Bois la Chevre to St Jean des Losne (or, Fighting for Space with the Hire Boats……..)

One of our favourite moorings ever!

It’s hot.  Very hot.  But thankfully we are now on the River Saone, so as soon as we’re moored up, it’s swimming stuff on and over the side to cool down.  Cast your minds back though and we were still on the Canal des Vosges, it was the morning of the 18^th and we were casting off from our rural idyll at Bois la Chevre and on our way to Fontenoy le Chateau.

Another huge blue sky above the tree-lined Vosges

The Narnia lock - with the gates lined with rogue trees and plants

Despite average reports we found the town of Fontenoy rather charming with cobbled streets and both the canal and River Coney running through the middle.  All of the bridges had flower boxes in full bloom, adding to the charm.  It was Wednesday afternoon and the little corner shop and bakery were closed but the large bar was open – and we walked right past!!  As news of low water levels causing restrictions on the northern and central canals of France was dropping into my Inbox from VNF, we chatted with Jane and Billy on WB Lazybones who were stopped on the Canal du Midi in the south due to high waters!!!  It’s been rather stormy down there apparently…….. Mike then settled down to do some boat maintenance as the gearbox oil was due a change as was the air filter.

In the morning I took a walk into town for some croissants and bread and enjoyed another little saunter through the centre and back where just as we were readying to leave the capitaine arrived to take our cash for the previous night.  We had tried to pay the previous night but the capitainerie had been all shut up and she explained that it had been her day off, one of the mechanics for the hire fleet is on holiday and the other had had a call out to assist a boat, so no one had been around – if we’d been up earlier we could’ve had a freebie!!

Croissants and coffee in hand we pushed off for our last day of the Vosges.

Welcoming committee at Fontenoy-le-Chateau

The steep cutting as you leave the town

And the lock with its pretty flower-adorned bridge

Along the way we stopped off for half an hour for a look at the pretty little village of Selles.

You can just see Quaintrelle on the canal, sitting above the river.

Very cute little chaple at Selles

The old bridge at Selles

We had intended to stop for a night here but we had ordered a second (tilting) parasol and a new boat hook which we had arranged to be delivered to the port at Corres.  We’d had notification that all the goods were there so decided to crack on and collect our goodies.

As we left Selles the little German boat that had been in front of us at Fontenoy appeared behind us, so as we pulled into the next lock we waited for them to come in with us.  They were taking for ever and eventually when I could see them I waved to them to come in with us but they declined……….  There weren’t any moorings so I don’t know if they had a problem, had decided to pull in for some reason or simply don’t share locks, but we continued down and on our way.

As we neared the end of the Vosges we passed through the town of Demangeville.  The town itself is a little bit away from the canal but there were houses built alongside the canal that looked like old millworkers houses or something.  Really different from any other houses we’ve seen in France but reminiscent of the terraced houses found in the UK, especially in industrial areas.

The unusual terraced houses at Demangeville which reminded me of the mill towns in the UK

And the only chimney......

One block further back looked to be occupied but the rest looked either derelict, or like the ones in the photo, as if someone had started renovating them (new doors and windows) and then run out of money.

Slightly further on was a lone-standing chimney, probably the remains of whatever works it was that the occupants of the houses were employed at.

Soon after, we reached Corre and the final lock on the Canal des Vosges that would take us down onto the Petit Saone river.

The most flowery lock cottage we've seen!

Bye bye faithful telecommand

Out of the last lock on the Vosges and onto the Petit Saone

We took an immediate right on leaving the lock and moored on the visitor pontoon that is on the cutting leading to the marina.  Because it was on a cutting there was little, if any, flow and we didn’t like the look of it for swimming……. So we headed up to the capitainerie, collected our parcels from the lovely Doris, unpacked them back at the boat and then headed out to dump the rubbish, get rid of our old oil from Mike’s oil change the other day, and get some supplies from the supermarket.

After a shower to cool time it was then time to head for some dinner at the marina restaurant.

After a top up of water the next morning we pushed off down the Petit Saone.  Having not seen an awful lot of traffic for a week or so, there suddenly seemed to be rather a lot and as we approached our first choice for mooring that evening at Montureux Les Baulay, a cruiser came from the other direction and took the last remaining spot…..  Ah well, such is life.  It was a nice day and we continued on to the next option.  

