Off At Last

30 Mar 11

Yippee - after saying farewell to our fellow 'winterers' (Paul, Terry and Teresa) and  topping up with diesel and other essentials (vin rouge) we cast off on Sat 19 Mar heading west on the Canal du Centre - a bit damp and overcast but free at last.

Montceau Bridges

We were rapidly back into our cruising routine with alternative early rising for Kes the Collie. Our first overnight was Genelard and the Centre for the La Ligne de Demarcation.

Then Paray de Monial, an attractive (and expensive town) marred by a side excursion into a dress boutique - much poorer we moved onwards to Digoin where we crossed the Loire.

Paray Le Monial

Canal Aqueduct over the River Loire at Digoin

The weather was absolutely beautiful all week.  At this point we became the Canal Lateral du Loire - definitely an improvement as the moorings all had free water and electricity - long may it last. Beaulon had a nice little Chateau and this old restaurant.

The weather deteriorated at Gannay sur Loire so we pushed on, turned onto the Loire at Decize and moored on the Vieille Loire after pushing over a sandbank at the entrance.

Loire to Lateral

Decize

Next the Canal du Nivernais and a lot of ecluses.