August 12 - Dijon Onward

 Tuesday morning we decide to see if we can depart in the morning. Joan texts the VNF before they open, hoping they see it first thing. In the meantime, the other two leisure boats have the 9:15 lockage towards St Jean de Losne. I’m waiting to talk to their lock keepers when I check and see we have text confirming a 9:15am lockage. Whew!!!

We are now in Plombiers des Dijon, plugged into power and access to water. The moorage is handled by Elegant Waterways (a company with three hotel barges), ten euros a night. The canal path is busy with bikers and walkers. Don’t know how they do it in this heat!!

Hand washed some clothes, Michael worked on getting the blog started. Spent the rest of the day reading on the boat, too hot to go out. A breeze and the fan kept it manageable.

5:15pm the VNF are now unloading a weed mower from a semi to the canal. Slow process as they have to put pieces together before it goes in. Enjoying a G&T while we watch.

9:30pm dinner up above. It is a wonderful temp with a light breeze. See others out enjoying as well!

10:15pm – time for showers and bed. Want to get up earlyish to beat the heat and get to the grocery store. We’ll spend another night here. The next tie up with power looks to be a two-day run, so will spend a night without power. Heat wave is expected to continue for at least another a week.

Thursday, August 14, 2025 Plombiers des Dijon

Wednesday morning we walked to the small Carrefour and picked up a few groceries. The town is quiet with every place shut against the heat. It’s supposed to hit 100 today. Spent the day in the shade by the boat and on the boat with the air conditioner running. Taking time to watch the weed cutting machines clearing the weeds for our upcoming passage up the canal.

Made dinner about 9pm when it finally cooled off enough. Setup to eat topside and the breeze became a wind. Rather suddenly. We made it through dinner, cleared the table so nothing would blow away, then enjoyed a glass of wine up there, but not setting down our glasses for fear they’d tip over. Don’t want to waste wine! Or break the glass. 

Put the bimini down and tied the chairs and tables to be sure they wouldn’t go anywhere if the wind picked up further. Also didn’t want them rattling around above our heads during the night. That’s annoying.

1:30am rain starts. Hard, big drops that only lasted about half an hour. Odd since the clouds seemed to be disappearing. Thursday morning woke up to some dampness and a bit cleaner air. Sunshine quickly dried everything.

After breakfast we fill the water tank and bottles. All our bottles were empty so we couldn’t wait any longer. Next project is gas cannisters for the BBQ. We talked to the very nice gentleman at Elegant Waterways who speaks very good English. Paid for our third night and ask if he knew where the closest place is we could purchase said gas canisters. The one we have is almost empty and we REALLY don’t want to cook inside in this heat. After a short discussion he says he’s going someplace that may have them, he’ll pick them up for us if possible. We get the one we have to make sure he gets the correct one. Before we left St.Jean de Losne we gave away two that were onboard and didn’t work with our BBQ. This magnificent man comes back with three for us!!

In the mean time we rode our bikes to Lake Kir. Lovely lake with swimming beaches, rental canoes, kayaks, tennis courts, frisbee golf, etc. Stopped to watch some young guys playing a game called Beach Ball, at least that’s what I think the young man told me. It’s like soccer, with nets at each end, but you play with a small ball and use your hands. Can’t run with the ball but can roll it on the sand and pick it up or toss it to your team mate. 

Lunch is done and Michael is replacing the line on a front fender that was frayed and ready to break. Luckily we still had line onboard for this.

Although there was no tourist things to do. Walking around town there were some lovely buildings

Aug 8 - Aug 11: On Our Way At Last

From Joan's Journal

Friday and Saturday were spent doing a bit of provisioning and cleaning, but mostly trying to not melt. It’s upper 90s and no shade on the quai of Blanguarts. We moved there for the pressure washing and didn’t bother to move back around to our slip since we’re heading up the Canal de Bourgogne.

Saturday afternoon Michael talked to VNF to schedule éclusiers at 9am on Sunday.

