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- Note:
Due to the poor weather this week - apart from 1 and a half days - too
much time has been spent inside the boat fiddling with this week's
log. Hence, it is far too verbose - sorry!
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- Sunday, 2 May
2004.
St Jean de Losne to Gergy, River Sâone.
- We're off!
- Yesterday we went round the moorings making our
farewells to staff, but didn't like to say so in yesterday's (which became
last week's) log, in case it put the mockers on it, and we didn't get away
after all.
- Last night valedictory supper at l'Amiral - and an
inadequate thank you to Wendy and Harry (apart from everything else, they sewed the bimini in toto,
thus resurrecting project from dreary and expensive non starter to
completed project). M. l'Amiral - forgotten his name -
"remembered" us all, with kisses as appropriate. I
wonder?!? A right old rogue, but very genial and pleasant. (Except
announced English and Scots "tous pareils").
- First thing nipped up for last bread from Ma Wotsits
by the church - she is certainly one of the best bakers we have found -
then farewells
all round - i.e. to fellow mores on our pontoon, and OFF!
- Target was Seurre, but with current and wind in
our favour, were there by early lunch time, with the lock awaiting us -
and 4 other boats trickling in from behind.
- Once again amazed by flatness of countryside -
although come to think of it, what else a river valley could
be. early summer is very much withus. Very
photogenic, but light hazy and flatly bright.
- Weather warm, until heavy thundery shower hit us
lunch time. Sat in dry comfort under hood, and gloated gently.
- As to be expected, wide river and low banks mean
shallow edges, so failed to find anywhere suitable to stop for lunch. Albert
going well, so why stop? Lunch on the hoof.
- Arrived at Gergy late tea time. Theoretical
57 kms - but they are measured along the old river bed, and it has been
much shortened by cuts and locks.
- Much relieved to find mooring empty - but being a
public holiday week-end banks above ad below busy with fishermen.
- The pontoon it's always the same here - think this
was our 4th visit. The pontoon is in 2 sections
disconnected
so only boaters can get to rear section where the electricity and water
points are - they have never worked yet!) - is at the bottom of a long ramp
- and is completely overlooked by
restaurant and it's car park, and quite large camping site built high up
on the river bank.
- Everything was neat, tidy, well maintained, no
graffiti, - and as always before - very closed and deserted - all a
bit Marie Celeste looking. The fisherman hadn't even invaded
the pontoon.
- Little traffic - 2 or 3 peniches, and 4 or 5
privates all day - quiet early night -
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- Monday, 3 May 2004
Gergy,
River Sâone, to Fragne, Canal du
Centre
- Up to Gergy village
(small town). Bread, veg, and paid tel bill.
- Lovely little town -
very quiet and sleepy.
- Weather grey and confused - inconsistent, but cool
to cold, with really nice warm sunny spells.
- Near disaster on wobbly
pontoon at bottom of ramp. Previously parked, stood up and
"deserted" bike wobbled over and headed for immersion in
depths of river. Owner - self - helping second bike down ramp
"dashed" for 1st or about-to-go-swimming bike. Fell over both. Cast un-unexpired portion of days ration - half a loaf of new bread - into river.
- Recovered and stabilised
errant bike with
foot, while supporting 2nd bike and remainder of shopping, took deep
breath, wondered what we were doing it all for.
- Off down river again
about 10.30.
- Stopped for lunch
early - arithmetic saw us waiting outside 1st lock on Centre while L.K.
had lunch - so preferred making own arrangements. Managed to
find shelving bank suitable for mooring, and incredible luck - thrown rope
wrapped around tree and returned to hand.
- Into Canal du
Centre 1430 - considerable deja vu. Exactly this time
last year we came through to spend the May holiday w/e at Fragne, except this
time L.K on deep entrance lock awaiting us (last year had to extract him from his house) and
brought us up gently and professionally.
Even so, really appreciated floating bollards - don't normally tie up, but
did here! 15 metres rise.
- Settled down on
Fragne moorings - trimmed grass edge by boat with new cordless
hedge-clipper(!), watered up (warning to boaters - the tap outlets are non
standard - but no need to water here, anyway, there is water
in the first lock 200 yards up the canal!)., but waited to see costs (all mooring charges
throughout the system appear to have been "tightened" over the
last 2 years, some to a ridiculous extent) before coupling
electricity. In fact charges a modest €5.00 all in,
including gossip with gardener/mooring supervisor/fee collector.
