to Chátillon Coligny on the Briare

May 14

A bit surprised at all the free moorings with electricity, we expected the Loire to be 'fashionable' meaning expensive. So far (6 weeks) we have spent about €30 on moorings in total.  Our cruising pattern has deteriorated so we are only moving on the dry days!

After leaving Ménetreol we tied up on a rough bank so we could shop at the adjacent Colruyt supermarché (and put 60 litres of diesel in the tank) dodging cars on the road - then on to Léré a nice town and just enough mod cons eg a pharmacy for Angie's sun rash (not sure how she got that)!  The two things you can guarantee in a French village are a Pharmacy and a Hairdresser - Alimentation or Boulangerie nowadays not so certain.

Léré washhouse (first good one since the Midi)

Beaulieu well

We were running parallel with the Loire all the way. We wanted to stop in Chatillon sur Loire but it was a hire boat base and a few hotel boats were taking all the other spaces so we temporarily green banked and went exploring. A lot of the lockside buildings en route had had large paintings of insects on the side eg cicadas but never a camera to hand, but quite a lot in Chatillon of medieval figures.

Chatillon sur Loire is where the canal originally crossed the River Loire into the old Canal de Briare so dodging rain drops..

small lock down to the Loire

the Loire was semi canalised so the barges could cross

there is a lock entrance there somewhere!

up to the old Briare canal - note the small entrance and no boat engine!

Then it was off to Briare in the rain where we green banked (nothing stingy about us).

Briare aqueduct (new canal)

Briare

Briare Port

Trapped in a Bar by rain we drank a few Leffé Grande before giving up the sightseeing.  We were now on the Canal de Briare - very pretty - lift bridges at a lot of the ecluses and we green banked at the 'top' of the canal by the water storage lakes (etangs)

requiring some renovation equals £200k in England

We were paralleling the old (pre Freycinet) canal so lots of derelict ecluses.

Rogney les Sept Ecluses

Les Bruhle Muhle  (canals side by side)

Then into Chátillon Coligny, a thriving town and nice mooring and good market. Lots of cleaning , some gardening (lots of pots of marigolds) and Angie finally got some sunbathing in (and Arsenal won the Cup)!!! Kes enjoyed the stop too.

Did someone call?

to Nevers plus a bit

1 May 14

We couldn't wait for the carpenter (in France getting an agreed date for a job depends on the weather, the hangover from the weekend and whether the moon is waning) so we cast off on 7 Apr.  Pottered off through Briennon to Artaix a nice little green bank mooring in an inlet half way down the Roanne canal.

Briennon

First proper ecluse of 2014

Two nights later we were in Beaulon where we met up with Terry and Terry off Renaissance.  It was good weather so off with the wheelhouse roof, a loan of tarpaulins from Terry B and three days later the roof was back on looking immaculate.  A few evening BBQs for social life and Terry (female) made a cake each time to ruin the waistline further. Gladys the pointer added some hilarity by going walkabout each morning sans Terry (ever seen the 'Fenton' You Tube clip)?

Beaulon

Hard labour

Off to Entente Marine in Gannay sur Loire for some minor jobs (?) - the carpentry was done in quick time by Mark, but the rudder indicator problem turned into a right pain. Trying to trace wires/'in line' fuses etc through the conduits and in the dogs breakfast under the control panels. In the end we found Peter had purchased the wrong 'bit' over winter (a £200 mistake to go in the spares box) and so back off to Beaulon for a week waiting for the right bit to get posted from UK (half the price of French Vetus suppliers).

Gannay sunrise

Back to Gannay and the work finally sorted in a few hours, On our last night 'Unique' (Tony and Heidi) pulled in with a suspect starter motor, which led loan of a workshop manual, battery charger and spares tracking on our internet. A new Perkins Starter was £500 plus carriage so to soften the shock we all ended up in the village bar till very late (the best turnover the barman had had since New Year). The next morning off towards the West, first a major supermarket shop at Decizé then we stopped at a nice little feudal village (Chateau, manor farm and church) called Avril sur Loire for the night. The next morning a short run into Nevers down the embranchement..

Avril

Very lucky in Nevers as we got the only barge sized mooring (and the Capitainerie was on holiday).  We spent a morning doing the usual sights, but the Palace was shut and the Cathedral had been bombed out in 1944 (some nice new stained glass though).

