The weather was not great but we had a nice wander round Tonnerre and Lyn and Steve got the chance to see the famous Fosse Dione...a deep water spring with an old wash house built around it....the spring has been in use since the Romans were here and possibly before that, it was a strange blue/green, nothing to do with algae more to do with depth. Then back to the barge and a lovely dinner on board. [Thanks Steve for the Moet! -he said it was an experiment to see if quality Champagne affected Lyn...as our cabin is at the other end of the barge we cannot report on the outcome...lol]
The next morning we headed off to Saint Florentin which was a full days cruising of 24kms and 11 locks - fortunately the weather had improved and we had a lovely relaxing day on the canal. Lyn earned her stripes as barge 'coffee bitch' and Steve tried the delicate art of guiding [never sailing] the barge along the canal.
The town is small but very pretty and built on a hill - originally it had been fortified and was in a good defensive position.However the town was at the top of a hill, a long walk from the port and a lot of it was closed for annual holidays. We noticed the beginnings on a gypsy camp at the edge of the port, many of these travellers have been forcibly removed from paris in the past weeks and we noted with interest as we moved down the canal dozens of their caravans heading along the roads, we think maybe to the site at St.Florien
We decided to head down to Brienon the next day and spend 2 nights there - the weather turned really sunny and we spent the days relaxing on decks. Another Aussie barge arrived and they joined us for drinks on the second night, it being a small world conversation revealed that lesley.[our guest] had taught Lynn's nieces music in Canberra many years ago..
We have been having a wine tour on board - and tried some very nice reds that followed the regions of France - some burgundys, bordeaux's - a Sancerre white (delicious) - and of course some Rose in the final afternoon sun with Pate and cheese! We have discovered an universal truth....wine evaporates on barges....it can be the only reason for the line up of empty bottles each morning. Ah its a tough life!
On Sunday morning we did a two hour cruise to Migennes where Lyn and Steve were to catch the train to start their journey home. We had a lovely mooring on the quay, where a Vide Genier (car boot sale) was being held - no purchases though as mainly junk! At this point we must mention that Steve, notorious for his dislike of shopping and 'junque', was sent ashore to 'suss out' moorings on the quay, a matter of some haste as other boats were approaching, and what do we see....Steve stopping to browse at the very first market stall!
The quay was host to not only the car boot sale but also had stalls selling freshly caught snails, and another stall was in full production making boudin ....blood sausage....from scratch. You could purchase it by the metre or by the kilo....hmmm, no thanks.
By the time Lyn and Steve were ready to go down came the rain, which lasted until their train left and back came the sunshine, The quay then became the rather noisy home to a huge quiz/tombola show, all very loud, then segued into a 'le rock n roll' music concert. The folks from Emanuel, John and Lesley Luxton, fled to our barge for drinks as they were moored right beside the speakers for the concert. The night ended with Andrew and John going out to get pizza for dinner, and coming back to say that they wait would be over an hour...so much for French gourmet food...the whole town ordered pizza last Sunday night. {Worth the wait, really delicious].
We headed off the next morning, and sailed off the Burgundy canal and onto the Yonne river....heading now for our home port, Roanne.
Wow - was it a great experience!
ReplyDeleteYes French wine does evaporate and Rose is the worst. Nevertheles it is a hard life! Will we travel today or build up our vitamin D? Will I finish the book or entertain the poor bored travellers in the Barge that has just pulled in? God I might even have to play Mexican train to help our guests pass the time. Gosh I have to choose from all this foreign french food - terraines, pates, sausage - even some italian stuff.
Oh this French village food is dreadful, oh and what trash is at the markets! Oh and the history here is nothing like good old Oz!
Oh and Aussie's everywhere - there were 3 Aussie flagged barges pulled up in Tonnerre in the morning S & L arrived and what is more one had just left.
We loved it - Thanks
Lyn and Steve