Froncles

Beowulf
Tom Fenton and Faith Ressmeyer
Sat 11 Oct 2014 17:45
48 17.977N 5 9.160E
This unlikely sounding place is a small stop on the Canal between Chaumont and Joinville. It is out of range of 3G, so heaven knows when this will appear on the blog, but today is Saturday October 11.

I started the day badly, walking up into Chaumont to look for the Orange boutique to sort out internet connection problems. Bought other needs. Set off about lunchtime, hoping to get to Mussey, but it was too much and had to settle for this. It looked good in the Guide - showers, restaurant, electricity, water - only the last two seem possible. And every space on the quay was taken so I had to raft up, with some difficulty.

Took a walk into the village. The restaurant closed ages ago, and I think I'd rather starve than a donner kebab. Or cook for myself.

The disappointment of this canal is the failure to keep the promises of the Guide. But if one had not had those promises, and on a good day, as some of today was, it would be a joy.

Here are some of the things I enjoyed today. The lifting bridge before the Condes tunnel

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The Essex, a commercial barge, one of three today and the first sign I have seen that there still s commercial use of the canal.

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The reflections of avenues of ash trees.

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Not bad for a day.