Summertime & the Going is Easy

23 June, 2014 (Sally)

It has been a very leisurely three weeks as we retraced our voyage of five years ago, stopping more often and for longer periods as the weather has been superb and there has been no reason to move more quickly. The upper reaches of the Saône and then the Petite Saône are truly beautiful cruising waters, wooded banks on either side with magnificent stands of timber and a constant chorus of bird song. Why would one hurry? A few hire boat companies have bases along this stretch so we did at the beginning share the waterways with some but in all the time we only saw one commercial barge, loaded down with 150 tonnes of electrical machinery, making its ponderous way to Nancy.

The bikes have been in use. We did a couple of trips to different attractions, with varying degrees of success. The Roman baths and mosaics, a 7 km ride up and down a few hills, were closed for another religious holiday, and a similar ride to the famous glass works left us both underimpressed. However during this later ride we did see the first signs that the country was preparing for the Tour de France; posters advertising what day it is coming through and a few displays in the actual villages; old bikes painted red, white and blue surrounded by nice floral garden beds. We saw on the BBC last night the elaborate preparations in Yorkshire where it will start this year. Some interesting art work in the fields, and lovely dried willow figures on old bikes. All looked very interesting and enthusiastic. We will certainly follow it again this year, may get to Epernay for the start of the stage to Nancy on 11th July, if not will find a corner somewhere on the route where we can experience the flash of colour. After those exertions we thought it time to revert to the motor bikes so set off for a longer ride to discover the source of the Saône. Yes we found it, a dry stone culvert, suitably decorated with some ancient inscriptions but nary a drop to be seen. Hard to believe it becomes such a large river in only a short distance from there. However we were pleased to find at the site a genuine menhir, straight from the books of Asterix and Obelix.

At Corre the waterway becomes the Canal de Vosges, once a busy industrial waterway with so many reminders of its rich past. The abundance of natural materials, wood, water, iron and sand provided work for hundreds many years ago, one can see the forgotten factories and mills in every village. Sadly most of the industry has gone and the villages are dying too, vacant shops and houses for sale in every village. Goodness knows what chance they have of selling them. Now its mainstay is tourism as the thermal springs at Bain les Bains and natural beauty bring people in from all over. We passed the tin factory which once accounted for two thirds of France's tin production, a museum to starch (the potato crops were processed into starch). Think of all those ruffles and cuffs and in Fontenoy le Chateau now with a population of barely 600 there was a thriving embroidery business employing over 500 women and serving the Royal courts of France, Europe and even the Middle East. The glass factory we visited is the last survivor of many. It now concentrates on restaurant wares and glass bricks and tiles for building but we did watch the few glass blowers they still employ. The store had a selection of glass for sale, all very ornate and Art Nouveau. Certainly not to our tast but you had to admire the skill of the production. The 3km branch canal to Epinal has been closed due to lack of water and it is impossible to get into Epinal by boat. However, we couldn't be so close and not visit this lovely city so we biked in to re-acquaint ourselves with its attractive centre.

In one particularly secluded spot, we were enjoying a quiet breakfast when we heard the blast from a hot air balloon. We raced outside and watched in awe as dozens appeared and floated overhead. They came so close to the tree tops that it seemed they could hardly miss but all managed safely, waving at us as they passed on their way to a drop zone that must have been not too far away. We see balloons quite often on our travels, a wondrous way to see the countryside. We paused for a couple of nights in the top pound having climbed 46 locks, waiting for my sister, Erin to join us for couple of nights. Once again we are at the mercy of the French railways, another strike and she is in Paris and not sure if she can find a train. Yes finally there is a TGV to Nancy then a bus. What a drama, not the best introduction to our peaceful life. However all on board and we make the quick descent, 14 locks in a chain and into the Moselle. At the little village of Nomexy we walked across the Moselle to the village of Chatel sur Moselle where they have an ancient fortress, one of the largest in Europe, that is being excavated and restored. It was a forgotten site but restoration work started 40 years ago and now one can see the enormous extent of the buildings. Groups of volunteers work here and over the years have removed over 135,500 tonnes of rubble. You would wonder how a fortess as large as this could disappear. It is over a mile around the outside walls and once boasted 34 high towers. History shows that in 1670 Lous XIV ordered it destroyed and for two months a series of explosions reduced the towers and walls to rubble. The inhabitants were then forced to transport thousands of cartloads of soil to cover the remains. This is what has been dug out over the last 40 years disclosing rooms, glass windows, wells, stairs and even a wine press in their original condition. We were content to look from the outside but were captured by a very old gentleman immaculately dressed in a suit and tie who insisted on giving us a long dissertation, of which we understood a fraction, then he introduced us to his equally ancient wife who was delighted to give us the whole tour (in excellent English). Three levels up and down steep stone stairs, I'm sure she is due for serious hip replacements, but she was determined we would see it all. We suspect the old couple are genuine archaeologists who have been involved at the site for forty years. She was far too enthusiastic to be merely a guide. It always amazes us what one can find in such out of the way places.

We have just left the charming village of Charmes after laying up there for four nights. Always on the summer solstice, Saturday night was the Fête de Musique. Fortunately, or unfortunately, it all happened in the renovated village lavoir next to the port. From 6.00pm on we were entertained by the various talent acts of the village. It is not a large village and the talent pool is rather shallow. Rap is obviously the one that requires the least musical ability so we had more than enough of that. And last night we were obliged to endure a rendition, which judging by its lack of tune, was from the local school band. What they lacked in musical ability they made up for in enthusiasm. The long hot weather has turned the wheat feilds to gold and caused some shortages in the water levels of the canals. A stretch between two locks was almost bare yesterday so no boats went through. Presumably a lock-keeper must have left a gate open overnight. This morning we joined a queue of 9 boats all waiting for the lock to open and are now moored canalside in the middle of nowhere. Others can jostle for position at the locks. We will do what we do best. i.e. relax and enjoy the countryside.