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Sept 18                                   Monday

In St Jean de Losne. (River Saône)

The intention was to have a profitable day, doing the washing, filling with diesel and water, cleaning boat, and generally doing good things.

In fact, we did nothing, in the glorious hot sun and fabulous outlook, except enjoy doing nothing.

We decided that there wasn’t time to get to Seurre and fill with diesel, so we did neither. (Actually it only takes about 2.5 hours down river to Seurre).

In fact, when we went for evening Brompton-about found that the bunker barge was having a day off, anyway, and was closed.

Did get balance of bits needed for automatic bilge pump, and installed. Took about 45 minutes.

Otherwise, day just got used up, and we went and played cards again on Riverdance.

 

Sept 19                                          Tuesday

St Jean de Losne to Seurre (River Saône )

Got up with good intentions, and really carried them through.

Bread first thing, then un-moored and off to the bunker barge.

Filled water, and diesel - Fr 7.0. Last year 4.80, and in the S.M. this year 6.15 to 6.30.

Regrettably, guy who used to own bunker business has sold to the town, and they appear to be milking it. We bought 116 litres, 25 galls + . To fetch this from convenient S.M. (and there isn’t one) would have meant 3 trips with Brompton and trailer for a saving of fr 80 (£8.00) so we paid someone £8.00 to deliver enough diesel to fill our tank, and the 2 jerrycans. desolé!

Anyway, left full water, full diesel, full spirits, lovely day, down river.

Wind got up, and by Seurre was blowing a total hooly up river.

River slightly very much the same, although fine and sunny, so did e-mail kick.

Crept into Seurre finger moorings (stayed here last year), had lunch and hoped wind would drop.

It didn’t so decided to stay over and have fr 50 worth.

Started to rain - good thing we stayed.

Bromptonned around town - quite nostalgic, this was one of the first towns we really did things - like hair cuts - last year when we first arrived.

Brought web site up to date.

 

Sept 20                                         Wednesday

Seurre to Gergy (River Saône)

Started with rain - having rained all night, but cleared up.

The trip down river - apart from being good fun, was much enlivened by a Hotel Boat that every time it pulled into sight - from behind us, of course - and made to overtake, broke down and drifted.

Second time cries of "taxi" and "do you want a tow". Crew were very nice about it, and refused to be riled - they were a French boat.

Decided to moor at a rather strange lonely pontoon site no-where in particular, below a village up on a high bank invisible from the river, below a pub that appears always to be closed, and with a camping/caravan site that never has any tents or caravans about. 

We had lunch here last year.

Whilst mooring up a fishing put-put/rowing boat - complete with fisherman - arrived.

Usual greetings - bon jour, ça va - etc. Chap answered in mid-counties English.

He was living on the camp site in a tiny pup tent, and spent his time fishing - think he earned money, when required, by harvesting grapes, etc. 

Schalk arrived - a bit scruffy - with rows of bikes and motor cycles on top. Spent ages trying to work out who they were and from where - failed, so treated them with - probably unjustified - suspicion. They looked a bit like travelers.

Bromptonned thru village, very nice, open lay out - very quiet, neat and appeared to have no connection or interest in river at all. Seemed very "private". 

Nice ride.

 

Sept 21                                         Thursday

Gergy (River Saône) to Fragnes (Canal du Centre)

Fine warm to cool sunny day.

Woken 0630 by almighty great ship in semi darkness going down river followed by péniche.

Nice trip in sun - air cool.

The river must be all of 150 metres wide here so took time off to look at back of boat. Like any trad or semi trad narrow boat nothing really to keep us on the boat, but we never think of it - one looks forward, not at what is behind.

In off river lunch time through 15 metre deep lock - shared with Germans who wouldn’t give us enough room. We were terribly polite and unagressive to them. Bloody idiots - them - not us!

Finished 2nd throwaway camera.

Came up canal v. slowly to let Germans get ahead.

Found brand new proper mooring with lek and water not too near motorway and national road that we remember from last year blight this area.

Sat in sun all afternoon and did nothing - except doss and read!

Did Brompton bimble around village - nice village, but unproductive trip.

Stayed overnight!

 

Sept 22                                             Friday

Fragnes to Santenay (Canal du Centre)

Woke late - dull morning - breakfast on the hoof.

Through first lock of chain at 10.00, but found ourselves stuck behind ignorant pair of Swiss/Germans in an enormous péniche converted to a home/plaisance.

