Christmas Interlude

Dec 13

Winter has arrived - though Angela did a runner, firstly to daughter in Abu Dhabi and then on to Jordan. It snowed in Jordan (she is a weather jinx) but that didn't stop her swimming in the Dead Sea. Peter has owed her a trip to Petra since living in Cyprus so can't complain too much (though the reports of high life in hotels didn't add to the savour of his veg stew).  He managed to get at least half the winter maint list done - the rest eg painting the bilges is being put off till the New Year.

Grand Mosque Abu Dhabi

Treasury Petra

Wadi Rum - but no sign of Lawrence

Roanne slowly stirred to Christmas life with all the town (and boat) decorations up and a Saint Nicholas fete on 6 Dec - Saint Nicholas was delivered by boat to the Capitainerie to the delight of the massed crowds (incl bargee carol singers).

Saint Nicholas en bateau

It has been down to -5 degC so far but the current flow from the Loire has kept the bassin fairly ice free. The Canal has been refilled after a general degunge (old bikes, shopping trolleys etc) so we are no longer trapped if the 'hoi polloi' revolt at the next lot of tax rises.

Angela arrived back in time for the Christmas market held on the streets adjacent to the bassin. Not that good  -same old things mainly clothing so Peter's wallet remained safe. Our Anniversary dinner was in a local French restaurant - we considered Troisgros (3* Michelin) but decided that €300+ each was OTT even after 36 years!

We squandered some of the saving on a hire car for a couple of days - one day a visit to Autun and the other bulk winter shopping from Intermarche and Lidl etc.

Autun Cathedral

 It was 15 degC at the winter solstice which is remarkable, especially as we got an e-mail the same day from Carcassonne showing the bassin surrounded in snow - Christmas eve though ushered in storm force winds which pushed everything around.  But the good days seem like October.

Christmas Eve dinner was all the usual bits, but with a NZ leg of lamb in lieu of turkey.  Peter was given a Fitbit Flex (activity tracker) as a present - he isn't sure whether to be pleased or feel got at! The Boxing Day party at the Capitainerie went well -  Peter managed to act out Frankenstein at Charades in record time (?) and the presents at the Xmas 'dip' were actually useful once he managed to trade the squeaky rubber chicken.

The new eating regime (as Terry on Renaissance would put it) starts now. Judging by the initial reports from the Fitbit activity tracker, Angie isn't sure if it is broken or if Peter is in hibernation which suggests another New Year's resolution (to be broken).  Lots of good dog walking along the Loire and its tributaries so no real excuse.

Mini hydro electric system - a good ides

Roanne

Nov 13

The first week in Roanne was glorious weather up in the 20's so Peter had no excuse for not cleaning the exterior of the boat and doing some internal housework like cleaning rugs.  We are rafted on the town quai inside of 'Sable' a newish 20m Delta whose owners are back in Australia - why is it everyone else's barge has immaculate paintwork looking as if it is cleaned daily? Peter went to the 'Wintering Party' accompanied by Ruth off the the neighbouring barge - on his best behaviour so he stayed fairly quiet by his standards - at a guess about 25 couples present with the usual cross section of nationalities and background,  Angie returned the next day from the UK, in theory fully rebuilt with the body of a 30 year old - well would you believe ......

A week later Angie disappeared off to her sister in Germany to become German resident - the disadvantage of living on a barge is one has to administratively live somewhere! We now have bank accounts and phone numbers in three EU countries - does that make us good Europeans? In her absence Peter and Kes pottered on - the bargee 'Happy Hour' on Thursdays looks promising, though after paying for 6 months mooring fees and 400 litres of diesel Peter might need a loan from Angie to get the first round in.

The day she disappeared 30,000 CGT trade unionists assembled for a mass rally in the town  - 4 bands and lots of noise - streets closed - lots of CRS police. Peter put on a red fleece to show solidarity as he too is hoping to avoid 'Austerity'.

No 1 son got to the semi finals in the Combined Services Squash at which point the gaffer tape binding him together expired - pretty good for a 34 year old - which in a roundabout mode is better than Angie being Army No 1. Still, as Angie quickly pointed out, he hasn't played for three different Countries like her!   Just as well Peter isn't competitive :)

Bassin on a Winter's morning

The canal into the Bassin has been drained for maintenance so we are trapped, though there is a 'garde' type connection from the Bassin to a navigable bit of the River Loire. That at least provides an element of waterflow through the port (and apparently limits icing up). A bit of sleet mid Nov just to warn us that the current mild weather won't last.

