Lyon 45:44.51N 04:49.00E

Hollinsclough - Is the World Round?
Thu 13 Aug 2020 08:45

 

Condrieu to Lyon                                              

We had arrived to moor in a shopping mall!

Moored at the golden Arches for a cheeseburger and quarter pounder please.

 

Scorching hot days gave a tiny breath of cool as we awoke in Condrieu boat marina on the River Rhone. Capitanery Zack had secured us a place reservation in Lyon centre basin, 30km easy day ahead. Half a lie in, shore power removed, ropes cast and we pulled out into the river. Tall hillsides on both sides with vines running like top to bottom in lines, each small area carried its vineyard name. Arenc Castle was a bank side centre piece, no ole castle this was a vineyard special. Just above Arenc was the first of two locks of the day was Vaugris with a mere 6.75 m lift. Got a VHF call in as soon as we saw the basin but this one took an age, from call to entering the lock was an hour and then 15 mins for the rise. Golly it seemed a long one. As we made the next step the hills quickly fell away and the world turned more urban. A giant LElectric supermarket on the right bank and the houses began to multiply. Building conurbation, the heart of Viene, McDonalds of the starboard bow, Wow that must be the first golden arches we have seen from the boat, far more proper stood a mighty castle above on the top of the hillside. Then with a giant petrol station the conurbation ended and the world turned green hill side in a flash. A first of the trip was wind surfing boards on the river who enjoyed the wake of the commercial barges. Toward Lyon the river narrowed as we came upon our second and last lock of the day, lock Pierre Benitte, almost small at 9m rise. VHF call, ‘please wait 20 mins I have a commercial downstream of you.’ Took the small boat tie on and enjoyed watching the digger dredge mud into a standing barge, its all go today. Dredging, you don’t see that on the Thames anymore. A large blue French barge called Camel came around the corner, inched in the lock like toothpaste from the tube and in we went behind him.

 

From Pierre Benite lock we could see the city of Lyon, first a commercial port of containers, then giant tourist cruise barged rafted before we got the full view of the new museum of mankind, a sort of Sydney Opera House in silver. Barges were tied river side on age old ropes. We moved up past a crazy green building, then a similar arty red one, modern flats rose in glass columns, we were in the London Docklands. Capitanery waved from the marina basin, a narrow turn in from the river so similar to St Katherines in the City of London. But no lock. We had arrived in a shopping mall! Shoppers all around us watched the fun as we turned about the basin and tied to the modern wall, a power pylon, Darlek like with a steel deck, our electricity hook up and water pipe went under the deck, very posh. Above us sat a balcony of the mall and that balcony was for MacDonald’s. Wow we moored at the golden Arches of Lyon, Cheeseburger and quarter-pounder please. City lights, the chocolate museum of Lyon, Lumiere museum and in the very mall we were moored a giant Carefore supermarket. Trolley to the deck, yes please.

 

Capitanery was suffering from a lack of visitors, water levels and the algae bloom in the north had kept the summer boats away, he was full of local knowledge and the canals north, I will call ahead for advice on your route tomorrow.

 

Lyon 45:44.51N 04:49.00E

 

A building next to a body of water

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