After a few weeks in Roanne enjoying the social scene and catching up with friends we headed off for a short cruising season.
We opted to do one of our favourite routes up to Montceau les Mines and back.
It was great to see that over winter the VNF had done lots of work on the Roanne canal. This is part of a multi year program and some bits are looking terrific.
When we got to Paray le Monial we headed for our favorite restaurant - The three pigeons - one of their specialties is the cheese and desert chariots. So following a wonderful meal we indulged in both trollies!
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| The cheese trolley |
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| The desert trolley |
An so onto Montceau les Mines. Montceau has a wonderful entry to the port under three lift bridges. Somehow it feels really good having the traffic stopped for us as the bridge lifts.
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| Montceau lift bridges |
Walking down the main street in Montceau we were greeted by students celebrating the end of school year.
Our time was up so we turned around and headed back to Genelard where the cutting into the port has been decorated with lots of signs -
Stopping back in Paray for a few relaxing days before heading for home..
We have a little garden on board and in addition to the flowers grow fresh herbs and a big planter of lettuce - guarded by our friendly gnome. With a couple of replants during the season this pot keeps us in lettuce for most of the summer.
And so we dashed back to Roanne and had a few days before we caught the plane back to Oz.
France has some lovely chateaus and one we had wanted to see was the Chateau de Cormatin. According to their website -
Between Tournus and Cluny in the heart of southern Burgundy, the Chateau de Cormatin awaits you in the midst of its gardens and water features.It was built by the Marquises of Huxelles in the early seventeenth century to show their power and prestige: wide moat, turrets, high rusticated basement, gunports and drawbridge, the castle was made to impress. It has succeeded to this day.
Just before we left Roanne had a music festival and one of the stars was our very own Sally
