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The journey home
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The journey home

It’s going to take a while but we are now heading slowly north and back to beautiful Guernsey Read more
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  • Cruising donkeysThe journey homeCruising donkeys
    Condes tunnel
    Tiny carriage behind cyclistLaverie at VignyVigny church interiorFresh Egg dispenser

    Chaumont to Froncles and Vigny

    July 17, 2020 in France ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    We managed 10 locks, three lifting bridges and a short tunnel today not bad going but only 13 miles travelled. The tunnel was only 380m and two way but we met no one else all day. The scenery and small villages on this stretch were lovely we saw lots of properties we would love to own except or the paying French tax aspect. The Froncles mooring was part of a caravan park but only a small one surrounded by trees. Here we met a British couple who had been stranded in Spain for Covid but were now back on their Dutch barge and were shortly going to St Jean de losgne for some repair work as they were hoping to sell. They gave us a bit of advice about 1 the first lock after Saint Dizier being very full and prone to cross winds making entering difficult rom upstream and 2 a gypsy encampment a couple of kilometers outside Saint Dizier, where VNF no longer replaced the lock lights as they were repeatedly shot at and where NOT to stop as anything loose or even only lightly fixed would be gone. From Froncles we rode to Vigny as the guide said we shouldn’t miss the town with old laverie, church and Chateau, the ride was pleasant but the village not that impressive. Looking at the floor of the church I think the worshippers must bring brollies if the forecast is for rain, there were lots of puddles. Church was very old and a different style to those we had seen before. On our way back we stopped at a Artisan Boulangerie, wow the cakes and breads were really beautiful and those I tried were delicious. We also saw our first fresh egg dispensing machine !!Read more

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    Pont de Joinville
    Chateau Grand JardinsJoinvilleLooking south towards FronclesJoinville cathedral from tne hill top

    Froncles then Joinville

    July 18, 2020 in France ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Things went well today no significant hold ups but still only 9 locks and 13miles some more lovely scenery on the way but also lots of weed in the canals so we were constantly checking the exhaust. Joinville has an odd chateau, it’s not a real home it was only ever used for entertaining really by a single gent so not many rooms but the gardens are very ornate and it became known as the Chateau de Grand Jardins. Worth a look around, we then visited the cathedral, and no offense to those of you who are believers but an awful lot of money is used on these places of worship, and we climbed the hill to the ruins of the Haut Chateau, there wasn’t much left. That’s what you get when you sell to a stone mason, we figure lots of the 19th century properties of the area are built from Chateau stone.Read more

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    Marnaval lifting bridge, lock and remains of turning bridge
    St Michaels chapelProtestant churchWallace fountain and Chateau

    Joinville - Chamouilley - Saint Dizier

    July 20, 2020 in France ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Well we tried to set off early from Joinville but another boat beat us to it, John decided to use the delay to deal with the toilet which had seized, it was clogged up with weed first time which is good, since we have been on the canal each morning John empties the filters of weed prior to setting off. Anyway about 45mins later we set off only to find the other boat moored around the corner as apparently there had been a power cut and all the locks and bridges etc needed resetting. Just as we were mooring along side them it was to shallow to go on the quay, the lock lights came on and it was confirmed we should enter. We therefore spent the day traveling together through locks and lifting bridges. We were grateful to have our little French friends as there were some hold ups that they rapidly resolved with fluent rather than pigeon French. They were continuing to Saint Dizier that day but we had had enough and quit at Chamouilley on a new quay where you bought elec and water with a credit card, normally we wouldn’t have bothered but the wind was very think and the day before we had defrosted chicken legs that we couldn’t cook because the weed was too much for the generator and they was no electricity, so we needed the elec or we would have to throw away the chicken and I hate waste. It was a pretty but unshaded mooring, but there was space for the lounger cushion on the grass under a small tree so I was happy later on I managed a short slow run so that was good and the showers were great. We both felt really clean for the first time in ages. This morning there were only 2 locks and 1lifting bridge to reach Saint Dizier but it still took 3hours as we had to wait for someone to lift the bridge.
    Saint Dizier isn’t a tourist town and it is Monday so although we had hoped to eat out at lunchtime we couldn’t find anywhere open, very disappointing. We have however walked round town and seen the sights. I have just spent a few hours reviewing the remainder of the route and after Vitry Le Francois which we should reach after two more days travel (14locks and 30km) we are on the Canal lateral a la Marne with only 15locks over its 64km, then the river Marne which is 178km with only 18locks to the Seine and Paris so things should start to speed up. However initially we will be in the official Champagne region and I don’t want John drunk in charge of a boat so maybe a few rest days for sampling will be necessary.    Read more

