Sens to Villeneuve-sur-Yonne

17 kms, 4 locks, 3 hours

This morning was market day in Sens.  Lynn already knew this, she checks out the market days on a website, and when we were in the last lock yesterday the lockie asked us what time we wanted service at the first lock today.  Seeing the locks close for the lunch hour from 12.30 to 13.30,  in answer to his question Lynn told him 13.30 so that we would have time to go to the market and would not be held up waiting at a lock during the lunch hour.

At 9.00 I went to take a look at the market.  It was very impressive.  In the huge covered market there were dozens of stalls selling veg, fruit, flowers, plants, eggs, dried fruit and nuts, a number of bakeries, cheese stalls, butcheries and delicatessens.  I bought a slice of terrine for lunch.

Outside, the huge square between the market building and the cathedral was also full of stalls: clothing, handbags, shoes, furniture, knick-knacks, books, cooked food, you name it, it would have been there. 

We left Sens earlier than necessary, just because we were ready and thought there just might be a chance that the lock-keeper would let us through the lock before the end of the lunch hour because that happened to us last year.  At 13.20 as the lock came into view we noticed that the gates were already open.  Then we heard a commercial barge call and the lock keeper answered saying he would prepare the lock for him and the gates started to close.  Quickly I called the lock keeper and told him we were approaching.  The locks gates stopped, then opened again.  He would wait for us.  Whew, if he had not waited for us it would have meant at least a half hour wait.  In fact the commercial barge was only just approaching the lock as we exited so we did not hold him up either.

The next 3 locks were also all open and waiting for us to enter so we got through remarkably quickly and tied up at the long quay at Villeneuve-sur-Yonne at 16.15, just 3 hours after leaving Sens.

All the locks had sloping sides but they also all had mobile pontoons, thankfully.

The floating pontoons are only about 8m long so we tied up to the pontoon...

...and Elle tied up to us

We saw a few working barges today

The lock at Villeneuve does not have automated sluices, they have to be opened and closed by the lock keeper.

Last year the moorings at Villeneuve were free, this year it costs €10 plus €5 for electricity.

We were all tired after a late night chin wagging with the Americans from Oldtimer last night so the boule grudge match has been postponed.

Lynn made us all a delicious Beef Bourguignon tonight and we all intend to have an early night tonight.