Ducal Palace

Cathedral

The canal from the Nevers bassin to the Loire had been filled with a (now derelict) swimming pool - - rip it out and reinstate the canal we say!

Modified canal

Ecluse to Loire (only a little silt)

We passed over the Guetin aqueduct and through the deep Guetin double lock and tied up at the new mooring - a few nice restaurants in the village but we were being good!.

The weather was turning miserable so a short run to the pretty Cours les Barre mooring where there were 3 other barges squabbling over the 16A electricity supply! Then the next day on to Beffes still in the rain, not so pretty but all mod cons to sit out 1 May when all the canals close to celebrate labour Day. Roll on some better May weather (please).

Last of the Winter

Apr 14

Where did the Winter go?  A handful of frosts, one light snow sprinkle in Dec and that was it.  Angie could have been out sunbathing in March as it got well over 20 degC some days. Well she could have, but she spent eight weeks in Germany getting her knees sorted - thanks to the miracles of German orthopaedic science - no ops, no more pain and the NHS apparently got it wrong :)

Peter semi hibernated, lost 24lbs (again) and tried to come terms with bachelordom.  Angie has been away 6 months in total over the last 12 months and he is sick of his own cooking. Angie is now back with lots of German food for the larder and clothes for the wardrobe - what is the french for Oxfam (for the overflow).

Propaganda

The bassin is full of cormorants doing whatever they do - surprisingly no pécheurs in the bassin (other than cormorants) so perhaps it is against 'the rules'.

Friends have bought a section (building plot) in the Bay of Islands, on the waters edge, and are about to build a house  We really don't need that kind of temptation though we think we have at least one more 'project' in us :)

The usual run of minor maint jobs - the immersion heater developed a leak (now fixed at the 2nd attempt) surprising how much water the calorifier holds. Varnished the window frames, cleaned the bilges etc the usual bargee life - as one job gets cleared another appears. The old TV flickered a few times, so Peter used that as an excuse to buy a new all singing and dancing one (on the grounds it must be failing)??

Chris (son) and Jackie came for five days also carrying lots of goodies (like Tesco shopping) - a good time was had by all - tried a local restaurant and Peter is expanding like a desert plant given water (in his case red wine). Used their car to do lots of admin as well, plus a sightseeing/shopping trip to Lyon so Peter is all set to cast off (Angie has hidden the mooring chain padlock key).

Kes had his annual bath

Easter is the magic date and Beaulon (on the Canal Lateral de Loire) the first stop - free elec and water and Peter wants to paint the wheelhouse roof (free of Port Capitaine restrictions).

The Year of the Horse aka 2014

Feb 14

Another New Year. Peter nearly didn't make it as a French driver knocked him over on New Year's Eve (well before the festivities). Very lucky it wasn't much worse, and certainly one of his 'nine lives' gone. Bruised ribs and legs but nothing that a daily handful of aspirin didn't solve.

The weather has been mild and sunny so the central heating has been dormant, if this is global warming bring it on, even the geraniums overwintering in the wheelhouse are flowering. Some interesting sunsets though.

The winter pastime to date seems to have been watching 'Location, Location, Location' and trawling property sites in NZ and England (and Germany and.....). Not a good sign, so perhaps our barging days are gradually tapering off - next?  UK house prices are silly, so some of those houses overlooking the Bay of Islands (NZ) are tempting. A good reason to tart up the paintwork just in case.

Angie departed to Bonn mid Jan and is being tested to destruction by her new German GP, who constantly mutters about the low standards of of the NHS. Instead of knee ops they are going to run electric currents through the knees to help rebuild/repair the cartilage, hopefully more 'science' than 'fiction' but time will tell. Peter and Kes will have to cope without her till mid Feb initially. Rumour has it  she has bought a second suitcase for all the new clothes - but can one buy expanding wardrobes?

First boat movement in early Feb - 'Petra' a 12m cruiser came in, spent a night and then left after viewing the residential 'riff raff' - at least we know everything is working out to the Canal Lateral.

Lorna and Aidy (Ariana) visited from Brugge - too much red wine as usual - but a good briefing on the Brugge Coupure where we are booked in next Winter.

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!