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    Lac de Der church from one of the three submerged villages
    Lac de Der causewayMontier de Der churchVitry cathedralInside the cathedralVitry Hotel de Ville

    Long day in the saddle

    July 21, 2020 in France ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    We decided to ride to Lac de Der from Saint Dizier for a change of pace and scenery. We set off earlyish as we had been advised that the first part of the cycle lane was along side a feeder canal with no shade. Once we arrived at the lake edge and were following the path around there was intermittent shade from trees and it was very peaceful. The lake is 48km2 so only a little smaller than Guernsey and holds 350million m3 of water, it was built in 1974 and three villages were drowned. The lake is used for all sorts of water sports in separately designated zones and has marinas and sailing schools. From the lake, after coffee, we rode out to Montier de Der to see the famous old.... you guessed it church. It was different to the usual and impressive in its way. Then back to the lake for a lazy lunch before returning to the boat via a man made beach for a quick dip. Not as refreshing as we’d hoped John was able to walk in without any odd facial expressions. On the way back we returned to the tourist information to collect more free tokens for the electricity meter. The journey was 74km long.
    Next day we rested our legs once more and headed to a Halte Nautique called Ecriennes. Shaded and beautiful only us there so I was able to exercise without an audience always a bonus. From there to Vitry Le Francois and the end of the Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne and only just in time from the 28 July the Marne end of the canal is closed to traffic until there is more water!
    Vitry was an odd town there was little history as 90% of the town was destroyed in WWII but still an impressive cathedral and town hall as well as a couple of the old city gates. We did shopping and washing and used marina showers which was a pleasant change.    Read more

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    Cathedral St Ettienne
    Wooden houseChurch of Notre DameQuai de St PerrierPrefecture

    Vitry to Chalons en Champagne

    July 25, 2020 in France ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    We like the new Canal called Canal Lateral a la Marne it is only 64km long with 15 locks. Things started well the canal was wide and deeper than the previous one the locks are all operated by twisting rods before the lock. Things started well three quick locks but then we went into the next and nothing happened the gates didn’t close, no lights, alarm didn’t seem to work either and phone engaged. Umm found a second number to call and were informed someone would be there, an hour later and we were out!
    We got to Chalon en champagne early afternoon checked in and walked around the town lots of history, churches, wooden buildings, canals etc, nice place. The mooring is in a pretty location next to a lake, lots of people promenading. We visited the market this morning, they were giving free Covid tests if you had I’d and address to send results. The market was smaller than expected but lots of fresh produce we bought nectarines and strawberries.    Read more

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    Aqueduct to supply Aisne canalChurch at CondesCollet ChampagneTasting!Ay church

    Conde sur Marne and Ay

    July 26, 2020 in France ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Ever onwards we travel, leaving Chalons once the rain stopped we started our second day on the Canal Lateral a la Marne. Our first stop was at Condes sur Marne to see the aqueduct constructed to pump water up to the top of the Ainse Canal a Marne. Built in the 1800s they decided to make the Tower holding the vertical pipes look like a castle keep. There was also a pretty little church. Then on to Ay we were looking for somewhere to stop that was on the western bank to get shade so decided to stop on one the lock waiting areas, just below the Ay lock. Then into town as it looked like the Cite of Champagne museum might only open at weekends because of Covid. It did and we had just missed the last English tour of the day and the following French one was full but for a fee we could do a tasting. Well OK then if we must, the City of Champagne was run by the Collet Champagne House we tried a brut, a rose and a Demi-sec. No surprise I liked the Demi-sec, the sweetest, John preferred the Brut and really didn’t like the rose but of course he drank it all. We plan to ride to Epernay tomorrow, the centre of Champagne the drink not the region. The centre or capital of the region is Reims famous for pink biscuits that are supposed to be dipped in Champagne, I think they are better without. There a bit like sponge fingers, crispy sponge baked twice.Read more

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    Hotel de Ville
    Saint Martins gateSaint Peter and Saint Pauls churchHistoric residence next to covered marketEpernay Cathedral

