France - 2003
We tootled along the 52 km of the Sambre, a canalized river with only 9 locks. Lots of wheel work through some twisty bits and a low bridge decapitated our mast. This was clearly a taste of things to come so we proceeded with the mast at a rake, considerably lower than 3.1 metres. This northern area is very peaceful and beautiful. A little commercial traffic here and there, but nothing like the big working canals. We followed this lifestyle for the next seven days stooging down the Canal de la Sambre a L'Oise, a tiny bit of the Canal de Saint-Quentin, the Canal Lateral a L'Oise, and the Oise River which joins the Seine at Conflans Ste-Honorine.
Compeigne was one of the only notable towns as it was here that Joan of Arc was captured and turned over to the British for a right roasting. As reported by graffito in Soho, she is alive and medium-well. We enjoyed this town for a couple of days before pushing on to Paris. We pushed a little too hard as the engine overheated just as we got to the Eiffel Tower. We stopped a bit up river at the junction of the Marne, at a commercial basin. When we packed it in for the night there was one other barge but by morning we were surrounded by huge commercial vessels.
The Seine from Paris to St-Mammes, a distance of only 84 km, is reasonably commercial, but a big wide river drifting through pastoral scenery. We stopped at Moret sur Loing which we found to be a delightful setting. Sisley agreed with us on our assessment as it was here that he lived for several years painting local scenes. There is a port de plaisance at the north end of the town but we moored down a lock, across from the Clemenceau house, in a shady area which we found accessible to the town centre and a big grocery store. This was the beginning of the heatwave, which steadily warmed up for the next four weeks, so shade was a good thing.
From Moret we went to Briare a significant port for pleasure craft on the side of the Loire. Here Eiffel built the longest aquaduct or pont for boats in Europe. It takes the Canal de Briare accross the Loire where prior to its construction boats had to cross the river itself, often either in flood or drought.
Our cruising style began to take shape in this voyage. We would set out in the morning in time for the lock opening at 9:00 and putter along at 4 - 6 km/h. We would stop for lunch if the locks were closed but otherwise keep plugging until 2 or 3 in the afternoon, at which point we would stop for the night at the first decent moorage. We seldom paid for moorage since we did not need to avail ourselves of water or power. If the moorage was in a good town we might stay an extra day or two and see the sights. Every barger we know has a unique cruising style. Some plunk the boat in one location and ride all over the countryside on bikes; others use the boat as a hotel in Paris or Lyon and stay a couple of weeks; and others stop for a week in an area, tour the whole neighborhood, picnic on the shores, then move on somewhat reluctantly to the next temporary base.
We stopped for several days in Nevers, which hosts a fabulous ducal palace, huge church, good shopping, and where they have converted a former lock joining the Loire to the canal into a huge swimming complex. Here they have a tanning beach, wave pool, diving pool and lap pool - very much appreciated by the townsfolk in the 42 degree heat.
We were getting impatient to settle in Roanne, a crowded port in which there is not always mooring space for the winter. So we cut to the chase and headed straight south, arriving in early August. We got settled in a relatively permanent spot and spent the next 8 months discovering Roanne and the immediate countryside. We were car-less for the first year which helped in our fitness, but gave us a better appreciation of the value of wheels in winter.
