Wednesday 1st August Port les Bains to Fontenoy Le Chateau

Trip 6kms Departure 11.30 Locks 6 of 326

I finally got to have savoury crepes for brekky. Topped with melted emmentale, a slab of ham and two sunny side fried eggs washed down with a cappuccino. Bloody marvellous start to a stonking hot day.

A short hop and only 6 locks today. Luxury for the crew!

The scenery is just getting better and better and we are now falling for the charms of the real Vosges. We spot a small farming village whose roads are defined by large pots. A first for me.

At the approach to the fourth lock we are joined on the towpath by a family enjoying a horse drawn caravan vacation. Looks so romantic but not sure if the crew would be happy with mucking out every night so decide to stick with Doucette.

 

 

The lock houses are home to rusting tractors and free range chickens chasing ducks along the riverbank.

One sad feature of the run is the increasing number of derelict old property. Typical of rural France, an age is fast disappearing and it is impossible not to ponder on the future of these waterways. The economic artery's of yesterday France is an expensive holiday playground to maintain and it is difficult to understand how enough revenue is generated by us pleasure boaters to sustain the whole system in the long term. But then what do I know about it?

Talking of which last lock of the day, in we go, pull the blue, gates start to close but stop with inches to go. A whirring is heard for some five minutes but no closey baby!

Vnf man cometh. He try but bad news, he announces " technical problem" he gets on the phone. By now craft are waiting outside on both sides of the lock. At least we are in the best spot. The crew makes tea and Vnf man comes off the phone. I look expectedly. He shrugs " technical problem" suddenly there is a loud rushing water noise and Doucette drops. I look towards Vnf man. He laughs "we have good luck today it fixes itself"

All well and good but I had tied our lines off and with Doucette dropping alarmingly quickly the strain is already on the cleats. The crew is still below so it's down to the skipper who deftly leaps from the poop screaming for the knife. I am unbelievably lucky as I had only put one snatch on the cleat and with no time to spare manage to slip the line off and free it with a twang as the strain is relieved on the cleat. A real close shave. Vnf man is also relieved as he confirms all is ok and explains that the lock gates just suddenly cleared themselves and started the process without him initiating it. Phew.

We slip into Fontenoy and immediately notice Linden Lea tied alongside the quay outside of the Le boat offices. Barry is out in a thrice to help us with mooring and in the baking heat we have a catch up and barry suggests Pre dinner drinks on his boat at 6. He also advises that we have missed the boulangerie and Fiona very kindly donates half a baguette so we can at least have lunch.

Merguez baguettes do the job and then despite the searing heat, Collette states that she has to do the washing. Within a couple of hours the boat is draped in smalls and stuff and a quick shower and bottle of fizz in hand we head down the quay for a welcome snifter.

We enjoy a very pleasant evening discovering that both retired from the BBC 10yrs ago. Barry was involved in outside broadcasts and had covered all the big sporting events so we had loads to chat about. Fiona was a music specialist who directed the cameras for all the major opera screenings and the proms and was still in demand for her specialist work today. It was an entertaining evening and the fun really kicked in at 9 when a thunderstorm unleashed from nowhere. Oh my god the washing, cried the crew. The goodbyes were hurried to say the least and we dashed back to rescue the afternoons labours.

We changed eating plans and settled for a tin of lidles chilli with a bit of skippers nonsense jazz while the lightning flashed and the thunder rumbled slowly into the distance.

 

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