Saint-Mihiel to Verdun

38 kms, 9 manual locks

Today for the first time on this voyage we will be going through a stretch of the waterway that has manual locks and we had to book our lock-keepers in advance before 15.00 yesterday. 

When I phoned and asked for service at 9.00 this morning they asked if 11.00 was not possible. 

Well, I said, we are going to Verdun – is that possible from 11.00?

Non, was the reply, D’accord, 9.00 at Lock 11.  That meant an early start today because Lock 11 is 6 km away.  

Meanwhile, while chatting with the Swiss family yesterday, they had not realised they had to book the manual locks so decided they would come in tandem with us. 

At 6.30 the temp was only 0.6C outside and there was thick ice on the deck. The skies were clear, not a cloud to be seen, and it was perfectly still as we left the dock at 8.00. It was a spectacularly beautiful summer’s day.

Tendrils of mist rising from the water

Leo, the Swiss barge following in our wake 

What a reflection, mist gone, sun shining in all its glory

The Meuse - a beautiful river

Our first lock-keeper (éclusière) arrived 10 minutes, was humbly apologetic, and set to work with a vengeance.  I just look fat and lazy!

Lock-keeper No. 2, Madame Éclusière, told me she takes about 15 boats per day through the locks at the height in the summer, and she works 6 locks!

Leo emerging from a lock

Approaching the last lock before entering Verdun. It passes underneath the old city walls

Two for the price of one - at the last lock in Verdun we had 2 lock-keepers

Entering Verdun

The impressive Port de Plaisance, what a treat.

By 15.00 we were tied up at the Port de Plaisance in Verdun, a free mooring with free electricity and water.

This is definitely tourist town with block after block of eateries and drinkeries most with pavement tables. 

I went for a brief walk to the Tourist Office to pick up a map for more extensive ambles tomorrow, but that’s just on the other side of the canal so I meandered a bit in the neighbouring streets too and discovered a laundrette just over the bridge about 100m away.  Guess where I’m going tomorrow!

Unfortunately Ian has not been well today, a tummy bug of some kind (yes, the toilet worked very hard today).  Hopefully he’ll be better tomorrow or I’ll be sight-seeing all on my own.