    Epernay buildings

    July 27, 2020 in France ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Well before we started on the Champagne tasting we thought we should see a bit of the town so here are the photos. The Hotel de Ville is used for weddings and other ceremony’s and the ground floor rooms are like those of a stately home lots of gilt, polished parquet floors and heavy curtains. The cathedral was actually quite austere inside but there was one lovely modern stained glass window (didn’t photograph well).Read more

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    Epernay the home of Champagne

    July 27, 2020 in France ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Today we decided to go posh and did a tour and ‘Ice Tasting’ at Moët et Chandon, it was really quite interesting and a relief to be in the underground cellars, dress warm they said, thankfully we didn’t and it was beautifully cool not cold just pleasant after the hot sun of our walking self guided tour, the Champagne tour guide said they keep the temperature around 12degs. We learnt about the process of Champagne making, and the length of time the different versions are stored for as well as walking around a very small section of the 28km of tunnels Moët et Chandon use as storage under Epernay, there are in total over 110km of tunnels and caves! It’s a miracle the whole lot hasn’t collapsed, some must have used to flood regularly. At the end of the tour we tasted the relatively new ‘ice champagnes’ a white and a rose that are meant to be served with ice cubes, I was surprised at the difference the ice made even before it melted, the drink was very intense without ice but fruity light, refreshing and scarily drinkable with ice. Both are Demi-sec though so might be a bit sweet for some. After lunch, I definitely needed to mop up some of the alcohol with food, we headed to Tanneux-Mahy to sample their champagnes well I felt i couldn’t be here and not try it. The couple who now own and run it were very sweet his grandmother was a Mahy and apparently the name is popular in Belgium as well as Guernsey.Read more

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    Veuve Cliquot Chateau
    Pope Urbain IIView from the statueWWI cemetery and memorialPale peacockPeacock

    Dormans via Oeuilly & Chatillon sur Marn

    July 28, 2020 in France ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Busy day today from our peaceful mooring by the Ay Lock we went first to Dizy to do some shopping. Then headed to a Halte at Reuil so we could visit Œuilly ( who knew one word could have so many vowels, there are some interesting museums here but we could only look through the windows as they are closed Tuesdays, why when everywhere else it’s Mondays never mind, lovely little village lots of old buildings and a pub which served delicious salads. Then we sailed sort off past the Veuve Clicquot Chateau, not close enough for a good photo so I attach a publicity shot. Next we moored at Port a Binson and cycled to Châtillon-sur-Marne to see the 30m statue of Pope Urbain II, who was born there, it’s impressive and from its site on a hill the view of the vineyards was good. To get there we passed a WWI war cemetery, mostly for French colonials. The info board said it held 2700 souls there were two memorials for the unidentifiable soldiers. In our second and final lock of the day we saw a peacocks and pale peahen. We finished the day in Dormans and hadn’t realised it was famous for anything until I checked google. So off to see the Dormans Chateau and War MemorialRead more

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    Dormans Great War memorial
    Dormans ChateauChateau-Thierry castle wallsChateau-Thierry castle gateHotel Dieu in .chateau-Thierry

    Dormans to Chateau Thierry then Ferte..

    July 29, 2020 in France ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Well I’m glad we decided to go see the Dormans War Memorial, it remembers the first and second battle of the Marne that took place in 1918, it’s a stunning building a cross between a church and a museum and in nice surroundings. It was built in the grounds of the Dormans Chateau which also houses a renovated water mill, sadly closed due to Covid. From Dormans we continued roughly west, I do mean roughly the river is getting very bendy now and we’ve tried almost all the compass bearings over the last two days. We stopped for the night in Chateau-Thierry, loads of swans here no idea why, where we mooched through town and saw the old Hotel Dieu and walked up to the Castle ruins. After a peaceful night, I mention this because in Dormans we were a bit too close to the railway tracks, we continued on after a quick shopping stop in Charly to La Ferte sous Jouarre this is at km90 on the Marne which is 178km long so not far to go to reach Paris. It’s been another scorcher today and we are plucking up the courage to walk into town as our thermometers are reading 30 deg C at 16:45!Read more

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    Railway bridge before Chalfert tunnel
    Chalfert tunnelHouses in LangryHouses in LangryLangry hotel de ville