Sunday August 10

We are underway at 8:45am to meet the éclusiers at écluse #75 Viranne. We get there before them, but the lock is ready so we enter and tie up. After about 10 minutes we shut down the engine and call VNF. My French was not working, nor was his English. Then the éclusier arrives and I hand him the phone to explain, all is good now.

éclusier's house - écluse 75

We have two éclusiers to take us, just us, from écluse #75, PK241, St Usage/St Jean de Losne through écluse 62 at PK221, Petit Ouges. The temp is upper 90s, thankfully there is a breeze. We stopped at PK 228 just after écluse #69, Longecourt, for lunch. Nice little wild-tie to a bollard. Put up the bimini and enjoyed our lunch. We get through écluse 62 and drive our stakes into the ground to spend the evening on the shady side of the canal. The other side has bollards, but also the sun.

It’s August and we have met no other boats moving through the canal. Very weird. Typically, the height of tourist season on the canals you share locks and hope to find space for tie-ups. Looks like no buddy-boating this year! Ouges at 5:13pm and it’s 88 degrees F. Thank god for the shade and breeze!

Anchored

6pm-ish update – two down stream boats traveling together arrive! Both with more draft than us so they are not able to tie alongside the canal wall. The mast-less sailboat ties his bow to a bollard leaving his stern sticking out. The other, a larger powerboat, drops anchor in the canal. First time we’ve seen this! So we are not alone on our wild-tie after all.

Tuesday, August 12, 2025 – Écluse 55 at Dijon

Juniper wild-tied to the shady side of the canal

We head up the Canal for our 9:15am écluse appointment; we have two éclusiers to get us through again. Didn’t make it to Dijon before lunch, as we had to give right of way to a hotel barge and a large private boat keeping us hanging on to shore for two lockages. Instead of Dijon we grab a bollard just after écluse 57 Romelet. An industrial area, but between there and Dijon, there was really no other good place to tie. We’re thankful for the lock keepers knowledge!

We find Dijon has changed a lot. The old port/marina on the town side has been removed and boats can no longer stay there. The quai on the other side is primarily for hotel barges and they are the only ones with access to power and water. We are helped by a couple from one pleasure craft as we come along the quai and find two other pleasure craft as well. We’re ok tied there until a hotel barge comes and needs the space. (Not many hotel barges moving along the canal this year.) One of the other pleasure craft is a couple from Belgium and we chat with them to get more info. She had biked down the canal and stopped by while we were eating lunch, asked if she could take a photo of our boat name as her friend is named Juniper. They show us the map from the Dutch Barge Association that shows where along the canal we can access power and water. Power is important since it’s hitting a hundred and upper 90s for two weeks. Our one solar panel helps but is not enough. Our refrigerator is a drain on the batteries so we can only be off power one night. Plus with the heat we really want the fans! We decide that much as we were hoping to enjoy the sights in Dijon we need to move on. This evening we walk to the square in Dijon that has a pond surrounded by restaurants. We ate there last time we were in Dijon. Some restaurants are closed because it’s August and they’re vacationing. This is a theme throughout France, and Europe in general. We hit happy hour at the Bambu Café then moved to an Italian restaurant for dinner. Thinking pizza, but find more enticing options – Joan gnocchi, salad and mixed veggies while  Michael chooses lasagna with salad. And wine, of course.

The quai is noisy well into the night with people out enjoying the cooler weather. I’m guessing many of them don’t have air conditioning. Unfortunately, smoking is still very common and it drifts into the boat (ugh!) and they are not concerned about noise bothering anyone else.

No Pictures of Dijon - We didn't feel like we were welcome with their new non-harbor. Guess it effected our picture taking. On to better times.

Blanquart Yachting's Quay Aug 5 - 9

 August 5: Pressure Washing

Looking at the amount of scrubbing we were going to have to do over the next few days we decided to have Juniper pressure washed. Actually a few years back we had decided this should be an all partner expense looking at the amount of time it would take to hand scrub. 

