Blanzy to Roanne eating and returning home!

Back to the Blog again! I have been a bit lazy posting an update - somehow life is just too busy!

There was a large Vide Grenier (car boot sale) in Melay - halfway between Roanne and Paray. We drove down with Mark and Mary to meet all the people who were still in Roanne. We had a lovely time catching up.For a small town the size of the Vide was amazing, just about every street was packed with stalls....l was thrilled to pick up French fashion Managines from the 1930's for 50 centimes each....everybody found something to their liking...and their budget.

Mary found the perfect 'Teddy Tote' and snapped it up for the little man. After a quick whip through the market we joined amongst others Richard, Jane, Katinka and Mark for 'elevenses' Unlike the French we resisted the charms of wine and choose coffee!

After a week in Paray enjoying the sunshine and all the singing from the 2000 plus Christians camping in the fields behind us....amazing set up...they eat, drink sleep and attend mass sermons all day every day. Each group comes for a week...it is a logistics triumph....but does little to swell the coffers of the town as they bring in everything they need...tents, seating, food, water, wine, books the list was endless.

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Entering Montceau Les Mines under the lift bridges

And then it was back to Montceau les Mines,where we were lucky enough to get a mooring, the Port is not really set up for barges and there are only 3 pontoons ends that we can use...as usual 2 of 3 were being used by little cabin cruisers...grrr.

We had a great week here, shared some fun times with a couple from Australia who were on a neat little cruiser. We took the opportunity whilst we were here to drive over to Chalon Sur Soane for a day..always a pleasure, such an interesting town.

It was high season too for Vide Greniers and we able to get to quite a few during this time, have reigned in the buying...so much temptation...then you work there is no way to get the haul back to Oz! And we were able to return to the Hotel Du Lucy.

Whilst on the topic of food the local Leclerc supermarket has a wonderful patisserie - also multiple visits!

Having eaten our way through Montceau we headed off for Blanzy (only about 1 hour away) - this is a lovely little port, but only takes a few boats so is quite hard to get into. We met Jim and Mary at the Montceau market, and they were moored up in Blanzy with some Australian friends on the barge Lena. They were planning to come to Montceau (also hard to get into for big boats). So we arranged to swap - we would both leave at 9 am , and they would take our mooring and we would take theirs - all worked like a dream and we passed them at the halfway point.

Whilst on the subject of food - one of Blanzy's highlights is a wonderful charcuterie, that does some of the best sausages in France, along with other delish things. Needless to say we ate well! Also being only a 5 min drive to Monteau we managed another trip to the Hotel du Lucy, this time with Dave and Gill who had joined us in Blanzy on Avontuur.

However time was running out for us. Due to lack of rain the VNF had decided to close the Canal du Centre on 10 September. So we turned around and started our trip home to Roanne. This involved Andrew turning the barge around in a canal that was about 23 metres wide....and Affleur'D'O is 20 metres long..so it was a case of slow and steady, but turn she did. This time we headed straight for Genelard and caught up with Avontuur again....settled down for a few days in the peace and quiet.
By now the Canal was becoming crowded with folks trying to get to either one end or the other of the Canal Du Centre...it is the quickest way from the Med to the Atlantic....and lots of boaters had been caught out by the early closing.

So back to Paray where we caught up with Mark and Mary again.It was bit like old home week with visits from Katinka, Steve from Elizabeth and Henk and Jacqueline were there for a short while too.

Once again we met up with Mark and Mary at Paray and joined their guests to share a magnificent meal on board Nooit Volmaakt...loved the Art Noveau Wine Stand and the Spode place settings...and the amazing food...check out that dessert!

We of course reciprocated ...with a more rustic effort in the evening sun with an alfresco dinner on deck!

Sometimes Teddy has a sip too many of the J B Clare...can't fault his taste!

Our flowers had a splendid summer and rewarded Andrews efforts at deadheading by flowering profusely for months.

Laurel, babysitting Teddy, enjoying the charms of the Paray Quay.We were sorry to see Mark and Mary leave after a few days.

However we didn't spend the whole time eating and 'resting'.

Iguerande, one of the villages on the Canal de Roanne holds an annual Arawanda music festival.This is a very small village but the Festival is famous for its ability to showcase music acts from all over Europe and Africa.So we drove down and joined up with the Roanne crew for a great day out. There were groups from around the world outside during the afternoon, and fortunately the weather was lovely. In the evening there was a very interesting Somali singer in the Hall....she was accompanied by a drummer whose used instruments that we had not heard before...it was fascinating....a mix of voice and percussion in harmony.

Lots of great games for the kids

It was a Festival for all...huge outdoor wooden games kept the children [ and most of us adults intrigued.] Singing and dancing was for everyone, and Katinka on her chair had the children bopping right along with her.

Pied Piper Katinka lead the dancing!

However he had a plan, so time for us to move on...farewell Paray.

After a lovely dinner at our favourite the Three pigeons we headed back to Digoin where Mark and Mary had recommended another restaurant - The Diligence - which was very much like the Three Pigeons. It of course featured the cheese and desert chariots! So of course we had to check it out - Yummee! The French do this sort of thing so well...easy when you have a building that has been there for 300 years....

Every nook and cranny is used...under the copper pans is a cutlery chest...settings for 60 people!

Then back down the Roanne canal to the lovely port at Artaix.It was packed so we squeezed into the end....luckily we had been here when basin had been drained so we knew there was enough depth.And in a repeat of the previous visit Mary turned up a day or so later on their way back up the Canal. Amazing misty mornings made for terrific photos.