Hah! A new blog, for a new canal, the Canal de Briare. We left Chatillon pretty early as we had no locks whatsoever as far as Briare and its famous Pont Canal over the Loire.
Leaving wasn't as easy as it might have been since firstly, the Capitainerie had locked our umbilical electric cord into the distribution box. Luckily gor us the top of the box was broken and we were able to retrieve the cord by unconventional means. It would have been a shame if we had had to cut it just the day after our wonderful man of all skills, Steve made it all work so well. Secondly we were hemmed in by an enormous hotel barge, but managed to wiggle our way around it without mishap. I think Charlyn had her eyes shut in horror for part of the manoevre. So, on to Briare and the truly beautiful (and very long) canal bridge over the Loire. We had planned to stop there, but, what with Charlyn's family almost on their way to us, and the fact that it only took just over an hour to get there, we decided to press on and made our halt at Ouzour sur Trezee, some 6 kms further on.A delightful mooring in avery old, and now clearly dying village, with most of the shops shut down and far too many houses for sale. But the town quay was a delight and we tied up close enough to allow painting preparation work on the port side of JC to be done from shore. At Briare we had left the Canal lateral a la Loire behind and joind the Canal de Briare, which will eventually lead us to the Canal du Loing, the Seine, and to PARIS!
June 4
Charlyn has pointed out to me that there are one or two late entries on the Canal lateral a la Loire blog that have no photos - and that now we are on a new one you, our readers, might not go back, thinking that there were none. Well, you're wrong! As soon as I have finished writing of today's events I will go back and put the photos in (so long as the system lets me do it.
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| The winding Canal de Briare |
After the long straights of the canal lateral, this one is extremely windy with lots of blind corners, being , naturally, the places where we meet another boat coming the other way. No collisions. With the delayed start we could not quite make it to our new mooring at Rogny les Sept Ecluses before lunch, so stopped at a country mooring beteen 12.00pm and 1.00pm - just long enough for a cold lunch and a glass of wine.
Rogny is named 'les sept ecluses' because the original canal had 7 locks to lift the water from the valley of the Loing over the watershed to the valley of the Loire. The'new' canal - built well over 100 years ago, takes a slightly different route and employs only 6 locks. Confusing, nicht war???
For all that, Rogny seems a pleasant small town and we will rest (idiomatic for work on the painting of JC) and explore here tomorrow and continue on our way on Monday.
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| The mooring at Rogny |
June 5th
At rest! (see above entry) in Rogny les Sept Ecluses. Beautiful day and perfect for painting the outside of the wheelhouse. Finished my first pot of Cream paint just in time to stop for lunch. Just 100 yards - well maybe metres, to the Auberge des 7 Ecluses, where we sta outside watching the world and enjoying a really excellent lunch: a really good salad of warm scallops and prawns for Charlyn and, as we were still just in Burgundy, escargots de Bourgogne for me. We both had a really good entrecote steak with a greaty selection of vegetables and then shared a chocolate ice cream. Back to JC, where I got out a new can of cream p[aint and completed my work for the day. Just then an American couple came by, expressing interest in barging (they were on a rented canal boat), and we invited them on board to have a look around. One thing led to another and another thing led to a bottle of wine, and that led to a second bottle. Anyway they, Edward and Gail, were seriously interested in retiring to the barge life and we spent a good an enjoyable couple of hours with them. To aid the celebration it turned out that not only was it their wedding anniversary, but also her birthday. Supper did not happen.
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| Sunday lunch |
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| Tilleuil tree at Rogny |
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| In Rogny | <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
June 6th
An early start, not that we had far to go, but that there were several boats and barges looking as if they might go in our direction. We like to get ahead of the pack if possible so that our travelling is done by lunch time and so that we can get a mooring where we want it. Quite a chilly morning, with a hint of rain in the air. We succeeded in being (just) the first to the first lock and were able to hold that position through the next 5 locks to our day's destination at Chatillon Coligny (not to be cofused with Chatillon sur Loire which we have already passed by. On arrival at Chatillon we found the quay to be virtually full and very nearly passed it by. However we spotted some likely looking helpers on the quayside and with their help managed to squeeze into the last available space.Lunch and a siesta were followed by a walk into town where there is a very good small supermarket. We only had the back pack with us, but bought a plastic carry bag and staggerd back to JC with our purchases.
Too rainy for any more painting, so I have resolved to bring the photos, both in the album and on the blog, up to date, which I will now attempt to do.