We made an appointment to move Juniper from her slip the Saône to the Blanquart quay on Le Canal de Bourgogne. We got all set to make the move and went to start the engine, nothing happens, try again, still nothing. Checked the battery voltage and it looked good. Tried the lower steering station and the engine started very easy. Looks like it's just an ignition switch. Moving Juniper through the first of 193 écluses we will transit in the next six weeks. Like riding a bike, it all came back to us even after a two year break.

The pressure washing team was ready for us and as soon as we had everything off our decks they started in with a scrub brush and the pressure washer. 3 1/2 hours, plus an hour or two for lunch and Juniper was looking much better. Now we start on the inside.

August 6 Birthday Time:

Today there was a significant birthday in the group. Joan officially became a senior citizen. At breakfast she received cards from our family and her work. Then Béatrice (the owner of the B&B) brought her a candle lit jar of homemade jam. We spent the rest of the day scrubbing till shower and dinner time. Our dinner reservation was at "La Barge Gourmande". A nice French restaurant, built on a barge, with about a dozen tables and three dinner choices each night. Dinner was finished with a sparkler candle on top of our dessert and everyone in the restaurant clapping in unison.

Dinner at La Barge Gourmande

Dessert at La Barge Gourmande

 August 7: Time to move aboard:

We've been staying at Les Charmilles (a wonderful B&B within walking distance from the boat. Today is the day we move aboard. It's been really hot since we arrived and getting even hotter every day. Our refrigerator craps out on us today. Not sure if we blew a fuse, or the refrigerator had died. We check in with David, the owner of Blanquart Yachting to see if his electrician could come take a look. Unfortunately he had just left on a two week holiday. David came down and discovered the issue appeared to be corrosion on the power cable. Luckily our newly minted senior citizen was nimble enough to get behind the refrigerator, disconnect the cables, sand the corrosion away and put it back together. It's beginning to look like we will be on our way soon.

August 8: Time to Provision:

Refrigerator is working (hopefully reliably), the ignition switch has been fixed (turned out to be a wire that somehow disconnected itself and the loose end was no where near the switch), and Juniper is clean enough to let us get underway. We spent the day provisioning and scheduling with the VNF to have an éclusier assigned to handle the many écluses (locks) we will pass through.

Le Canal de Bourgogne: Seattle to St Jean-de-Losne

August 2 - Seattle to Paris

After a hectic week getting ready to return to France after missing a year due to medical issues,we are ready. Our neighbor drove us to a nearby light rail station  to catch a train to SeaTac airport for our flight to Paris. Arrived at the station and walked directly onto the train. At SeaTac the new baggage checking took well under 10 minutes, and finally using SpotSaver for TSA we were all checked in and ready to wait in no time at all

August 3 Paris

Dinner at a street side cafe

Caught a cab to our hotel, found a nice restaurant with outdoor seating and returned to our room for a shower and ready for bed

August 4 Paris - Saint Jean-de-Losne

Got up at 05:00 to take advantage of a cheap fare on the 6:50 train from Paris Gare du Lyon to Dijon, with a few minutes to change trains in Dijon to the local RER to Saint Jean-de-Losne. Somehow Michael got his wires crossed about having a taxi meet us at the train station. Fortunately it was a beautiful morning, so we set off on a nice mile walk to the boat, with all our luggage. Along the way a very nice lady pulled over and offered us a ride (not sure where the French ever get the reputation of being less friendly).

Winter had not been very nice to Juniper. Do to medical issues we had missed using her last fall, as did our partners that had the first shift this year, in addition to the six months she sat by herself for the winter. She had been moored under a tree and had dead rotting leaves on her decks as well as tucked into every crevice possible. Plus nearly a year's worth of dust and dirt. Inside, the spiders had taken care of decorating the walls, cabin tops etc with their poop. We were going to have our work cut out for us

Satenay to Franges Aug 1 - 4

 August 1, 2023 – Tuesday – Santenay to Chagny 

Shortest day yet! No écluses and only 5km. We were headed Chagny yesterday when we decided to stay the night in Satenay. Rain was due to start at 10h00 this morning so we departed at 09h30, had a bit of drizzle but were tied up by 10h20 or so. A bit of drizzle while underway. A couple gentlemen from a Le Boat came and grabbed our lines as it was pretty windy when we arrived in Chagny. Turns out everyone from their boat was from the US and many of them, if not all, were sailors. Nice chat on the dock before they headed to the train to go to Beune. 