- Spent pleasant evening
reading, sitting and thinking, just sitting, under tree, when sun out.
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- Tuesday, 4 May 2004
Fragne to Chagny, Canal de Centre.
- One of the scenically best
runs on the system from Fragne up to Montchanin., only lightly marred by
the
N6 - and early on - the motorway - being too close, and further up
from St Leger de Dheune where the towing path is a busy D road!
- Outlook early summer green,
and bright yellow of the rape. (Why do my dramatic photos of
the fluorescent yellow of rape come out slightly brown and muddy?).
- Run up hassle free - locks are automatic and although
the tirettes (my spell checker wanted to change "tirettes" for
"toilettes" Herself notes this gives a whole new meaning
to the African classification "pull and let go") are very inconveniently placed for smaller boats going
uphill, we find that once the cord is pulled from the bows of the boat, and gates have
started creaking shut (long pauses between actions and re-actions), one
can scuttle back into the rear of the lock, straighten the boat along a
wall, and
settle down before the water starts coming in, then keeping the boat straight
on engine and rudder, without any knitting or poking - even in the 5
metre locks, although these do have floating bollards and ground paddles. L.K.s are nice,
friendly and laid back - they give
you a phone number to ring to tell them when you want to start - and all is
joy.
- Chagny reached mid
afternoon, but grey and blowing a hooly by now.
- Tied up outside incredibly pretentious
Capitainerie/info centre (built with E.U. funds) and
flopped. Still physically very unfit - 2 locks and
exhaustion sets in - as for to-day's 11 - we're on our knees!
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- Wednesday 5 May 2004
Chagny to St Leger-sur-Dheune, Canal du Centre
- Rain in night, overcast and strong wind direct
from Russian Steppes. Freezing cold.
- Boulangerie first thing - free wheel down to
bottom of town, but heluva pull back up. Good Baker.
- Weather improved mid morning, so off.
- Beautiful run up one of side valleys from main
Saone Valley, along bottom of Beaune Escarpment - wine country, big time.
- Frequent bursts of sunshine - beautiful
views.
- Stopped off at little halte above
Santenay, and
visited village/town on bikes.
- Watched workers in vineyard to try and make out
what they were doing. To our surprise, fellow stood up (they
were all squatting over the vines) and put a stone on the top of one of
the upright wire stringers. 5 seconds later clock struck
mid-day, and all 5 were off. Clearly mid-day break all
important, and stone marked stopping point.
- Vineyards all beautifully neat, tidy, and well
cared for - a real pleasure to look at, although this year's growth still
very small, little greenery - beyond primary shoot - to be seen.
- Wandered around town - most atractive and
well cared for. Moneyed? Lots of wine outlets selling for out
of reach prices. Daren't let on that we bought regularly from S. M.
but our dress and hats probably demonstrated all too clearly that we were not
promising customers for €16 to €160 bottles.
- Enjoyed wander round and rubber neck, but very
quiet and comatose - usual 1200-1400 mini-death.
- Back to boat for lunch - couple of rain squalls,
then off again - when sun out countryside beautiful.
- Stopped at St-Leger-sur-Dheune.
Old, rather nice bucolic St Leger-sur-Dheune halte completely taken over
and swamped by a large Locaboats hire base. Street market gone, roads
done up, everything. Only mooring left - apart from 2 or 3 on very
short finger pontoons across the wind - either below office window, or in
avowedly shallow - 85cms - bay at head of moorings. Tried it,
but lost nerve when found bottom both hard and close so moored up at
office. Raised Crown Blue Line brolley on bows, but they still
made us very welcome, and charged us €9.00.
- Cold wet night -
thunderstorms, and feel of hail.
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- Thursday 6 May 2004
St Leger-sur-Dheune to Montfaucon (Below Lock 8) Canal du
Centre
- Watched weather for
a break in cold wind, showers, and general unpleasantness.
- 2 locks, then lunch
against wall of picnics site at St-Berain-sur-Dheune, where we slept over
last year - or was it the previous one? Pleasant, and weather
brightening a bit.
- On to Montfaucon -
bottom of last flight up to Montchanin.
- Stopped in mooring
that features in the photo of Albert in the "welcome" page of
this site. Nice spot, even though our principle memories of it
are the car driving through at 0300 hooting his Italian type horn all the
way.
intended
to moor
carefully, and take same photo 5 years on, but big nasty Dutch Barge thing
was already on spot.
