Sunday, August 31 – Tuesday, Sept 2, 2025 - Dole

Collegial Notre Dame is the backdrop for the Dole marina

The boat tied next to us at Abergement la-Ronce takes off around 9am. We follow behind a lock. Reach Dole in the early afternoon. A cross current is flowing, making docking a bitch. Juniper doesn’t steer in reverse which really doesn’t help. It takes a few tries and the couple on the boat Victoria next to us, come grab our lines. Thank you!! While we finish tying up a man on the boat on the other side of us asks where we’re from, turns out they’re from Whidbey Island. The couple who helped us are from New Zealand and pleasant to chat with. Meanwhile, Michael, I and others on the dock help other boats coming in because it’s a struggle for everyone, even those with bow and stern thrusters.

Robin Maxime in concert

We’re moored below the Collegial Notre Dame as in years past. It’s beautiful and the old town around it is amazing to just walk the streets or follow the Circuit du Chat Perché (Perched cat) which takes you to historic sites around town. Having done that before, we visited the Tourist Office to see what else there was. Walking back to the boat we see a sign for acoustic guitarist Robin Maxime in concert in the church at 7pm. Why not! He plays a few pieces we are familiar with, and then some lively ones we are not; and needless to say, the acoustics in the church are amazing. We would never have thought a solo acoustic guitar could fill a cathedral by itself. Fun spur of the moment event, which we don’t do often enough.

Le Sanctuaire Notre-Dame de Mont-Roland

Monday we head out on a 8km round trip walk to Le Sanctuaire Notre-Dame de Mont-Roland. Some roads, trails beside agricultural fields and through some woods. Mont-Roland sits atop a hill. The first thing we see on exiting the woods are 14 large cement crosses, Stations of the Cross, lining the road. Just past these is the church. “A place of peace and intercession of the Virgin Mary since the 11th century.” There is a wonderful view of the area between the Saône and Jura massif. We could even see the Collegial Notre Dame in Dole.

Trail to mountain top.                     Stations of the cross.                        Joan and the church organ

Nice walk on farm roads, no cars

Tuesday we need to provision since we’re heading out tomorrow. We walk to the E.Leclerc for groceries and the Bricomarche to replace our syphon to transfer gazoil from our 20 liter jerry cans to Juniper's fuel tank. Our experience with trying to pour 20 liters of ggazoil into a funnel was a bit on the messy side.In the afternoon we do the other walk the gentleman in the tourist office told us about - 3km that takes us up the canal a bit then we turn off to walk through agricultural fields and woods, then back to the canal. The sky is blue with some puffy white clouds. It felt good getting out and walking a bit more!