Wednesday 29th August Pont D'ouche to Vendenesse-en-Auxois

Trip 10kms Departure 1pm Locks 11 of 426

I picked up my two baguettes at 10am. It had been another late start. Nick had told me that Bryony did a roti chicken on Wednesdays and her fat chips Were the best in burgundy. I enquired.

Won't be ready til noon. Why don't you wait and leave at 1pm

I felt I had no option.

Finished off prepping and choring on Doucette and suddenly it was noon and Bryony was heading up the pontoon with my chicken and fat chips.

We lunched early and luxuriantly. The chips were truly magnificent and the chicken was the best roti we had enjoyed. I had a monster chip baguette. Both chicken breasts were saved for Ron.

Farewells to nick and diane and the lovely Bryony and we slipped lines.

The run to vandenesse was glorious

 

Interesting stretches with steerage challenges for the skipper

 

 

And with the chateau a constant sight to savour.

We reached our picturesque overnight mooring

and went in search of a bar Found a jeweller living in a canal side cottage. She invited us in to look more closely, the hound checked us out from upstairs.

It was all jewellery and so I left pretty sharp ish and went to look at an artists work as he was sketching this cottage with the canal as a backdrop. The crew were ages so I went back to save her as I guessed she had been caught. She was fending off a 4800 € pitch for a very ornate and large sculptured dragon. It was an easy save for me.

We found a very quaint English run tea shop but no beer so I suggested to the crew we take the bikes and head back up to chateauneuf. I had a thing about cycling up that hill.

We were aware of a forecast orage bloody big storm to you and me, but the crew agreed and we set off. The climb was ridiculous and we walked the whole route. Both utterly shattered at the top but we ha made it.

Storm clouds were brewing. We took in the streets of this stunning town and visited a brocante shops before heading to the square for a quick drink.

We saw the clouds brewing and debated on wether we had time. The trip back would be very swift so it was a quick beer for me and a cold milk for the exhausted Collette.

The return was seriously steep and full brakes all the way down. It was pretty quick and we were soon at Doucette. Within 5 minutes, it was black we had a gale blowing and thunder and lightning. We had just enough time to batten her down before the rain started hammering down. Quite remarkable bit of timing that!

It lasted about half an hour with trees bending and debris flying past the boat. Extraordinary how quickly it had come and gone with such ferocity.

We settled in for chicken baguettes and smeds called and we had an hour catch up. Nice one! Bed by 11 was even quite nice!

 

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