Nice, calm Petit Saone

As we passed a tree on the bank a HUGE cloud of ravens took off but I was too late to get a photo.  So when we spotted some in another tree, Mike hooted the horn, but instead of all flying off and up, they went downwards and it didn't look so impressive.

Nice old mill opposite a mooring that was full.....

These also proved to be full and the first place we managed to get in was the town mooring at Port sur Saone, now a couple of days ahead of schedule as we’d planned hopping between rural moorings for a couple of days!!  We were not impressed and the town did nothing to lift our moods.  The only way I can describe it is a shithole.  Unattractive and with a small but main road with huge trucks rumbling through it really did leave a lot to be desired.  The nicest thing that happened was a group of kids, three boys and girl, about 10 years old, very politely asked if they could see inside the boat and stayed and chatted for ages – they were really very sweet and keen to be asked questions in English!

The icing on the cake was a massive rain storm late in the evening at which point we realised we were moored next to the drain that dispels the water from the pathway and poured a torrent of water all over us for about 20 minutes………..  We consoled ourselves watching the first of our Clint Eastwood; Man With No Name trilogy, a Fistfull of Dollars - It could only get better, surely….

The next morning we were off sharp as we only had a short hop to do and hoped to beat the hire boats to our desired mooring for that night.  As we were readying to pull off one of the cruisers moored with us in Corres came past so we had a quick chat and then shared the lock down with them a couple of km on.  They had been chucked out of Corres!!  When they had gone to pay, the chap had said 20 euros.  But the two rates were; less than 15 metres = 8 euros, over 15 metres = 12 euros.  When they pointed the rates out on the wall, the chap threw their money back to them and told them to leave!  Very bizarre as we had found his wife Doris to be exceptionally friendly and accommodating.

Anyway, exiting the lock, we turned off up the arm to the left and found our desired mooring to be free – hurray!!!!!

Taking advantage of the nice river mooring and good weather we got started on checking our safety equipment ahead of joining the Rhone in the next couple of weeks.  First up we needed to change the gas cylinders on our life jackets as they had expired, but before doing so we decided to see if the expired ones still worked.

Only slightly shocked as it deploys as I hit the water.

It's quite weird as I thought I'd be more supported but it literally just keeps your head up out of the water and is quite uncomfortable really.

Which it did, and was a good exercise to do as I’ve never had to use a lifejacket before and didn’t know what to expect, but now I do should the worse-case scenario happen.

Then we got our lifeboat out – the inflatable kayak which someone had suggested we tie to the roof and have as an emergency support should the worse-case scenario happen.  We thought this was a really good idea so got it out and then made use of to get some pics of the mooring.

Come on wimp - get in!!

Mike taking a picture of me taking a picure of Mike taking a picture of me taking a picture.......

Two dogs out for a wee evening boating.......

A few boats came and looked at the mooring but seeing us there turned around and we were left in peace and quiet for the rest of the evening.

Mike had been up through the night with knee pain so we weren’t quite as sharp on the off as we’d have liked to have been to try and get moored where we wanted, Ray-sur-Saone and sure enough, when we got there four hours later it was full of cruisers, which we can’t go alongside as we’d crush them……..  So we turned and went back up the lock we’d just come down and headed to Soing along a 3km deviation.  Which was also full of cruisers, so we hummed and hawed, had a good look at the bank but ended up heading back along the deviation to a spot at the end that we’d eyeballed as the last resort – a bankside picnic spot with one cruiser moored up.  As we pulled in we realised why no one else was there as the cruiser was running one of the loudest generators I have ever heard and as they spotted us, their two large German Shepherd dogs went into guarding mode, which they’d clearly been trained to do, so we backed away and headed back downstream almost to where we’d started and pulled up just before the deviation for the lock started.  It wasn’t ideal, a high, sloping wall with bollards on top, but the French chap in the cruiser moored up came and took our lines for us and then we found we could get onto the bank using our plank.  On a plus side we had an excellent internet signal so indulged in an evening of tv!

