Les Rochesde-Condrieu. 45:27.39N 04:49.29E
Valence to Condrieu Lady swimming in the lock – going up 12m breast stroke Land of rolling green Peak District hillsides. Red Box remains spot on, wifi all the way in the French Canals. Flat calm evening, lightening far away had lit the sky but the rain never came. We awoke to a pair of swans enjoying the boat marina at Valence. We are looking for 80km today so a nine start for a short leg to Bourg-les-Valence lock the cruise ship Amadeus Provence was sat on the pylon entry, lock keeper said ’20 mins please’ Is this what they always say? Red, red and green, green lock open the cruise ship gently steered in, inch at a time, no space for toothpaste, beam to lock port and starboard. We eased in behind, is there room, bagged the last rising cleat and called secure. Just 12m of rise here, seems small, as the sunshine reached down the lock wall, we realised there was a tourist lady swimming in the lock! Amadeus Provence had an aft swimming pool with a glass wall on the stern of the boat. Better get a photo of that then! Amadeus pulled over at Tournon, vineyards on the hillside, a pretty village with tourist appeal, we were tempted but the next lock beckoned at Gervans just a few km away. A giant green dragonfly agreed and joined us with a fine perch on the shiny window rail. Just eleven meters and the gates were open, perfect timing. In these two lifts we have finally achieved a view as the Rhone bankside has fallen to river level, dense green trees beyond with many rolling hillsides, sandy yellow crags thinned out and we could have been in the vista of the Peak District. A medium lock of 14.5m at Sablone. Lock keeper asked us to wait, a long tourist cruise boat arrived and got prefferance for front of the lock. Not ladies swimming in the stern of this one, it was flying a Swiss flag, that must be the reason then. A small Dutch motor yacht arrived. We are in convoy, tied in the lock with the Dutch just behind us, good chance for a natter in English. They were also heading Paris but hope to make Rotterdam via the Rhine. ‘You get five kts of flow on the Rhine.’ Not thought of that, 5kts for 250km is a fair old push to England. Mid afternoon in the heat of the sun, gentle Peak District all around us on a last 20km leg, on emore nuclear power station, golly hydro dams and nuclear power station every step of the way, they must have giant lamp bulbs in the houses around this river. A beautiful suspension bridge and a boat marina in the heart of the town for an evening at Les Rochesde-Condrieu. Capitanery Zak met us at the outer pontoon and we toed river side with lots of space, 16amp power and English fitting water pipe. Magic. We are just 40km from Lyon, Mummy arrives on Friday via air, then it will be time to tidy up and restock the boat ready for the North Rhone, the Rhone Rhine canal and Strasbourg. Maybe the Saone, local knowledge and summer water levels woud all be part of the puzzle. Les Rochesde-Condrieu. 45:27.39N 04:49.29E |