 

The rain came in. We hunkered down and put buckets under the new solar fans we had installed back in Migennes. So bummed!! Guess we know what we'll be doing when the rain stops

 

Joan and Marilyn at Charbonnaud Rum & Wine for a tasting

Malcolm, Marilyn (the South African couple we met yesterday) and we rode a few km down the bike trail to Charbonnaud Rum & Wine de Bourgogne for a tasting. Malcolm and Marilyn had been there last time they passed through but it wasn’t open. It was closd again, when we arrived, looks like you need to call if no one is there. Lucky for us someone had done that! A family from the Netherlands had made the call and were also waiting. The young man hosting the tasting was able to present in English. Merci!! He did a bang-up job! We bought two reds and two whites, we’ll have a red with dinner on Jameela tonight. Malcolm and Marilyn are making oxtail stew! A new dish for us. J 

 

August 2, 2023 – Wednesday – Chagny 

On the way for morning croissants
Older mansion in Chagny

Layover day to catch up on things. Laundry, groceries, looking for something to seal the solar vents that continue to leak. Really windy too! 

 

Some boats left, some came in, but not full tonight. This is the fullest harbor we’ve had yet this year. 

 

August 3, 2023 – Thursday – Chagny 

Still really windy – gusts to 39! It was a rocky, rolly night last night. No boat to port blocking the wind so we really felt it. 

 

Sue came over around 10 after an appointment and we have a lovely visit for a couple of hours. She’s an English expat, that we had met last year, and has been living in Burgundy for something like 20 years and has led a very interesting life – still does! She runs a Facebook group English Expats Living in Burgandy and we got to hear how she handles all that, including those who aren’t so nice. She used to run a company for food and wine tours in Burgundy, had worked on hotel barges. 

 

Still really windy, so we decided to stay another night. Invited Malcolm and Marilyn over for dinner so had to go for groceries. Too windy, with rain on/off so we had to eat inside. Kicked us into cleaning the boat a bit more. J I made Herbes de Provance Chicken, pasta and sautéed carrots. Not bad, but not as good as it could have been. We had another enjoyable evening swapping stories, pictures and laughing. 

 

August 4, 2023 – Friday -Chagny to Fragnes 

Yesterday we had scheduled with VNF to arrive at our first écluse at 09h00 this morning. It was pouring!! Around 08h45 we checked with Malcolm about holding off until 13h00, when the rain should be done and the écluse opens following lunch. Being automatic, they don’t really shut for lunch, but if you encounter a problem, you won’t get help until after the lunch hour. Caught the éclusier at 08h50 and he said no problem bumping departure to 13h00. So, a morning to read and get caught up on the journal. 10h15 and the rain has stopped. For now. 

 

Quite a run today! Several écluses were 20' deep, or more. Rain stayed away. Wind, not so much. Much stronger than predicted, but manageable. The écluses were a challenge. We encountered a number of them not ready for us, even when another boat had just come up. They seemed to be defaulting to empty and downhill gates open. Luckily Malcolm had gotten the éclusiers phone number because we had to call him a few times. Jameela had the most challenges – they draw more water than us so they actually went aground a couple time tied to the side waiting for the locks. The water would go down enough to fill the lock and they’d hit bottom. One time, we got off the side and into the écluse, they couldn’t get off. I ran back to help push, then a young woman biking by stopped and helped as well. Rocking the boat eventually got them off, but they may have dinged their prop on underground rocks – it didn’t sound good. L 

 

Getting to Fragnes around 5:30pm we were hoping there’d be room. Turns out there was plenty. Tied up and had a happy hour on Jameela that lasted until 9pm. Back on Juniper we had a quick dinner and hit the sack. 