The All Blacks play England today - if England win the wake will be held on 'Kotare' for the non-English bargees - though everyone will be bringing their own alcohol as Peter will be bankrupt!

Into Roanne

Oct

Well not directly. Angie got back from UK looking OK but feeling a tad sorry for herself - the surgeon did a good job but five UK NHS visits would weary anyone. Terry (Renaissance) visited a few days later but refused to accept any rugby bets (?) despite the favourable odds offered. So after recovering Angie's sewing machine at vast expense from the Singer shop, we cruised off from Montceau through the lift bridges in glorious weather. We met Alouette (Randy and Deb also wintering in Roanne) in Genelard and after a few days (free elec) we moved on to Paray Le Monial.

Paray Cathedral

Peter kept Angie out of the (expensive) dress shops, but some nice soul chopped off our power cable on the Quai - the nearby camp site was suspect but all that effort for a £5 connector! We departed through Digoin to a greenbank site near the Roanne turnoff - the weather was grey and drizzly, but Peter managed to spend the afternoon watching rugby - what a surprise! The All Blacks haven't lost ths yeat but it can't last.

We decided to push on along the Canal Lateral de Loire and then up the Nivernais. Kes was itching to run but we weren't risking his damaged paw.  At Gannay Peter managed to be the first Kotare resident to walk on water - he went in backwards off the quai when a mooring rope slid off the bollard as he was hauling Kotare in on a curve.  He blamed Angie's helming of course, but luckily the only damage was loss of face and his glasses. As an aside he ordered replacement glasses online from the States at quarter the price of Specsavers and they were fine.

Narrow canal off the Centre

Kiln converted to dovecote??

Terry Barrett escorted us into St Leger and we rafted up for the night.  Kes decided he had been celibate too long and tried to rape Gladys their Pointer - though not sure rape was involved as Gladys was definitely flirtatious. Took Kes to the local vet to have his paw checked - all ok - no bill (I am falling in love with the French).

Renaissance and the Terry's

Next Cercy La Tour (above the weir) then Pannecot where we were all alone. Finally into Chatillon where we met up with the Australians Pauline and Ian who we had last met there in Apr 2011.

at Chatillon sur Baize

We then retraced our footsteps towards the Roanne turnoff . At Pierrefitte we shared a mooring and a few bottles with 'Rook' (Peter, plus Mike as the temp deckcrew) who were scraping under the bridges (literally) towards Roanne.  Fuelled by red wine we decided on a meal in Le Marinier restaurant - just passable but we won't go again.

Then we were on the Roanne canal which was new territory.  A few 6-7m ecluses which surprised us, as did the willingness of the eclusiers to help with ropes (they would never be accepted on the Midi).  At Iguerande Angie climbed the hill to the church and folk museum, which delighted the 80 year old caretaker who spent what seemed like 2 hours personally conducting her from exhibit to exhibit - Peter was in the village trying to get wi fi and failing (SFR is rubbish in the whole area).

That's an 18mm rope!

Then a final morning into Roanne bassin and the end of the canal. With moorings for about 100 boats it is a bigger scale than we are used to - no barges from previous years but a lot of recent acquaintances. Only 230 hour on the engine which is definitely our lowest distance in our cruising seasons.

Then it was get ready for our fifth winter on Kotare. A day or so sorting out shops (nice food Halles) and enlivened one night by a nearby meter box bursting into flame (French electricians not us).  Angie then disappeared off to UK to get her med clearance and visit ailing Mother, leaving Peter to cope with the Winterer's party all by himself.  Next blog entry will update on his survival or otherwise. The fuel delivery is in a few days and a Kabola mechanic is coming to service the CH boiler (an advantage of being in a big conglomeration of boats),

Old haunts

Sep 13

We were hassled all the way into Fragnes by a hire boat that wanted to overtake us on blind corners (woman driver) but with a little delicate weaving we got the last good mooring with electricity. To our surprise 'La Chouette'  was there (waiting for passengers) last seen in July on the Midi. The restaurant was closed for August - so pasta again!

The ecluses on the Med (east) end of the Canal du Centre are horrible if you are going east to west, with slimy rope initiators near the gates and you need to climb a ladder to activate them with any certainty.

Horrible ecluses

but beautiful ecluse gardens

We overnighted at the usual haunts - Chagny,  then on our favourite wall at St Berain where we were joined by a new 19m Piper (mixing with the rich folk again). But the boulangerie was shut for August.