    Ferte to Meaux then Langry sur Marne

    July 31, 2020 in France ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Yesterday was an absolute scorcher, it reached 42degs and was still 39degs at 9:30 in the evening. In the morning, from our lovely quiet mooring on the halte behind the tiny island, we walked to the market at Ferte sous Juarre and bought some delicious raspberries and strawberries before setting off. Oh yes the previous evening we had also wandered into town and chose to have a drink at the bar frequented by the local in the process of changing genders from male to female, it seems he had just had Botox in his lips. We had a good day on the river meandering backwards and forwards through every compass bearing. We stopped for lunch by a lock and tried to visit the pumping station museum next door that moves water from the Marne to the Canal d’Ourcq but it was closed. However it was unbearably hot, we were sweating standing still so after struggling for a few more kilometers we followed the locals example and had a quick dip in the river, it was surprisingly refreshing. We couldn’t stay in for long as we had left the boat drifting and it was getting close to the bank. Our initial plan was to stop at Poincy but there was no space so we continued to Meaux. It’s not a tourist town and when we first arrived to add insult to injury, we couldn’t get the electricity and water to work, but the technician arrived to fix it, at 17:00 on a Friday, we were surprised. The next morning it was thankfully a lot cooler, we visited the market. After missing the markets for ages we got two in quick succession. Then off we go, it remained overcast, weaving around again going through 4locks and the Chalifert tunnel until we reached Langry sur Marne where we were going to stop just for lunch but one of the other boat captains persuaded us to stay the night. We met two other British boats that have had to change their plans due to canal closures. We have had a walk around town seen the sights and visited the church, there was a wedding taking place, seemed weird that we could walk in but the stain glass windows were beautiful.
    There is another market in the morning that we will visit before we leave, we are now only 26km from the confluence with the Seine.    Read more

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    Hitting the wall but no running involved

    August 2, 2020 in France ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    After visiting the market in Langry, the best so far, produce looked wonderful and clothes better than usual tat, we stopped for the obligatory coffee and people watched. Then down river we wandered to Nogent sur Marne, saw some impressive homes and even though we were only 15km out of Paris some lovely wild areas. We also saw a loaded barge coming very slowly towards us on a very narrow piece of the canalised river but we found a wider section and just waited for it to pass, so glad we weren’t the cruiser stuck behind it, it really was s...l....o....w.... We stopped on the Halte Public in Nogent and walked around town and visited a museum that had lots of those old sepia postcards of the area, showing the 1910 flood, activities taking place on the river and the main focus of each of the surrounding areas be it agriculture, industry, tourism. Unfortunately once we returned to the boat, another cruiser arrived and told us they been told they could moor where we were, I called the capitainerie and the Marina rep came to us and said we couldn’t stay, the marina, and the halte public were all closed due to Covid. I pointed out that he had told someone else to use the space but he said we must go.
    We travelled further downstream looking for possible moorings, nothing and Joinville Port were not answering the phone. We try to look around the Port for a space and as we are easing along on tick over CRUNCH CRUNCH. Obviously the sign indicating that there was a depth of 1.80 was wrong we were stuck Bugger. Reverse didn’t work, so next we tried putting out the secondary anchor so we could winch ourselves off, the anchor wouldn’t hold. OK we’re not out of ideas just yet, we detach the 40kg Rocna from the chain and tie it on with rope and carefully lower it onto the kayak to be paddled out by John and tipped overboard. He manages this without tipping the entire kayak a feat in itself. The Rocna holds so now we need to winch ourselves off using it, well the hand winches aren’t going to be any use so we rig the anchor rope between the starboard stern bollards up forward to the bow bollard and back to the electric anchor winch. Fingers crossed 🤞. John is on the throttle and I have a foot on the winch control and am pulling the anchor rope to stop it slipping, no movement, more revs, nothing then shudder and we’re moving a little more and we’re off. Now to make sure we don’t snag the rope in the prop and can release the anchor from the rock it’s embedded itself into. All change I’m on the controls John’s on the anchor and ...... it’s up.
    It took us about 2 hours but we are free, we get a standing ovation from the spectators in the Port. We tie up on the commercial boat waiting pontoon exhausted 😩 but happy 😊 and have well earned drink.    Read more

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    Notre Dame being reconstructed
    Palais des InvalidesNational Assembly i thinkGrand Palais over Alexandre III bridgeLouvrePantheon

    Paris, we made it!!