The final and only available option

A wee wander around the village delivered the bare remains of an old mill with some of the mechanisms still in situ

Another hot and sunny with a slight breeze day greeted us the following morning and we set off for Gray where there were various mooring options one of which is a +100m stone quay, so we were confident we’d get in.  

The tunnel entrance reminded me of the pyramids.

This seemed an extraordinarily large tower for the size of building!

Quaintrelle sporting her new cream, tilting parasol

En route, we passed down Lock 13 which proved unlucky for us at the back behind a French liveaboard as the walls not only leaked, they gushed huge torrents of water which came in through our closed windows and soaked the settee and living room floor.  Fortunately no long term damage, but a bit scary and very annoying!!  The lock keeper must have known this would happen and had said nothing……….  The first moorings at Gray were full, so we passed through the lock and towards the stone quay, which despite its size was almost full!!  The town is rather shabby and not really worth a visit but the free water and electricity, not to mention lack of moorings elsewhere, seem to attract the boats.  We caught up with De Bomme, the really beautiful boat we’d seen on the Vosges and discovered they are heading south to pick up their mast at Port Saint Louis and head out onto the Med, so we’ll hopefully see them again – very nice couple.

 

Lovely building in the old part of Gray

Cute roundabout at Gray

Before leaving the next morning, we shuffled back along the quay to access a water point and filled our tank ahead of a 9.45am departure to cover 7km to our next desired mooring.  Our timing paid off and there was plenty of room at Mantoche with some of the hire boats not having headed off yet by the time we arrived.  A swim was in order to cool down and formed the main structure of the day; swim, laze around, get hot, swim, do some chores, get hot, swim….. you get the gist……. By evening the moorings were full again but with some lovely, chatty holiday makers all enjoying themselves and as we barbequed our tea there was a real holiday feel about the place.

Now there's a nice-looking pad!

Don't look now, but we're surrounded....!!!!

Fantastic mooring at Mantoche

Here's what to do with the kids of a summer evening......

A baking hot Wednesday at 34 degrees took us to Auxonne and pastures revisited.

Last year we came out of this junction, Canal du Champagne Bourgogne

A horrible site to see below the lock.  Looks like she was a lovely thing too  :(

The visitor moorings all full we headed back up to the marina and pulled in for a night, 15 euros.  A quick swim in the river to cool off I then showered and changed and headed into town for a legwax, to Institut Cybele where I’d been done last year and found them to be excellent.  Getting waxed in such temperatures is not such a good idea and I was like a (hairfree) wet rag by the time I was done.  The shock of getting a mention on BBC 6 Music’s Tea Time Theme Time was too much for Mike and he took to bed with a migraine around 7pm, while I watched some tv and tried to cool down.

 

Where we hoped to be popping out this year, off the Rhone au Rhin Branche Sud.......

The next day was a short trip down to St Jean des Losnes where on arrival we filled up on red and white diesel and then looked to moor on the steps, which were full.  However, we’d eyeballed a couple of potential boats to go alongside with and as we pulled near a nice French couple waved us in against them.  

We then headed to the restaurant for lunch as it was too hot to cook on the boat again so we decided to have a lunch and then would just need a snack in the evening.  Just as we finished our main course, a couple of boats left leaving a Quaintrelle sized space, so Mike left me with my ice-cream and went to move her, apparently to the disappointment of the French couple……  Whilst we’d been alongside, De Bomme had arrived and were alongside a barge at the end and as the afternoon drew to a close more boats came looking for room and went alongside others.  We took in a large hire boat with a French couple and their young adult son, one of their mothers and another lady – a friend or sister, I’m not sure.  They were from near Nice and all spoke English and were just delightful.  They were so grateful to be invited to moor alongside they took us for a beer and we spent an interesting hour or so chatting with them.  We discovered that Alain has two jobs; he is an osteopath and he trains racing car drivers!!!  Needless to say, he and Mike had a happy conversation about cars exchanging photos etc.

In the evening, it was so hot, I wasn’t hungry but Mike nipped up to the takeaway and got the last kebab of the day, which I ate an end of.

Then it was off to bed as tomorrow we leave the Petit Saone and join the Saone and the hire boats will be swapped for the large commercial barges that travel on her as we continue our way southwards.