning for an underneath scrub and paint and Sable's ten-year survey. It was scheduled for last year but with the closure of canals we missed our spot. This year we have made certain by being here a day early. Not the most aesthetic place to spend a week but we're high above the river with a commanding aspect over the boats moving up and down the Saône. Already half the bottom and port side have been water blasted clean. Amazing the growth of tiny shellfish clinging to the steel hull. It will be nice to have a fresh black finish again. Matt and Brooke arrive in about a week's time. It will be handy having a motorbike enthusiast aboard to get ours cranked up and going again.