- Moored up in again worsening weather - piercing cold wind had us back in winter clothes -
furry hats (even in the cabin) heavy undies, guernsys, wooly pullies, the
lot. Haven't got access to weather forecasts and reports, but
cold must be result of heavy hail, or snow storms in Switzerland, Germany,
and North East France.
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- Friday 7 May 2004
Montfaucon (Below Lock 8) Canal du Centre
- Cold night, Heavy wind.
- Still cold, bleak and grey in
morning, so stayed put looking for a window in the weather to start off
in.
- Learned large boat next door
would not be moving to let us take our photo. They had - sadly -
lost one of a pair of rather nice cats early in the week, and were waiting
and hoping it would turn up
- No weather window before
lunch, but slight improvement after, so got set to go, whereupon wind
returned, sun went in, and so did we.
- Did little odd jobs in boat,
read, and during short and infrequent sunny spells tried to kid ourselves
that we could see lighter skies approaching, and it would soon come right.
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- Saturday 8 May 2004
Montfaucon (Below Lock 8) to Montchanin
- Woke to grey, cold,
but calm morning.
- Another very pleasant run up
to Montchanin and beyond in promise.
- Grey still weather changed to
grey hooly weather at breakfast time
- Staying another day not an
option. Dullish spot, grieving cat lovers not the best of fun
neighbours, and cannot use bikes - wind is invariably head on, so "trapped" on boat!
- Apart from anything, need
electricity to run heaters and warm boat (and us, in spite of winter
woolies).. We do have the solid
wood stove, but haven't filled back boiler water system - want to fill
anti-freeze, but keep forgetting), have very little fuel, and anyway, for
Heaven's sake, we are well into May!
- Came up flight of 8 locks in
100 minutes - give or take a day - to the summit. The deep
locks (5 metre) right from Fragne have splendid ground paddles, so the
incoming water holds the boat comfortably against the wall - so long as
the boat is against the correct wall and in the back of the lock at the
start. Chose
wrong twice, nos 3 and 4, or possibly 2 and
3,and got pushed across lock quite fast, but OK on these occasions so long
as boat is parallel to lock wall - thump is distributed evenly and
painlessly between forward and rear fenders (joy of narrowboat's long
straight side).
- Intended to moor up at VNF
workshop stores, but saw water tap had been removed from wall, and sheet
pile revettes very jagged and uneven. and
wind was arriving force about 45 straight from Siberia across the canal,
so looked hopefully into Jeff Rennels yard, which is usually full to
capacity.
- It was - but a very cheerful
lady - (Jeff's sister?) - suggested we breasted up to a moored narrow boat
- Maid of the Mist - thanks in absentia and ignorance to her owner - and
Jeff himself came to help as we made a bit like a wizz-bang in the
entrance. As they said - anything was better than traveling to-day, and once we got
coupled to electricity (first time use in over a
year of our very expensive 100 metre cable) we were able to warm up a bit,
and have some lunch.
- Just got a text - "did
we know" snow in England!
- This is probably the worst
weather we have experienced in France ever! Heavy rain, now, and
driving cold winds. Worse even than the wild and wooly run we did to try
and get to the Centre before it's standard autumn closure (wrong sort of
leaves on the line?) from the breach near Saverne, autumn
2 years ago. Suspect, from reports, that we have a Europe wide
storm??
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- Photos:- Top
right River Sâone at Gergy.
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next 2 down Canal du Centre between
Fragne and Chagny.
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4th
one
varied cultivations near Santenay
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Bottom one Canal du Centre near
Chagny
disconnected
so only boaters can get to rear section where the electricity and water
points are - they have never worked yet!) - is at the bottom of a long ramp
- and is completely overlooked by
restaurant and it's car park, and quite large camping site built high up
on the river bank.
N6 - and early on - the motorway - being too close, and further up
from St Leger de Dheune where the towing path is a busy D road!
important, and stone marked stopping point.
intended
to moor
carefully, and take same photo 5 years on, but big nasty Dutch Barge thing
was already on spot.
wrong twice, nos 3 and 4, or possibly 2 and
3,and got pushed across lock quite fast, but OK on these occasions so long
as boat is parallel to lock wall - thump is distributed evenly and
painlessly between forward and rear fenders (joy of narrowboat's long
straight side).