    August 3, 2020 in France ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    From Joinville it was only a couple of km to the Seine and the outskirts of Paris. It’s a lot more industrial than I expected, with building suppliers and multiple cement works right on the river banks and sand barges going backwards and forwards. The Arsenal Port is at the Bastille on the eastern edge of central Paris and that’s our base for sightseeing from. The first day we walked along the Left Bank from the Natural History Museum to Palais des Invalides not down on the river bank but higher up to see more of the buildings. We passed Nôtre Dame with its scaffolding, Palais de Justice, Monnaie de Paris, Institute de France, Orsay Museum, Legion of Honour Museum, with pictures of medals and names of recipients. We can see the bridges as we leave. We crossed the river using Pont Alexandre III, very ornate with gold leaf statues etc. Walking past Grand Palais and Petit Palais to Champs Elysees. Then down towards Place de la Concorde and our most expensive coffee to date, but it was good. Next we walked through the Jardin de Tuileries to the Louvre for our days cultural dose. The pictures and statues etc were impressive, Mona Lisa a bit of a let down but we’ve seen it now, but I was more taken with the building itself and size of the rooms and halls, the decorative ceilings etc. That said the French Crown Jewels were worth seeing as was Venus de Milo and the Sphinx. After almost 2hours we gave up and headed to the Hotel de Ville and Tourist Information then back to the left side over Isle St Louis and the Latin Quarter to see the Pantheon and surrounding buildings. Teatime and a rest for our feet then bed. There are just so many stunning buildings almost everywhere you look.Read more

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    Looking over Trocodero gardens to Lower Seine
    The end of the London to Paris row?Arc de TriumphSacre CoeurUsView of Montparnasse tower

    Paris Day 2 and more things to see

    August 4, 2020 in France ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Today we were adventurous and decided to try using our bikes and cycle around, wow that was an experience I was thankful each time we successfully negotiated a junction. Sometimes there are lanes for us, with special bike traffic lights other times just a section of the road with bikes painted on it other times nothing at all and almost all No Entry signs are ‘sauf cycle’ except bikes. Now a days cycle also means electric bikes, electric scooters, skateboards, roller skates, segways like I say it was an experience.
    First of all today we were off to the Eiffel Tower, we walked up to the second level then got a lift to the summit. The views over the city were incredible, the buildings that we saw yesterday that looked so imposing at ground level were insignificant from the top of the tower. Even today it’s an impressive bit of engineering. John was wondering how much longer it will last, how will they replace sections? From here to the Arc de Triumph and the posh upper part of the Champs Elysees. From here we were aiming for the Sacre Coeur and Montmartre, well we got there eventually but definitely not by the most direct route. We saw Mairie de Paris and Eglise de Madeleine, Gare St Lazaire, Boulevard Lafayette on the way not necessarily in that order those were just the place I remember where we stopped to establish where we were and where we were trying to go. After wandering around Montmartre looking at the sketch artists, portrait painters and caricaturists and seeing all the fabric shops we decided enough was enough and we would head back via the Pompidou Centre and the Bastille to the boat.    Read more

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    Palace of Versailles
    Grand Trianon Empress bedroomGrand Trianon SalonHamlet MillHamlet FarmPalace Hall of Mirrors

    Day 3 Palace of Versailles

    August 5, 2020 in France ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    OK so today’s goal is to get to Versailles using Paris public transport. On the map it looked easy train line C from Gare de Austerlitz direct to Gare de Versailles Rive Droit. Austerlitz bridge was the one we passed under just before turning into the Arsenal lock so nice and close and the Versailles station is the closest to the Palace. Damn train line C is undergoing work and terminates at Javel. All is not lost we can use the Metro to get to ‘Javel a Citroen’ then walk to Javel, actually that was quick and easy it was getting from the train station at Austerlitz to the correct Metro line that was long and complicated. In the end the journey took just over an hour which at just after 9am was relatively cool and spacious, but masks must be worn on all public transport. At Versailles there were a lot more people because you now book specific time slots to see the Chateau, we started off walking around the 800hectare gardens and park. We didn’t actually have time for the park but enjoyed most of the gardens very structured with lots of statues and pathways. Then to the 2 Trianon’s and their gardens. The Trianon’s both Petit and Grand were built so the Royals had a less formal place to retreat to, the Petit was originally Marie Antoinette’s then future wives, the Grand more for the Kings and Emperor. Even though they were supposedly less formal all the rooms were big and each building had a hall of mirrors, a major sign of wealth at the time. There was also the Queen’s Hamlet, Marie Antionette had a small pretend village built there was a dairy, farm, mill, fisherman’s cottage and her house. Not everywhere was fully open, we could only see certain of the Trianon’s rooms and couldn’t go in the Hamlet properties due to Covid. In the Versailles Palace I think all of the usual rooms were open but only some are set up as rooms people lived in, some are now used to display paintings of the various Royal family members. My lasting impression is of gold and excess, there was a lot of gilding both internally and externally and everything was just so OTT, I am not in the least bit surprised the peasants revolted. The journey back to the boat was a killer, the temperature had crept up all day and reached 35, being on trains and tubes wearing masks was horrendous. Forecast is for the temperature to increase over the next few days! Can’t wait, not!Read more

