Canal du Nivernais; Clamecy to Chitry-les-Mines (Stuck halfway up the Nivernais!!)

Halfway up our first staircase lock in France

We have reached the halfway point on the Canal du Nivernais, moored at Chitry-les-Mines, near the town of Corbigny.  And here we have stopped.  Unknown to us and the other boaters heading south, Lock 24 is still closed for repair, despite the canal officially opening on 27^th March.  No one knew because this stretch of the canal is not managed by VNF but the Conseuil de Region Nievre (or the local council….) who appear not to talk to each other.  Anyway, more on that later…..

We were joined at the port in Clamecy on Sunday evening by the boat Ilona with Richard and Fiona on board, who hail from Marlow, on the Thames.  It was from them we heard that a lock further on was shut, but we thought it was much further on and wouldn’t affect us.  On Monday, we left Fiona and Richard to spend another day at Clamecy and we cruised for a couple of hours to the village of Villiers-sur-Yonne.  It was another beautiful day.

One of the few locks that has a life-ring on it

First swing bridge, but one that's left permanently open

Our mooring at Villiers-sur-Yonne - free electric and water but very, very muddy!

Once moored up I hung the washing to dry and we had some lunch on the back of the boat.  Despite Mike’s lack of enthusiasm for Jim’s outdoor table idea last April in Weedon, this has now become a favourite item and we’ve used it a lot over the last week.  In fact, Mike has decided it’s a good ‘office’ and is currently sitting out there just now doing some work!  After lunch we headed off for a bike ride, down the canal briefly then turning inland and uphill!  Through a couple of small towns, all closed up as it was Monday, we continued on a circular route through the countryside back to the boat.  We had hoped to find a butcher open as the one in Clamecy is usually open on a Sunday morning but had ‘fermeture exceptional’, but most butchers are closed on Monday and the one in town was no exception(al).  We also stopped off for a look at the ancient bath house on the canal at Villiers, which was not a bath house as we would think of from Roman times, but a laundrette of days gone by.

Old bath house

Inside the bath house

Too many hills!!

We love our table Jim!!!

Evening view from the living room

Sunset at Villiers-sur-Yonne

The next morning we were up sharp for our 9.30am start to Tannay.  We would get there for lunchtime and we planned to cycle up to the town of Tannay in the afternoon for some wine tasting as there were a couple of wine caves there. 

Not a bend in sight on this stretch - or another boat for that matter.

Another lift-bridge

100k to the Loire

Getting a help with the ropes in the second of the staircase locks.

After lunch we headed up the long hill on the bikes to Tannay – it was knackering, and I’d like to say it was worth it when we got to the top, but it wasn’t really.  Tannay was a sad little town, with lots of property for sale and most of the shops empty and derelict.  And the butcher was shut!!!  “Fermeture Exceptional!!”.  The shops that still remained open, were only opening sporadic hours; a couple of hours some mornings and a couple of hours some afternoons, or only afternoons four days a week etc.  Even the post office!  We couldn’t find the supermarket either in the flesh or on google maps, although we knew there was one somewhere and the one wine cave that was ‘Open’ was closed until 4pm – it was now 2.30pm.  So we headed back down the hill to the boat to ponder what to do.  Meanwhile, I had spotted a narrowboat further down the offside so took the camera along for a photo of the pretty swing bridge and have a neb at the narrowboat.  I was surprised and delighted when I saw it was The BookBarge that was moored up.  We had read with great interest the article in Waterways World last year on The BookBarge making the channel crossing to France and Mike had been following it on Twitter since.  We’d tried to look to see where they were but thought they were still up north somewhere, but here they were, on the Nivernais at Tannay!  There was no one on board, but by the time we had found the supermarket, phoned to make sure it was open and got the bikes ready to head back up the hill, we saw someone getting on board, so popped along to say hello.

Meeting Sarah and Stewart (I hope that’s the right spelling Stuart? Not sure if you’re a ‘u’ or ‘ew’) was great, and they were very excited to see another narrowboat on the canal here.  We chatted for ages before heading up the hill, but accepted an invitation to dinner that evening to continue the chat.  We found the supermarket, which was well-stocked and up the one street we hadn’t ventured up…., and popped into the wine cave for a taste and to buy some local wine on the way back, so a good trip second time around.  We had a lovely evening with Sarah and Stewart hearing all about their trip and the house they bought just further down the canal, and as we left we suggested they join us the next evening at Monceau for dinner.

The pretty but deserted square at Tannay

Even La Poste is giving up....

Empty shops on the main street

 

 

Pretty setting for a lift-bridge at Tannay

The BookBarge - Hello!!!!

Our mooring at Tannay

Nice wee wine cave at Tannay

The next day was just a short hop of an hour to Monceau and shortly after 9am the lock-keepers pulled up in their van and asked if we would wait for another boat coming along so they could lock us up together.  As the other boat appeared further back, we pulled out and headed off.  Normally we’re delighted to lockshare, however, here it meant we had to go right to the front of the lock with the other boat in behind us, as they aren’t wide enough to accommodate us side by side.  The locks were feisty at the front and the eclusiers tend to just open up the paddles regardless of how it makes your boat bounce around so it was quite hard work holding the ropes and also using the engine and bow thrusters to keep her steady.  I took the front and such was the turbulence of the water coming in it washed up the drains on the well deck on one side at one point!  The positive of the experience was that we met Bernard and Fabienne on the boat behind us, who had cruised down from northern Belgium and were heading home to Castelnaudry on the Canal du Midi in the south.  They spent their working lives as mariniers on their commercial penniche, but now cruise for pleasure and Bernard is a stand-by pilot for hotel boats, so does a few months work a year.  Bernard speaks fluent English and Fabienne speaks none, but she speaks slowly and clearly for me in French, so we can chat.  Bernard is really laid back and Fabienne is feisty – they’re a great couple.