More of our usual friends

All the fishermen react the same way

Not much boat traffic so Peter got a chance to helm - not that Angie was taking any chances!

St Leger was full of hire boats, so we perched on a short wharf and did a quick shopping trip before going on to St Julian.  An hour later it was full too.

We had wanted to eat at the Auberge restaurant for ages but we had always passed through on a Sunday - Tuesday should be OK, but no the chef's family had arrived so 'Ouvert' turned to 'Ferme' and 'drinks only'. Our romantic meal became a glass of vin rouge under the moon.

St Julian auberge

We were now recce-ing moorings near the TGV at Le Cruesot for Angie's UK trip.  Montchanin looked OK but no mod cons (even Peter deserves water) so off to Blanzy

Montchanin tile work - everything s decorated

Blanzy has free elec, water and is a nice spot but not an Alimentation for miles - Peter felt that he couldn't cope without milk and the other basics (are all men difficult?), so after a week it was off to Montceau where we had wintered in 2010.

Montceau is cheap but the Port is slowly deteriorating, we assume due to lack of interest by the Mairie. Peter reckoned he could survive despite a very noisy disco.There was also a big fair on and they threw us out on Angie's last night so they could have a firework display. So off to the Leclerc's pontoon, but the power T-Bar came adrift as we sped into the last ecluse so no reverse - Angie stopped the engine and Peter lassoed a bollard to bring us to a grinding halt - wet knickers all round. The next morning we got Angie to the TGV bus, Peter stocked up with food and changed a gas bottle and then singlehanded through the ecluse (easy downhill) and back into the Port.

Angie's op went well but in a last NHS moan (promise)  - she was given a list of symptoms ('if these arise phone this number immediately') - they did and she found the Hospital Dept was closed for the weekend with an answer machine saying 'Wait till Monday or go to A&E'.  So she did and after 5 hrs waiting was treated. Anyway all is well and Peter is now hurriedly cleaning the boat, washing and ironing waiting for her flight back via Lyon. Now to plot a slow course towards Roanne.

Up the Saone

Aug 13

The River Saone was a relief after the Rhone - a much slower current and the ecluses were much more relaxed - all on the 'green' again which was good as they use telephones for contact rather than VHF. We left Lyon on a Sunday and no boat movement the whole day other than us. A bit of confusion at the Isle de Barbe as the signs at the junction were overgrown by bushes (a common problem) but the helmsman shouted at the navigator (a common procedure) - coin tossed and onwards.

Isle de Barbe

Isle de Barbe Chateau residuals

Come the Revolution we get this as a holiday cottage

We were determined to have short days after the Rhone so stopped at Trevoux - a lovely hill village always immaculately clean (the only problem is the boulangerie is on top of the hill). Peter had to buy both croissants and Chaussons aux pomme as a restorative.

Trevoux

Angie was on her 'stepper' most of the way - must be the only helmsperson to have 'walked' up the Rhone/Saone - some of the boat crew we passed looked worried.

Luckily it is not contagious

After a night in Belleville we moored in Macon - the waterfront is a bit bleak and it is not our favourite town. Most of the moorings en route were near empty - not sure what has happened to the plaisanciers - the hotel boats weren't that full either.

Macon old cathedral towers

Macon .'new' cathedral

'Should we speed up?'

We were meeting a lot of water skiers - some with a death wish as they crossed our bows.

Kes just let it all happen around him.

'Call me for Dinner'

We had never been to Tournus so found a mooring on a wall and did some exploring..  Nice town centred on the old Abbey, but no food shops worthy of the name in walking distance so just one night.

Tournus Abbey church

We had seen a few storks but were always too slow with the camera so a nest will have to suffice.

Mare (unamused) and foal

We thought of stopping at Gigny old ecluse, where we sheltered from a Mistrale on the way south, but it looked full so pushed on towards Chalons sur Saone.

Gigny old ecluse

We were making good progress and as Chalons has never been welcoming to plaisanciers over 15m we continued on to the Canal du Centre,

Entrance to Chalons marina

Chalons Commercial - new ladders and bollards and lots of yellow paint

We finally turned off the River into the Canal du Centre and at the first ecluse got held up (for three cycles) by a small hotel boat and a couple of hire boats - but nice to get back to canal boating.

Entrance to the Canal du Centre

In the 14 days from leaving the south at St Gilles we had only had two days of bad weather but the temperature has dropped 5 degC so Angie is into fleeces on the early dog walks - next it will be a duvet on the bed - followed by thermal underwear!!.