Seascapes Travel Log
Michael Grew
Wed 7 Jul 2010 09:04
Slipped the moorings at Gannay at 09:30hrs in company with a French Canadian, called Claude in his cruiser (like a Norfolk Broads flatter-float) called “Finalite” . He has had a boat on the French canals since 1999 (therefore he is a mine of useful information). Unfortunately his Wife is not as enthusiastic and only stayed one month this year. He is therefore thinking of selling the boat, shame it is a lovely. 12:30hrs stopped at Beaulon for lunch, Claude supplied, table, table cloth, glasses and a bottle of wine. (What a nice chap!) 17:30hrs stopped with Claude at Pierrifitte-sur-Loire which has a huge fresh water lake a short distance away. It has been so hot today that all three of us walked over to lake and had a long relaxing swim (and a cool off). After dinner the three of us sat under the shade of a tree and put the world to rights. (a shame it is not as easy to do it in reality). A beautiful sunset developed which Claude said he would love to photograph, but he lost his camera by leaving it in a hire car a while ago. I tried winding him up about it but he is just too laid back. Today we covered 33 kilometres and passed through 8 locks (all without any dramas!)
01/07/2010
09:30hrs slipped the moorings and pottered along in company with Claude in “Finalite” until we were about a kilometre from the lock at Dijoin and then Claude realised that we would have to speed up to get into the lock before it closed for lunch at 12:00hrs. (lock keepers refuse to interrupt their lunch for anything or anyone!) Rather than wait for an hour we opened the throttles and fairly flew up to the lock, arriving with a minute to spare, Phew! Stopped in the Port du Plaissance in really hot and humid weather. After lunch Maureen and I cycled over to a camp site where we had arranged to meet Maureen’s Sister, Elizabeth and her husband, Ron who had pitched their touring caravan there. Having helped them set up camp they then cycled back to the boat and then we tried to find somewhere nice to eat, finishing up in a very snooty and expensive restaurant. The service was abysmal and the meat like leather. Needless to say no monetary tip was left, but I wanted to give the waitress two tips, Smile and change the butcher. However Maureen wouldn’t let me.
02/07/2010 Dijion
10:00hrs Elizabeth and Ron picked us up their car a took us out sightseeing for the day. We intended going to Chateau Dree so off we go being guided by the onboard satnav, towards the village of Dree. After travelling for 1.5 hours we still hadn’t found the chateau we checked the tourist guide and found the chateau was close to Dijoin! A further hours driving corrected the mistake and we had a very enjoyable visit looking at a beautiful house set in a vast well maintained garden. Looking through the interior of the house, the guide informed us that there were three kilometres of hand-made curtains and the huge patterned carpets containing 215 colours in each had been hand-made in China. Needless to say lots of photographs were taken. We returned to their campsite and had a very nice meal under the shade of a tree, overlooking the Loire. Not only did we have a nice meal but so did the mosquitoes! We cycled back to boat at 22:30hrs, played cards until it cooled down sufficient that we did not melt. The cabin was so hot having been shut up all day.