We parted ways at Monceau where our mooring was next to a log store which was being kept wet with spray.  We found out that this is done to prevent beetles invading it and apparently it is easier to cut when damp, which is the opposite of us with our wood for the stove; the drier it is the easier it is to saw.  At some time in the afternoon, Ilona passed us on her way to Chitry where we’d probably catch up with them on Thursday afternoon.

All quiet....

Mooring at Tannay next to the wood spa!

Wet wood

Sarah and Steward arrived in the evening for dinner and we chatted in to the wee small hours with them heading off at 1.30am!  A late night for us!

Slightly bleary-eyed at the next day’s departure we headed off for Chitry (taking Sarah’s coat with us as she’d left it behind) and it was only at this point we realised it was a lock just beyond here that was closed and we’d be unable to go through until Monday.  The port at Chitry has water, electricity, rubbish and recycling thankfully, though with our solar we’ve not needed to take power.  However, there is nothing at the village so it’s a 4k cycle to Corbigny for food.  So on Thursday afternoon we cycled to the supermarket and had a look round Corbigny.  On Friday we had been trying to find a way to Decize, as there was some kind of Grand Opening of the port for the season, which a nice man, Phillippe, had given us a leaflet for in Vincelles.  But there were no trains, no buses and although it appeared you could hire a car from a local garage, when Mike rang, after a minute or so speaking in broken French, the man said, “Excusez moi” and hung up……. We were moored in front of Bernard and Fabienne and later on they asked if we still wanted to go to Decize on Friday as they were going to go (they have a car) and we could go with them if we wanted.  Funny how things turn out.  Richard and Fiona were also at Chitry, waiting, and had cycled up to see what was going on, discovering that there were three other boats further on waiting to go up and a great big commercial penniche, which would likely be given priority when the lock finally opens, so who knows when we’ll get through – but we’re not in any rush.  It would be good to get over the summit though, as we have had little or no internet or phone this last week on the approach to the summit and it’s becoming a bit frustrating.

Lovely farm by the canal

Swing bridge followed by flood lock followed by strong river crossing the canal before you reach the lock - awkward!

Boats in Waiting at Chitry

On Friday morning we headed back into Corbigny (the bikes are being well-used so far!) as it was market day, and we stocked up on very smelly cheese and some other bits and pieces.  Then in the afternoon we set off for Decize with Bernard and Fabienne.  When we got there, there wasn’t much.  There were some stalls set up by various canal trusts and boating holiday companies, and that was it really, so we were glad we hadn’t spent money on hiring a car after all.  The most entertaining part of it was when we sat in on the end of the VNF presentation after which there was a Q&A session.  As the last question was answered I heard Fabienne hiss to Bernard, “Posse la question.”  He refused to make eye contact with her and nonchalantly waved a hand, “POSSE La Question” she hissed again, then stood up, “POSSE LA QUESTION BERNARD”.  But by now everyone was leaving and the VNF guy had stood down, but he wasn’t to get away that easily…..  Fabienne headed to the front and cornered him.  The gist of her question was why no one had known lock 24 was shut.  All the way down from Belgium they had checked for closures and there were none shown, and even at Auxerre at the first lock on the Canal du Nivernais, when they asked the eclusier, he said it was all open.  But then a couple of days ago they find out it is shut here as they’re working on the lock.  She went on to say they were now delayed by about a week, and what about commercial traffic etc etc.  More people stopped to join the discussion, one of which turned out to be Phillippe from Vincelles who was delighted to see us and thanked us profusely several times for coming.  The VNF guy managed to get away from Fabienne as he passed her onto someone else to whom she repeated everything, but perhaps more passionately.  We meanwhile cornered Mr VNF and asked why the VNF app showed everything as open?  This was when we discovered the next little section of the Nivernais is managed by the local council, not VNF, and it appears the two do not speak!  So VNF were not even aware that this lock was closed, tho’ thankfully the eclusiers clearly have local knowledge and could see what was going on and speak to the workmen there so were able to tell us.

After all that we decided we needed a drink, so after briefly meeting Dorothy, the Capitaine at the port in Briare (Liz and Chris, if you meet her, do mention us!), we headed into town for a beer.  I asked for petit pression (small draft beer) expecting a 250ml, only to find that here a 250ml is normal and a small is 125ml – teeny tiny beer!

Me with the VNF timetable showing the locks are open

Very small beer - two slurps!!

On Saturday we had a long lie, not setting the alarm we woke up at 9.45am – delicious!  After a leisurely breakfast we headed off on the bikes down the canal and went up to the bottom of the flight.  It was really hot!  From there we came back via Corbigny, picking up some last minute shopping from the supermarket, butcher and patisserie as we would be heading to another stopping point on Sunday afternoon and there will be no shops now for a few days.

This cheese stinks - but is delicious :)

Following along the canal on a lovely bike ride.

Someone doesn't like VNF's colour scheme.....

A hard day at the office for Mike

 After our 23k cycle, we were very pleased to head over to Ilona and join Richard and Fiona for a few drinks before dinner.  It was nice to hear about their travel experiences, both on and off the boat and the work that they do with rowing in the UK.

This morning, Sunday 9^th April, we’ve had a slow start, although we were up and fully breakfasted by 10am and will cruise for an hour this afternoon down to the next port to wait for the lock to open tomorrow – fingers crossed!