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    Impressionist Park

    Leaving Paris

    August 6, 2020 in France ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    We left early ish at 8:30 to catch the lights on Pont de Sully. There is a one way system around Notre Dame and as a pleasure boat we are only allowed along one particular route and that is single direction with downstream boats getting a green light between 8:35 and 8:50. Our book recommended we go early to avoid the worst of the traffic, we weren’t worried about that as there really isn’t that much traffic at the moment but it was due to get seriously hot so the sooner we arrived and could hide inside the better.
    Well seeing all the bridges, must be one every 300m or so and the various sights from the boat was something. Due to the meanders although we travelled 45km we were only 15km from Paris when we decided to stop, we chose Rueil-Malmaison as there was a pontoon in the shade and the temp was rising. From here we took a short stroll to the Impressionists Park. Here we also saw one the boats that we had seen in St Dizier back when we were traveling along the Marne.    Read more

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    Restored Tug Boats
    Barge and waterway museumPhoto of model boat using chain to haul itself upstreamModels of various river and canal boatsSand barge heading downstream

    Conflans St Honorine

    August 7, 2020 in France ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Seen some interesting houses as we’ve travelled along the Seine and some even more interesting ‘boats’. I use this term loosely they are on the river and seem to be floating but are not what a Channel Island resident thinks of when you say boat. The Seine is certainly busier than we’ve seen before but it’s almost all commercial craft a few pleasure boats but and this is probably a bonus, very few tourist/cruise boats. It’s definitely a bonus today as we are moored on one of their pontoon stops. We stopped here in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine at the confluence of the Seine and Oise to visit the barge and waterways museum and we stayed because it is just too damn hot to do anything. The heat started rising on Wednesday and each day has been worse than the one before today reached 38 and now at 17:30 its still 36. We might get some sleep tonight but I’m not holding out much hope. The museum was really interesting showing the evolution of the boats used on the canals and how the canalization of the rivers was achieved.Read more

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    Chateau Sully
    Old and new bridge at LimayContainer barge 64 containers!Roche Guyon Chateau and TowerPusher and double barge comboVernonete bridge and mill

    Hot Hot Hot

    August 9, 2020 in France ⋅ ☀️ 35 °C

    Oh boy this is a heck of a heat wave mid to high 30s from 11:00-19:00, it’s now 20:30 and down to 33degs! As you can probably imagine we really aren’t doing much, by 14:00 we’re shattered. We travelled from Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, with its many many barge houseboats, further downstream. There are now fewer potential stopping places if your boat is more than 10m long, and that coupled with a lot of the smaller museums etc being closed has meant we’ve had few opportunities to stop and visit, the heat also makes it difficult to motivate yourself to ride or walk any distance. Yesterday we travelled 32 miles down the river and saw about 10 big barges and one British pleasure boat. We ended up at Port Ilon, a marina in a back water lake that appeared to be in the middle of nowhere, it would have been idyllic in normal weather conditions but as it was with electricity we could at least plug in a/c which meant that we could get a little sleep. We’re not sure how the Brit will get on, he had no idea who the VNF were or that most of the canals linking Nothern and Southern France were closed pending more rain. Nor did he know what marinas were available in Paris or where to buy fuel. He had internet but no documents, we tried to help out in shouted conversations from boat to boat. I thought we perhaps had not planned enough but well ...... On the journey we passed Limay see photo 2. We were confused at first until we realised the older foremost bridge had had an arch demolished so that boats could pass through and another newer higher bridge built behind it.
    Today we passed Roche-Guyon where there is a Troglodyte church and dwellings, (cave houses) these I would have liked to see close up but never mind. We stopped for lunch in Vernon (no shade for boat or we would have stayed) and I went for a short stroll around, saw the church with some modern stained glass, lots of timbered buildings and the Garden of Arts considered crossing the bridge to Vernonete but as no shade decided against it and watched children playing the the fountains instead, wishing I was young enough to join in. After lunch we continued and started looking for shade after another 15km we found a bit on a loading station just below Notre-Dame de la Garenne lock and are just hoping they don’t start work too early in the morning and that a boat doesn’t arrive during the night! These two longer days mean we now only 80km from Rouen and our mast!    Read more

