Ardois to the Rhone all north for Cruas. Heading Lyon.                                                                  

French Canals to Paris close for lack of water depth and an algae bloom fills the water.

We are no longer heading Parris.

Bollne lock talked to us with 22m of rise in a gothic structure of green concrete

Mailasail red box comms system has been working a treat

From Palma to French coast of the med, canals to the Rhone, heading Lyon. The way ahead had become very confused.

Strong local knowledge in Ardois explained French National waterways were very, very short of summer water, all levels low. Many boats aground and even some canals blocked by the larger boats that were stuck. Add to that the sunshine and lack of boat movement had let the algae over run, canals green and everyone’s filters blocking. The way ahead was no longer clear, but we were not heading Parris for sure.

A German couple had come down from Strasbourg for the summer. First hand knowledge, canals toward Switzerland had lots of mountain water, there was a clear route to the Rhine, ‘Go via Germany, you may have to run to Hamburg, but Amsterdam may be possible, ask when you get further up. Everyday is an adventure, wow, not the French canals home but the canals of Europe, when are they doing Brexit!

Leaving our very sleepy river marina in Ardois full of thoughts for route home we crept back onto the Rhone proper. Tummies full of fresh baguette delivered by the Capitanery, it was strong waves of goodbye, mercy and thank you. Just 2km to the first ship lock of the day at Caderouse, 9m rise was small, enormous by Thames standards but here just a skip up. VHF 19, ’45 minutes please’ lets have coffee and those fresh croissants then. The river Rhone remained wide, we are running 800 revs on both engines for 8 kts of speed and making only a small wash. A yellow stone church appeared port side, the tiny village of Saint Etienne backed into dense green trees, a vista flat and level without hills rolled out before us. Then it was bank side views, much of this part of the Rhone has steep man-made angular bank, no view above it.

A run of grey girder bridges before a soft turn to see a gothic sized lock wall. Locks like the Hunger Games! This was Bollene lock, ’20 mins please’. And then we were in, massive, 22m rise, an old set of second gates halfway in, we tied to the rising cleat starboard side, VHF ‘we are secure’. Nothing appeared to happen then the lock began to groan, the rising cleats strained, the walls towering above us murmured with relief of the cool water washing their mighty sides. The water rose slowly. 22m was a mountain climb of water, it took twenty mins to fill. Sunlight at the top, the World had changed. VHF, ‘Thank you and goodbye.’ We had a view; the bank side was hardly a meter.

Tricastin nuclear power station our first vista. Then an out of town shopping area. The bridges metal and iron but painted white and had curves, how pretty is that view then. Mountains in the far distance but otherwise we were in the broads of Norfolk in a flat land of sand green. Norfolk or Suffolk, it was time for some washing, buckets of soapy water for the last few days of sun-baked clothing, a few straps across the beam and we had a washing line set fit a Chinese laundry. Life on the Rhone river!

Donzere Gorge, not Cheddar but steep blocks of limestone worthy of Derbyshire, then the next lock, only a little one! 18.5 m rise at lock Chateau Neuf. These are big rise monsters. We came upon a French river boat and a barge with red English ensign, they were holding so we popped in and made secure. We had learned to let are ropes soften and give the boat movement, the others tied tight. Our decision was good one as the lunged up the wall as we floated skyward with some slack.

Each view beyond the lock gets better, the bankside a little lower again, proper mountains ahead, far worse, big black storm clouds to port, does it rain here? Yet another huge nuclear power station at Cruas and just beyond in the turn of the river was our target for the night, Cruas boat marina, tiny basin and two hammerheads free. This was boat pond country, we were a little big but tied safe and got the air con on to subdue the 38 degree heat of the days mid day sun.

Cruas boat marina 44:39.12N 04:46.55E

22m of lock rise