 

Julyl 29 - July 31 Montchanin to Santenay

 July 29, 2023 – Saturday - Montchanin to St-Léger-sur-Dheune 

From Joan's Journal

Joan and our favorite éclusier

Up and happy to be hitting the down locks for a while starting today, which we know tend to be easier than up, even the deep ones up to 5,58 meters. To be sure we’ve covered our bases, Michael uses the French boat phone to text VNF around 8am and confirm again (we told them yesterday) that we are heading out 09:15 and which direction. We get to Écluse #1, Méditerranée at our scheduled time. No éclusier there, but it’s an automatic lock, no problem we think, it’s ready for us. We tie up, pull the blue cord….nothing. Wait a few minutes, try again. Nothing. Ummm, here we go again! I try the call box on the hut, doesn’t work. But the numbers are on the hut, same as yesterday's. I get the same lady I think. We try to communicate again and I keep my fingers crossed. Shortly a VNF van pulls up and a woman éclusier is there to help with this chain of écluses, five or six at least. She speaks very good English. Merci!!!!! While helping us she chats away and we have delightful conversations. Her husband is also working the écluses, he’ll be with us through the next chain of écluses, but he shows up early and we get them both. 

 

Many of the écluses on this stretch were drop of 5 meters (16 feet), or more

We tell them we’ll wild-tie after écluse #12 for lunch, and he offers to help us tie up, but we confirm we can handle it, and they drive off to have lunch together. Have never had an éclusier offer that kind of help! They were fabulous in the écluses as well. We get to the next écluse about 13h30 and he has it up and read for us. He helps us and chats away just as delightfully. We get to the end of his chain, but he can’t reach his colleague so he takes us through the next lock as well. These two know about customer service!!!! He also shared his frustration with VNF personnel – work for 30 or so years and you automatically become a Chief. Which means you don’t have to work at the écluses, even when they’re short staffed. He shared his frustrations and how so many government employees are this way. We commiserated as that’s the case in the US and so many countries. 

 

They owned a restaurant in a small village nearby for 25 or so years. Raised their son who is now 20 and in law school. After they sold the restaurant they got a job offer in Costa Rica at a fishing lodge he had visited as a customer the year prior. They worked there five months. They were with VNF last year and again this summer. What’s next – they’re not sure. He’d love to go back to Costa Rica (he’s an avid fisherman) and she’d rather not be that from their son, maybe amongst other things as well. 

 

July 30, 2023 – Sunday - St-Léger-sur-Dheune 

From Joan's Journal

Layover day. Slept in, took a shower, enjoyed our coffee.  Walked to the grocery store to replenish, always pick up a few more items then we think we’re going to. Maybe if I didn’t grab an extra grocery bag, just in case…. 

The "house" we tied up in front of at St-Léger-sur-Dhuene

 

An éclusier came by to confirm when we’d be continuing and we said tomorrow morning and suggested 10h00 as a hotel barge was going through in our direction at 09h00. They are slow! Glad we found out today instead of tomorrow morning so we know we can be leisurely with our coffee and reading the news. 
 

Eurovelo 6 - what an amazing route

The woman éclusier yesterday had told us about La Villa Perrusson and gave us pamphlet. We didn’t stop on our way yesterday so biked up today. Rode about 17 miles on Eurovelo 6 with one small stretch on the road. It was a very comfortable temp, and so nice riding on the tree lined path. Felt really good to be on a bike again! 

 

The Villa and garden is part of the Écomusée Creusot Montceau and was refurbished, or more rebuilt. The home was built by a tile and ceramic maker between the canal and the railroad. Both were used for moving goods but also to promote their goods. The exterior of the house was built to show off their work and designs. It was quite ornate. We walked through the exposition rooms looking at photos of the refurbishing procsess, then figured out there was a part you needed to take a tour to see; unfortunately, we were too late to sign up for one. 

 

La Villa Perrusson - Showing the many architectural decorations produced

A lovely bike ride back to the boat. Saw our woman éclusier and thanked her for the recommendation. She said no boats were going through her section of locks today. Wow. So weird to be end of July and so few boats. 

