Off betimes, and as usual relieved when able to turn off the huge river Saone just upstream of Chalon into the Canal du Centre.

Reckoned to have a gentle day, got through the deep entrance lock - shared with l’Herrison - through to just below the first "in the country" lock and moored up at the unmarked village moorings at Fragnes.

Picture is behind Fragnes

Balance of day spent largely sheltering from weather - cold and wet - but managed cycle exploration ride in afternoon/evening.

Countryside, in spring, looking great.

A longish way, uphill, but all locks electric/mechanical, and no sharing, so we covered the distance quite quickly.

Passed mooring which features in our home page photo, with a sad looking small Dutch Barge stuck in the entrance.

Broken down, and on the bottom.

Into Montchanin by mid afternoon.

Mooring - good one - ready and waiting for us. 2 occupied Narrow Boats, and 2 more moored up closed down.

As arranged, waited whilst Jeff let a yacht down the slipway, and hauled up another Narrow Boat - Cre-Dal-Wood.

We were supposed to be next, but slight concern over capacity of equipment prompted us to do the polite, and put Cre-Dal-Wood, same size as us, up first.

Wise decision - Cre-dal-wood went up OK, pulled by Jeff’s Range Rover with spinning tyres, and the elderly Camping Car of another moored.

Coming back down was disaster. Front wheels of dolly - ex lorry front axle welded onto RSJ - decided to castor to extremes of travel, laid over, and bent axles, so boat could neither by pulled up, or lowered.

Complete day of jacking and effort, and boat finally dragged off into water.

New plan to be made, as dolly front axle a write-off.

Eventually, new axle with little iron wheels installed to replace collapsed one.

However, Range Rover, plus ex London Taxi, and camping car unable to pull Albert up slipway.

Got us far enough to see hull sides not nearly as bad as expected, so gave project up, and with considerable relief, saw Albert returned to water undamaged (Cre-Dal--Wood had had front lockers - full of kit - flooded)

Carried on with multitude of odd jobs necessary.

Great to off again, even though weather reasonably dreadful.

Short run - left at 12.00, in by tea time.

Moored up in P. de P. Only 2 other boats, both elderly, abandoned looking wooden boats. Eventually joined by a yacht!

French cruiser passed us at 0930 for the 2 lift bridges, so felt we ought to join him.

Mistake.

He was landed with us all the way to Paray, waiting endlessly at every single lock - poor sod.

Felt pressurized, so couldn’t stop and dawdle over lunch.

Paray by tea time.

Onto moorings - under No Stopping sign, but there was a calendar up showing when the trip boat would be calling and requiring it’s mooring.

Not till next week.

Weather indescribable - rain, wind. more wind, hail - the lot.

Lunch tied up to avoid worst of storm below Digoin deep lock.

Improved weather.

Picked Carol up in Brienon and brought her into Roanne, tied up near "usual" place and sat out in shade and had tea.

Super to back - still enough old friends not yet left to make for much social toing and froing.