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    Chateau Gaillard Andelys
    AndelysMuidsLe Mesnil de PosesTroglodyte church St Adrien

    To Poses and on to Rouen

    August 11, 2020 in France ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    On our way down river from the lock we stopped for shopping at Les Andelys again lots of timbered houses, very pretty also the ruins of Chateau Gaillard on the hill over looking the town. Sadly still very hot and that and the fact that the boat was moored on a river cruise boat stop next to the traveling circus made us decide against the trek uphill. After Andelys more timbered properties and a number of low islands, we stopped on the quay in Poses as we found an overhanging tree that would shade us for the rest of the day, a very quaint and affluent little village but it being Monday the restaurant and museum were shut, unfortunately so was the capitainerie but that was Covid related so we showered onboard. Today we passed through our last river lock at Amfreville and we had to share with a commercial barge, I do wish they would reply to my radio calls, I know my French isn’t great but the barge we ended up sharing with was moored further upstream and arrived after the lock light had gone green fortunately John is still checking behind him so noticed it arriving and we reversed out of its way. It wasn’t far from Amfreville to Rouen especially with the help of some current we averaged around 7knots, we saw a few commercial vessels no other pleasure craft, lots of islands and seagulls! Normally I think there would have been a lot of small ferries going from bank to bank but not at the moment. We arrived in Rouen around 14:00, marina office not open till 15:00 then an hour wait to be allocated a mooring. Then off to see the yard about our mast, no joy English speaking staff member Christophe has left, come back tomorrow. Still hot so plug in and relax.Read more

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    Cathedrale Notre Dame
    Cathedral interiorPalais de JusticeGross-HorlogeSaint Ouen Abbey ChurchSaint Maclou Church

    Rouen and the mast saga

    August 12, 2020 in France ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    We were up bright an early to see Christophe at the yard, he wasn’t so early but he did arrive. ‘What mast, no I have nothing, let me see’, none of this bothered us as we had seen the mast yesterday and knew it was there. ‘Oh is it this one, there is no label’. He was right but there were two pretty obvious sections where the wrapping had been removed ummm. ‘ My travel lift is broken since end of June, I don’t know when it is repaired, I couldn’t tell you as no details on the mast’. Well OK no details but we had emailed about its delivery a couple of days before it arrived to let him know it would be there the Tuesday after the bank holiday Monday and who accepts a mast they are not expecting? He had our details and just hoped lift would be repaired. He has no idea when it will be fixed, John asks about hiring Hi-abs or mobile cranes, nothing, he Christophe suggests we just go home wait and come back later. We can’t do this. ‘Oh there is a mobile crane coming tomorrow to lift another boat we ask him to do mast or maybe as it is travel lift not crane attachment that is broken I do on Friday’. Great so we get mast ready attaching cross trees fixing mast light etc. Then go into town for a look around, John has two flat tyres so we walk. Centre of town is very pretty, again loads of timbered houses and shops, a far few churches and a cathedral. The religious buildings are so incredibly decorative internally and even more so externally.Read more

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    Wrought iron museum in old church
    Leaning timbered house, look at window frames.Hotel bourgtherouldeInner courtyard of hotel with frieze.

    Rouen the saga continues

    August 14, 2020 in France ⋅ 🌧 22 °C

    We are at the yard at 9 when we were told the crane would be there, it’s already arrived but is too small to lift boat so driver is trying to get a larger crane to come. Christophe won’t speak to driver about our mast although it turns out small crane is sat there for 2hours doing nothing. Larger crane arrives but again Christophe won’t ask, says crane here just to do boat then goes. He also says he has decided it’s not safe to use his crane and when we ask what we should do he says he is too busy and walks off. We make a note of crane company name and send them an email, I also contact a number of transport companies to get quotes for moving the mast to somewhere with a working lift.
    We decide to head to town again and visit some of the free museums. Even after yesterday nights thunder storm it’s still very warm but this time we did manage to cycle in as John had replaced the punctured inner tubes. We visited the wrought iron museum that was really interesting, then the ceramic museum not so good, pieces all of similar age, style and colour. We look at a few more churches and find a tearoom with gluten free cakes, we buy a few and some normal ones for me, then head to the tourist information to see if they can assist with our mast problem. The girl we spoke to was great, she phoned the firm that had been at the yard and managed to arrange for an English speaker from the company to meet us at the yard tomorrow morning at 10:30, fingers crossed this is going to be OK, we have received a couple of replies from transport companies €750-1000 for moving mast. We are feeling positive as we return to the bikes, bugger it’s starting to spit, crickey the skies open it hammers down. We sought shelter and waited about 40mins, thank goodness we had cakes to see us through. It eases off and we head back fortunately we had closed most of the windows on board so only a few places to be mopped before tea and bed.    Read more