July 31, 2023 – Monday - St-Léger-sur-Dheune to Santenay

From Joan's Journal

Four écluses and 8 km – easy day! The first écluse was scheduled for 10h00 with the éclusier yesterday because a hotel barge had it scheduled for 9h00. Arrived 10h05 and the lock was down. We grabbed a bollard and waited. We couldn’t figure out if the “eye” wasn’t seeing us to activate it or what. Around 10h30 the éclusier arrived by car and activated the lock without getting out. Once he was sure it was operating he waived at us and drove off. We get in, tie up and I pull the blue cord. Nothing. Waiting and multiple tries, nothing. A gentleman who lives in what was probably the old éclusier's house beside the lock comes out, goes into the hut and works the magic – the lock closes and all is good. The next locks were all set up and ready for us and worked as they should. We’re guessing the éclusier had to reset the locks after the hotel barge and hadn’t worked that into the scheduling with us. C’est la vie in France. 

 

The Santenay vineyards - last time we were by the leaves were just beginning to show

This time, the grapes are starting to change color.

We got to Santenay and were going to stop just for lunch then decided to stay the night. Wild-tying as there was no power or water, but a nice wall and bollards. There was a steady, and I mean steady, number of cyclists and walkers going by. It was one of the best used section of trail we’ve seen yet. Many appeared to be locals, some distance riders. It was a nice day with a comfortable temperature. Another boat that had left St-Léger-sur-Dheune shortly after us pulled up for lunch also. It was the boat that had the large pop-up canopy over the cockpit, like the canopies you use in your yard or for events. Michael helped with their lines. 

 

Malcolm and Marilyn's very original bimini. Fits perfectly and lots of shade.

After lunch we decided to stay the night as it’s probably our last opportunity to “wild-tie”.  The couple, Malcomb and Marilyn, came over, thanked Michael for the help and introduced themselves. Very nice chat with them. Helping someone with lines has been a great way to meet folks! They headed into Chagny and we agreed to meet up the next day. Talked about doing a rum and wine tasting together. 

 

July 26-28 Paray-le-Monial to Montchanin ( the top of the Canal de Centre)

 July 26, 2023 – Wednesday - Paray-le-Monial to Génelard 

Seven écluses and 20km today. Quite a different trip when you have so many km between locks. We’re cruising through farm land and it’s quite peaceful. Mostly white cattle, some horses, and agricultural fields. 

 

Lunch stop, below the Château de Digoine

 

July 27, 2023 – Thursday - Génelard to Montceau-les-Mines 

The bridge at Génelard. During WWII this was the demarcation between Nazi France and
"Free" France. The cemetery was on the free side and the church on the Nazi side.
Many mourners went to the cemetery at funerals, but somehow didn't return. 

Seven éculuses, three lift bridges and 18km. Automatic locks now, but the lift bridges require someone to activate, so we stopped for lunch, like any civilized French person would do. Even though we were within sight of the marina. We tied up across the end of a dock, easy peasy and right below the Capitanerie/Office of Tourism. 

 

One of three lift bridges entering Montceau-les-Mines.
The red and green lights mean they are working on our request, but we are not clear to enter.

 Took a nice long walk to buy groceries and look for a mailing tube to bring home a print we bought. By the time we got back, hot and tired, we decided to pick up pizza and not bother with cooking. Michael did his Google Search and found a place a few blocks away and off we went. Home with pizza and beverage on the top deck enjoying the slight breeze. It was still very warm.

 

July 28, 2023 – Friday - Montceau-les-Mines to Montchanin 

We’re at the top!!! Nine écluses and 11.5km and we’re now done with going up. All was going quite smoothly with the automatic locks. One VNF staff stopped by while we were in a lock confirming where we would be stopping for the night. The top, Monchanin we told him. It was on record…. We cruised through a couple locks between 12h00 and 13h00, they’re automatic, we had green lights. All was fine. 