June 7th
Today's journey qualifies rather more as a fraud than as a full day's travel. We were able to leave at 8.30am, having collected the bread in quite heavy rain and duly arrived at the first lock just after 9.00am. Here, in conversation with the lock keeper, we discoverd that our chosen destination for the day, Montcresson, was'Very noisy and full of lorries unloading timber' - at least that is how I interpreted what he said. he recommended that we should stop at Montbuoy, several kms short of Montcresson. That sounded like good advice, which was confirmed by the next lock keeper at Montbuoy itself. So, after only 1 1/2 hours of cruising we pulled into a nice mooring in this quiet village and prepared to spend the next day and a half here before moving on directly to Montargis. The rain died away as we moved along and, as I write, I am hopeful of being able to tackle the paint job again this afternoon.
June 8th
Yesterday afternoon, after I wrote the blog, the heavens opened and it poured and poured with rain. Our poor petunias did not like it one little bit, but somehow seem to have survived. This morning was pretty grey and the forecast told us 30% chance of rain. However I was anxious to get on with the painting and decided to take a chance. All was well and the day got nicer and nicer as it progressed. So, not only did I do rather more painting than my target, but also mended the passerelle (Gangplank) and tidied out the lazarette to make room for Brad's family luggage.
June 9th
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| In Montargis |
June 10th
In Montargis. We duly explored the old part of the town yesterday afternoon, which was full of interesting shops and, surprisingly, two chinese take away restaurants. We bought from one of them and enjoyed a very good chinese supper leaving enough for lunch on Friday. Long walk to station (lady at Police station said '5- 10 minutes' - it was at least 20. Anyway, found out about trains for Tesdahls and rented (very expensive) small car from Avis. Then the shopping. Catering for 7 people including hungry teenagers with unknown tastes is quite a challenge and we ended up somewhat poorer and with a car that was full to bursting. OK so the purchases included 3 cases of wine - but that's just essential supplies. It was a good day for shopping as the weather, which as you all know, had been wonderful throughout April and May, has now gone a bit sick on us and it is now cold and a bit drizzly.
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| Montargis is full of little waterways |
Undoubtedly the highlight of the day was our supper at La Gloire, a one star Michelin restaurant close to the station. Why such a highlight? First it was next to the station and for some reason all station restaurants in France have a very good reputation. Second, although it carries the much envied star (which it has now enjoyed for over 20 years) it is quite unlike any other Michelin star restaurant I have ever visited. Most importantly it is not pretentious at all - in my opinion a considerable fault in the majority of such establishments, where the staff seem to give the impression that they are doing you a big favour by allowing you to eat there. The decor was charming, the resaurant was spotless, there was a delightful collection of orchids, the staff were friendly, neatly dressed (but not in uniform) and the food was absolutely delicious. Chalyn had a warm lobster salad followed by a duo of lamb (fillet and cutlet) and I had home made pate de foie de canard followed by a wonderful combination of sweetbreads and veal kidneys (Dr Euan, you are not supposed to know this), then a nice selection of cheeses, an apricot flavoured creme brulee, and a grand selection from the dessert chariot.
We discovered from Madame as we left that the kitchen was run (not surprisingly) by her husband with just two helpers and that she and her daughter (plus others) worked the front of house. A proper family business and a meal that I would recommend to anyone.
June 11th
A bit of an anxious day as, yet again, Icelandair have been causing us problems. This time it was afour hour strike by mechanics which delayed the flight from Minneapolis. However, all was well in the end and the family arrived at Montargis station a couple of hours late and hungry. luckily I had preapared Coq au Vin for supper which was none the worse for having to 'rest' the extra time. Montargis station was completely bereft of taxis, so the whole team had to walk to JC.
Earlier in the day we went to the market, which was small but had everything we needed including ham hocks, the to the antiques fair which was very expensive. We managed to buy aplate for'only' 20 euros, so honour was satisfied. Charlyn then visited the cat show, next to the fair, while I went to buy dessert which we had completely forgotten about on our earlier outing!
Somehow we got everyone bedded down for the night - Brad and Jen in the guest bedroom, Greta sharing that but on an air mattress on the floor, Grant on the day bed in the sitting room and Sonja on an air mattress also in the sitting room. We had our bedroom to ourselves!
June 12th
An early start with a long way to go. 28kms and 14 locks. Good experience for everyone but exhausting for th skipper who ended up with very sore feet. This I should add was the end of the Canal de Briare and the beginning of the Canal du Loing. beware the very first two locks north of Montargis. The first, which is of course on a corner, comes up very unexpectedly leaving no time for manoevering. The second was even worse. However, with a bit of banging and cursing we got through both and ended te day at our chosen mooring at the port de Bagneaux. I just had the energy to prepare the ham hocks for supper, eat them and then collapse into bed.