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    Re-stepped

    August 17, 2020 in France ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    It happened, the meeting with the crane hire company on Friday went well and it was agreed we would all meet Monday at 8am for the mast to be put back on. We were told where and how to moor up, discussed where to lift mast, how to release strops etc. Only downside was it was going to cost €400 for the crane versus the €156 we’d been quoted by the yard. I decided it was worth it as we had no idea when the yard crane would be repaired.
    We spent the weekend in preparation both for re stepping the mast, (where had we put the ropes, pulleys, bottle screws), and for going home ( packing some clothes , throwing others out, sorting through bedding). We did manage a bike ride on Sunday between the showers and went down stream up to Le Bouille for a coffee. The first section of the river was very industrial, cereal silos, sand, scrap yards but then they gave way to little villages and fancy Chateaus.
    This morning we were ready and waiting by 7:45 crane arrived at 8 but.... Christophe, the yard manager, didn’t arrive till 9 and the crane driver wouldn’t do anything without him even though when he did arrive he didn’t do anything just left John to attach strops and release rope. The crane driver was efficient and the lift and lower went off with out a hitch, mast and stays all in place and we were back on the mooring by 10:30. Then came the hard bit, where on earth did all the bits of rope and pulleys go? What about the bolt for the boom, where had we put that? But by 14:00 it was all sorted, we think everything is in the right place. Only the foresail to reattach and it had got a bit breezy for us to do that. A few extra bits of shopping and we’re already for an early morning departure. Thank goodness 😅
    We also had a very cute early evening visitor a blue eyed, long haired Siamese coloured cat came for a look around and a quick pat. We later found out it had decided to stay the night but was no bother.    Read more

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    Abbey ruins at JumiergeRiver cruise boat with oassengersNormandy Bridge

    Maritime Seine

    August 18, 2020 in France ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    We were pleasantly surprised at how picturesque the lower or Maritime Seine is/was. Once you clear the industrial suburbs of Rouen there is lots of green and lots of beautiful houses some big some small, it was a surprisingly enjoyable journey. We left Rouen at 7am and moored up in Honfleur 10hours later. We’d completed almost all of the journey in 9hours but we were going to miss the lock by minutes so had to throttle back and cruise the last few miles on tick over at 5knots, current assisted and this was even having left at the wrong state of tide. We left Rouen 2hours after high tide so had weaker upriver current with us but would be pushing against it down stream before it turned and was with us at the end. I think all the recent rain helped to restrict the power of the ‘against us’ current, it only ran for 3hours and only reduced our speed to 4knots on average. When the tide turned and was with us we reached our maximum speed of 10.5knots. We had debated waiting a few more days for what should had been more favourable currents but we were both really keen to leave Rouen behind us. On this trip we saw our first functioning river cruise boat, all the others,about 35 in total, have been moored up and mothballed.
    Honfleur is another very pretty historic town with lots and lots of galleries, restaurants and tourist shops. There were also a lot of visitors, it felt busier than Paris. Masks had to be worn in the town centre both in inside and outside spaces, conditions are getting stricter.    Read more

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    Saint Grace bells way to big for church tower
    Saint Grace churchView of Honfleur from Mount GraceAt Vieux Port entranceInterior of wooden churchWooden clock tower opposite church

    Honfleur

    August 19, 2020 in France ⋅ 🌧 21 °C

    Like I said it’s a very pretty touristy town and without Covid we might have stayed longer but there are so many people in a relatively small town centre and not all of them are following the rules about masks and distances. The restaurant and cafe tables were definitely not 1m+ apart. We did a pleasant walk around the Public gardens looking at photos from the exhibition on the railings and then up Saint Grace hill to the church and view points, one looking over river mouth and other over the town before wandering back towards the centre for coffee and more churches. We are heading to Ouistreham tomorrow morning not too early as need depth to lock out and in at each end, tomorrow should be dry and less wind, then Friday it picks up again so may stay in Ouistreham or head up river to Caen.Read more

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