Trailed all the way up - especially when they sat in a lock and had lunch sitting on the foredeck, whilst we - suckers - thought the lock was stuck, so just waited melting gently in the sun, 300 metres down canal.

Into and past Gagny (see Flora in last year’s log).

Saw our broken down friend the Hotel Boat moored up with guests sitting on back deck having "noggins" - much ribaldry and yelling and shouting.

Left black péniche but no more locks!

Moored up to buy bread at Remigny, but no shops!

However, beautiful village, based entirely on the making and marketing of wine.

Saw hand harvesting in a field - but didn’t join in - not our scene?

Half of countryside running businesses advertising hugely, and selling wine direct to customers, after appropriate tasting and bullshitting.

Other half, actually making it - i.e. tractor trailer overtakes us full of grapes, draws into scruffy farmyard - super smell in autumn air of grapes, wine, etc. -  tips grapes into square press/tank - much juice everywhere, including on the dusty farm type concrete floor.

Is this how they really make wine?

Re-joined boat, forward another 2 kms, re-moored at fabulous view over vineyards.

Watched mechanical harvester - looked like motorised spider with bag on back and a wheel on each leg.

Herself. into Santenay for bread (Bromptoning), but nearly captured by a trailer load of cheerful Charlie Dimocks grape picking.

Drinks in shade (us, not Charlie Dimocks) - but days short, and air cool - soon moved to sit in full sunshine.

Finished day by entering cabin arse first, missing "coffin" step, and ending up a heap on the floor.

Incredibly lucky - this is about 3rd fall when no damage - except to pride and dignity - has occurred. Having said that, will probably end up to-morrow with 3 broken legs.

 

Sept 23                                         Saturday

Santenay to pk 42 on canal (absolutely nothing else) (Canal du Centre)

Booked for 10.00 thru first lock of day.

Started doing engine checks, pulling up mooring pins at 0845.

Utterly horrified to see black péniche that irritated us so much yesterday attacking from up-sun position behind us.

Did hire boat dirty trick. Threw all ropes, pegs, fenders, etc, into heap in boat and left! Just made it in front of him - excuse being that we couldn’t see him for the sun.

To have remained behind would have been awful - he is ignorant and thick and inconsiderate, and desperately slow. Strongly suspect they are only "boat movers" anyway.

Result of this piece of major discourteous naughtiness was that we had all locks set for us, had a perfectly gorgeous days run, completely hassle free, and all for a good 15 secs of guilty conscience.

Stopped lunch-time at St Ledger sur Dhuene for major S.M. shop. Stopped here last year in pissing rain to do unsuccessful battle with crapuserve - lost it.

This year, weather fine, country beautiful, and all is joy.

Black Péniche wandered through at 13.30, mooring up in bridge hole for his lunch. Where do these people come from?

Had arranged with L.K. that we would phone Chalon when ready to go - why didn’t we do this before - it took all the pressure off us to be in a certain place at a certain time, and hasten to finish what we were doing, and not waste time going off and visiting nice places.

The L.K.s on the ground don’t really like it, they like to be in control and get us off their patch, not to be told over their V.H.F. by higher authority what they must do and when! They didn’t want to part with the tel no. Silly thing was that we had it all the time, just didn’t know what it was for.

The country side was fabulous - this is the famous Beaune wine producing region, and apart from the good wine, is quite beautiful.

However, once again, as we went on climbing up the canal, the countryside became more and more Scotslike - no vineyards, tiny fields hedged in, neat little farms. We are no distance from Challon, and have not - in real terms - climbed at all, but it is all change.

Made a thoroughly poor mooring into a good one with springs and ladders.

Getting dark early, now.

Autumn equinox.

My birthday - only remembered from the Antipodes - oh dear! As stated previously, this sort of life makes dates, days of the week, etc, irrelevant. (That’s Herself’s excuse, and she’s sticking to it).

Extra chocolate biscuit for tea in lieu of birthday cake, and Sancerre and steak for supper.

 

Sept 24                                             Sunday

pk 42 on canal to Favée (Canal du Centre)

Apart from total enjoyment of this canal, there is little to say about this day.

The canal has an extraordinary way of taking us past and through people’s homes and lives, one minute, (oh look - new baby, see the nappies on the line, or there’s oom, smoking his pipe and fishing half asleep, and look at that complete family ma, pa, and child on a triple seat tandem bike) then into complete remoteness the next minute, then past and through work places, factories, etc, where life presumably is real and ernest.

All through lovely countryside.

This week's we're here Map (and click here to go back!)