Briennon to Roanne

14 kms, 3 locks, 2.5 hours

A quick bakery run (all of 100m) for a baguette and we were on our way at 8.45.  When we entered the lock the lockie told us a second boat would be joining us so we were right at the front of the lock, going uphill, not our favourite place.  But the lockie operated the sluices very gently and it was smooth as peanut butter.

The day was very grey with rain and thunderstorms forecast.

At the second lock there was a really vicious cross current just as you entered the lock. Being a small boat, and Ian being a well-seasoned boatman, we made it into the lock unscathed with a lot of deft manipulation on the wheel, but the chap behind us got really beaten up, arriving at the entrance of the lock almost sideways. 

Signs all along the canal: Black Bass are protected, it is obligatory to release them back into the water

It is called "The Tranquil Canal" for a reason

Last lock. The port of Roanne is just beyond the lock gates.

Our new home

And so we entered the final port of our cruise.   We are thrilled to bits with this port.  Our mooring is in a secured marina, with security gates, and just metres away from the Capitainerie. There is no threat of flooding rivers seeing it is on a canal and the Capitain exudes confidence.  I can’t believe how fast the time has flown by and our spring cruise is now over.

Back home, we have had the most wonderful house sitter second time around after the disaster with the first house sitters.  He loves the house, the cats, and the island.  He has kept in touch with us almost daily and sent lots of photos and videos of the cats.  He has already organised a new house sit on the island in September and to tide him over till that time he is staying in our guest cottage for free, and he will be house sitting for us again in October.

Summary of our cruise:

From Diksmuide to Roanne in 12.5 weeks

 Statistics:
1237 kms
262 locks
26 mobile bridges
8 tunnels
227 engine hours
Fuel consumption: 1.43 litres/hour

Level graph: we started at sea level and finished 268m higher up

Briennon

Thanks to Shaun for advising me on how to make the blog bigger and more readable!

Rain, rain, rain, almost all day. 

Early, before the rain started, I walked to the town, Puilly-sous-Charlieu, 2 kms away across the river, in search of a grocery store.  We have run out of fresh vegetables and in this little village there is a bakery, a pharmacy, a hairdresser, quite a few restaurants and bars, but no grocery store. 

A view from the bridge across the very wide Loire River

Pouilly-sous-Charlieu

Is this a teasel?

After that we just chilled, read books and hid from the rain.  At the end of the afternoon the rain stopped a while so I dashed to the church to take some photos.  It is a beautiful little church.  The apse and choir date from the 11^th century but the nave and side aisles were rebuilt in 1837, not long after the canal was built.  It is only the second one I have seen that is painted inside; the last one was in Aire-sur-la-Lys.

This is a view of the 11th century end

19th century nave...

...and aisles

11th century apse

13th century mosaic floor in the 11th century choir

 The following photos are details of the 11th century section:

In the 19th century aisle, I was amused at this chap, Saint Isadore, who looks decidely 18th century

And this is Saint Michael, with his foot on the shoulders of a devil

A 13th century statue outside the church

Back in the port: a sundial on the wall

Know idea who this is

Chambilly to Briennon

18 kms, 3 locks, 3.25 hours

The place where we stopped yesterday, just below the lock, was fine but not the most beautiful place we have ever found.  Ian went for a walk last night and discovered there is a brand spanking new Halte Nautique just above the lock.  So new that the water and electricity is not yet connected. 

We know where to stop next time we come this way (September).

We have passed 3 other places where new halte nautiques are being installed.  It seems the mooring is free but you pay for water and electricity.  I have no problem with that at all, it stops the “long stay” squatters (usually on huge barges) hogging the free spots if there is free water and electricity.

Mostly, we are pleased to see so much investment in the infrastructure of the canal because recently there has been a lot of chatter about this canal being closed down.  I’m sure that cannot be the case if so much money is being invested in it.

It was a lovely day: sunny, not a cloud in the sky and flat calm.  But it got very hot in the afternoon.

A camper van with flower boxes or a garden feature?

Last lock of the day - 6m chute!

An ancient church looms over the canal

This seems to be a place where the women came down to the river to do the laundry

A peniche heading towards us

A very tight fit, and it didn't make it through unscathed!

All three locks were clustered in the first kilometre and after that we had peaceful dawdle along this beautiful canal with sweeping views across the Loire valley to the hills beyond.

The town Iguerande across the valley from the Loire River

A monumental bridge across the Loire River

A day trip boat

We have stopped at the Port de Plaisance in Briennon.  We will stay here 2 nights and were delighted to find the second night is free!  So our mooring will cost us €7.  Electricity is €4 for 24 hours and water is €3.  Lovely little town, looking forward to exploring tomorrow, too hot today.

Briennon

A view of the marina, and rain clouds gathering

La Beaume to Chambilly

16 kms, 1 lock, 2.5 hours

With the lock just over 12 kms away, and having arranged to be there at 10.00, we left the little halte nautique (which seems to have a choice of names: Croix Rouge, La Beaume, Chassenard or PK49) at 8.00 and dawdled along the lovely canal.  We were charmed by glimpses of the Loire River through the trees as its meanders brought it close to the canal from time to time.

Lots of curves

Flower baskets over a bridge

In places the trees lean far across the water

Mostly it is deep enough but in places it is shallow at the sides

An old foundry/kiln

Sheep, lots and lots of sheep.  This was not even a quarter of the flock

We arrived on the dot at 10.00 and the lock keeper was waiting with a hook on a long rope to take our line.  This lock has a “chute” (rise/fall) of 7.2m.  I read somewhere that it is the deepest lock of the Freycinet guage.  Not sure if that’s true.

The lockie is standing at the top of the lock on the right; puts it in perspective

We saw a kingfisher flitting from tree to tree across the canal, which reminds me that I forgot to tell you that one landed on our deck a couple of days ago just as we were entering a lock. It was truly beautiful but unfortunately didn’t hang around long enough to have its portrait taken.

We arrived at our destination, Chambilly, at 10.30.  There is a large basin here but, apart from a 25m dock in the middle, it has sloping sides.  Plenty of bollards if you are a 20m barge, not so easy for a 9m boat, so we are tied to one bollard and a stake.

A walk around the town revealed a sleepy little village with a church, a bakery and a restaurant.  There is a much bigger town with an Aldi supermarket just 2 kms away across the river.

Now this is an interesting garage: 2 deux cheveux cars, a Panhard and a vintage motorbike

Church, boulangerie and restaurant

A view of the village across the wide Loire River

No words needed