 

Joan speaking:

Then we get to écluse #1, Écluse du Bois Breton. It’s 12h45, as we enter the lock we see no lights are on. Hmm, the others gave us green lights. We continue tying up the boat and scramble to pull the blue line to activate the lock. Nothing happens. We slide the boat back and I climb the ladder so I can get a better grip on the blue line, still nothing. Hmm, maybe it wasn’t operational during the lunch hour even though the others were. We wait until a few minutes after one, with me sitting up top and Michael on the boat. I pull the blue the line, nothing. I try to use the phone box thing on the hut, but it’s broken and has a wasp nest in it. But the phone numbers are there. I call. I don’t speak French, she doesn’t speak English. I try both numbers, and I think I got the same lady. I try to use Google Translate to talk to her, but I can’t understand what she says in response. Eventually I walk over to an area that has a number of RVs, not the typical park we’ve been seeing. Kids are playing and I ask “Parle vous Englaise?” Non. They did seem to understand me a little as I asked if anyone there did. She ran and brought back three adults, one young lady very pregnant, tells me she speaks English. Merci!!! I give her the boat phone and she talks to the lady, not sure what was said but she mentioned la bataeu Juniper (remember, they have record where we’re stopping for the night). She hands me back the phone. “Is someone coming to help us?” She says yes. Whew. I walk back to the boat and tell Michael the good news. We wait. And wait. I walk up to try and find the “eye” to activate the lock from above, but can’t find it in all the vegetation. We wait. I finally suggested we backing out and coming in again to activate it. We slide the boat back so I can climb down the ladder to board Juniper. We very successfully back out (thank you Juniper who doesn’t like to backup under control) and see the green lights now! As we are entering the lock a VNF truck pulls up, comes grab our lines. Yea!!! We explain that we’d been there for over an hour, had made phone calls and finally did the backout maneuver. He is flummoxed. He wasn’t coming to rescue us, he was coming to cut the grass. Lucky for us! He calls someone, goes into the hut and activates the lock. An hour and a half later we’re through the lock, 10 minutes later we’re tied up for our evening moorage. A nice toast to Poseidon! 

Joan trying to get someone,
anyone, to get this écluse back in operation

 

A bit of laundry, some boat scrubbing, then some reading. It’s dinner time now. 8pm. 

Dinner at the summit - Tomorrow we start our downhill run.

 

July 24-25 Coulanges to Paray-le-Monial Leaving the Canal Lateral a la Loire

 July 24-25 2023 - Coulanges to Paray-le-Monial   Leaving the Canal Lateral a la Loire to the Canal du Centre when we passed through Digoin 

With the storm this morning, we waited until 10am to depart. Don’t like playing with lightning. SMS to the éclusier to schedule a 10am at lock no 2 toward Digion. Told that was the wrong number. When we got there, found it was the right number. Tee hee, Joan was right. Weather is breezy, cloudy and warm. Very nice! 

 

We crossed the Pont Canal de Digoin. An aquaduct over La Loire River. Joan got off the boat and ran ahead to take pictures of the boat crossing. 

Juniper crossing over la Loire river on an aquaduct. We now begin the Canal du Centre

 

With automatic locks on the la Loire we didn’t stop for lunch. Wasn’t sure what the weather/wind was going to do so wanted to get in. Arrived in Paray-le-Monial around 14h30. Again, only a couple boats. Turns out there was a “Sessions Emanual” event that ended yesterday. A religious revival kind of event. There were lots and lots of tents and looks like they were set up for hundreds of people or more. So glad we weren’t here for that!

Entering one of our first automatic écluses - The green light indicates we can enter

Walked to the small Carrefore grocery store to add to our supplies. Just relaxing on the boat and enjoying the cooler temps and a mint Julep. Still predicting thunderstorms through Wed We’ll walk into the town again tonight as in the past they had lights all over and it was beautiful. Hopefully the weather holds for that. 

La Basilique de Paray-le-Monial lit up for the evening

July 25, 2023 – Tuesday - Paray-le-Monial 

Layover day as we have high winds, rain and thunderstorms.