Nivernais - Clamecy to Auxerre

Apr 11

What a poor start - just as we lined up for the Clamecy Ecluse with another boat the Police Municipale turned up and requested €6 from us as a mooring fee (but he only charged for one night).  Our first mooring fee since casting off.

It looks like the hire bases have opened as there are a few hire boats on the water - an overheating Locoboat blocked us in one of the ecluses - we found we had to clear the weed filters of weed and mud every few hours (might need to strip the engine water cooler this winter).

We managed to catch the market at Chatel Censoir - an impressive church on the bluff once we had struggled up to it.

Chatel Censoir

Soon after that were the cliffs at Merry sur Yonne - a rock climbers dream.

Some quite low bridges en route (2.9m) but Angie was in cautious mode so all was well. Though she lost her name (and a fender) at Mailly La Ville after she caught the end of the pontoon - the strong current in the River Yonne of course!

We saw our first ducklings of the year on 17 Apr.

And the swans were looking tres magnifique

Attractive bridges everywhere

Predilbert

The Nivernais is very attractive especially with all the trees coming out in full leaf and the sunrises were almost worth getting out of bed for!

Villages were fairly sparse in places so every bar we encountered had to be checked out - I hope Kes was asking for water and not 'une pression s'il vous plait'

Finally into Auxerre just before Easter - lots of tourists :) so after two days stocking up with food, drink and collecting some mail (plus some sightseeing) it is off for a short stretch heading north on the River Yonne proper.

Auxerre

Auxerre