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| Captain Grant at the helm |
June 13th
A much better day although with an inauspicious start. The local store, from whom we intended to buy our daily bread advertised its opening at 7.30 am. Nobody tols us that today was a holiday in France and therefore the opening was delayed until 8.30. We still managed to get away by 8.45 to reach the firat lock at 9.00. the only casualty was Simon's breakfast which was taken much later on the run. I have referred earlier to the need to keep one's eye on the canal all the time - so try drinking a cup of chocolate on the move!
I had no helpers at the wheel today, although yesterday grant did a 30 minute spell extremely well and Sonja tried hard for 5 minutes. Brad could not be pursuaded, but made an excellent line handler.
We arrived at Moret just on 3.00 pm and sent the team out to find us a reasonable( and reasonably priced) restaurant for this evening.
June 14th
Apologies are due to my regular followers for the recent scarcity of photos on the blog. It always takes a long time to upload them and we have had such long days recently that I have not had enough energy to do more than write. All will be put right in due course - but maybe not for a week or so.
Yesterday evening we were initially disappointed that the restaurant recommended by the Port captain was closed (Monday, of course). However we found another which 'just' served a buffet. Absolutely delicious and pefect for the occasion as there was something and more for everyone's taste. Thank you very much Brad and Jen for treating us!
So, on to today. Yet another very long day. I think we covered about 45 kms and passed 3 huge locks. We left Moret at 8.45 am and got to our destination at just after 5 pm. Everyone was exhausted, but we were so grateful to have the extra hands on board, who more than pulled their weight.
June 15th
On re-reading yesterday's entry I see that I totaally failed to say that we had left the canal system behind and were on the River Seine. This of course continued today and I am glad to report that we made it to our (for now) final destination of the Arsenal Marina right in the heart of Paris - in afct I can see the monument in the Place de la Bastille even as I write. (Check... yup it's still there).
Travelling the Seine is such a different experience to the canals, for some reasons that are obvious but others not so much. First of all it is BIG, so there is lots of room to pass oncoming traffic. Secondly it is a very well used commercial route which means that we met a lot of commercial barges - some of them HUGE. There are a number of locks, again we passed three today and they can take a very long time. All commercial traffic takes precedence over 'Plaisantiers' which meant that to pass the first lock this morning took more than 2 hours. Happily, after that, matters improved and we were not held up too much until we arrived at the Arsenal lock where a couple of small boats made a quick dive at the entrance, blocking us out, and we had to wait an extra half hour to get in.
This marina is fine but very full. Thank goodness we booked ahead. Even so we are rafted up to another barge which we have to cross before getting to dry land.
Tomorrow I leave everyone here to do sightseeing etc and go to England to give Charlie a hand with the Rock Oyster Festival. that should be fun, but of course it will mean a break in the continuity of this blog.
So, jusqu'a Mardi. Au revoir.
June 21st
Well, here we are all together again. Actually I should not say 'all' as Charlyn's family left us this morning to return home. I will simply summarise the last few days as they really have little to do with our journeying on Joli Coeur. I left Paris last Thursday morning on the Eurostar to London and then on to Cornwall where I was due to help my son Charlie with the running of the 'Rock Oyster Festival'. Rock is a place in Cornwall,
not the description of a type of oyster! That all went well, except that the weather was foul; cold, rainy and windy. nevertheless the festival was a great success and much enjoyed.
Charlyn meantime was helping her family to be good tourists in Paris. I think they did all the major stuff - including the Eiffel Tower at night, Notre Dame, Versailles etc. When I got back (on Charlyn's birthday 20th June) they were all suitabley exhausted. We will spend one more day here in Paris and then head off again on what is the second half of our 2011 Odyssey.
June 22nd
Our last day in Paris - on our own. Bad weather day, rainy and cold - how we are paying for the wonderful sunshine of April and May!
A gentle morning (we were both still very tired after our weekend activities) and then down the street for a Chinese lunch. Excellent. After that the day deterioated a touch rwsulting in a long walk, no success in finding the metro and therefore no visit to the Museum d'Orsay to see the Impressionists. never mind, there is always another time. back on JC for a movie(Sleepless in Seattle - haven't watched it in ages and bed.
simon, we had a brief encounter at Dormans when we pulled alongside for a lunch stop. A 1983 Birchwood 33gti with a rather smokey stbd engine. I am researching our 6 month trip next year and came across your blog and immediate,y recognised the joli coeur. Makes a super read and glad everything went well. Our 3 week circuit of the somme marne and seine from Gosport was over all too soon and reading your blog has ratcheted up the anticipation of next years 6 month adventure. I hope your winter in the Turks provides better weather than summer in France last year and will look out for you on next years travels. The Joli is a credit to you, I recall your varnishing endeavours being in full swing when our paths crossed. Best wishes Andy. (Doucette)
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