Barge Date:  09-14-2021

Up and Down the Nivernais

 This, we have been told, is one of the prettiest canals in all of France. Our judgement to follow.

The Nivernais is a canalized river.  It is the Yonne River that flows north from the high point of the canal - Sardy - to ultimately feed into the Seine. We are at one point on the river then off for a section of canal. Water levels this year are not a problem so the river and the canal are in a happy state. 

We went as far as Cuzy before we decided that we should turn around to make sure we arrive back in Auxerre in time to do more work on the boat and to get the boat ready for winter. I took some pictures and I have a few stories for you.

We expected to see a lot more hire boats on the water but instead it was reasonable. I, for one, like to be moving and having other boats coming does not bother me. You get to get out of the way and wave to the vacationers. One morning we started out thinking we would be alone in the locks but at the last moment a rather large rental entered behind us.  Not a problem as I can get real close to the front doors.  Six sailors on the rental, all with a Belgian connection of sorts. An Irishman seemed to be the captain. After the lock we were on a river section and the rental decided to pass us. Our fumes?  Anyway, for the next several locks they were in front. Going down in a lock is normally gentle so few concerns. 

Back on a canal section the rental is trying to crash his boat on the left bank. Are they trying to stop? Maybe it was someone else at the helm as we see the Irishman take over. They get a bit ahead and around a bend and as we get there we see a boat barely fitting cross-ways in the canal and something that looks like it might be a radio controlled boat in the water and moving along towards us. Once we determined it was our rental we connected the dots and realized that an umbrella - the RC boat we thought we  saw -  from their boat had blown off and they were trying to turn and recover. After much jockeying they made the turn and were able to get the umbrella.

At an upcoming lift bridge - Marianne has gotten off at  a regular bridge and walked forward to operate it - the Irish went through and then seemed not to want to clear the area. I am coming up on them and through, so I pass.  I do this knowing that we will be stopping soon and that there may be only one space for us. And we get the space.  Win some, lose some.

 

In the village of Vincelottes we are moored in a little basin.  Marianne has zeroed in on a fancy restaurant for the evening meal. We are greeted by the Chef/Owner and it is a good thing that I had cleaned up a bit. He gives us the menu, talks about specials, and I go for the fish that he says came in at a high weight and you almost never see them that way (does that mean they are better?). It was a nice meal, pretty plates and a nice dessert. So when I go to pay - he takes the money too - I can see the real cooks in the back room - I ask him about his story; how did this restaurant get started?

Forty-three years ago he found the location.  The previous 3 restaurants having gone belly up. His mom told him it was too small. But he worked at it, the restaurant worked, and he is obviously very successful.

So I throw some numbers at him.  We are off a barge that is 101 years old. Take that. And he comes back with a very uplifting story that has a tragic side to it. Forty-three years ago a lady and her family came in for her birthday and has never missed another year eating there on her birthday. She is now 104 years old and just celebrated at the restaurant with her family.  What is interesting and yet tragic is that she lives in a retirement home in town and she was the first to get COVID.  She survived. But then forty-one other residents died.

We have certainly been pacing ourselves. The engine barely gets warm before I am advised to moor. Thus we see a lot of villages. And when we stop we are hoping to find a bakery, a restaurant and someone that does ice cream up in a fancy way. What is the chance that for most of the stops these business are closed that day? Did not make for happy campers.

Tried to do some work on the lead acid batteries that start the engine. You have to crawl into the back of the boat to get close.  I want to check the water. These are the new batteries so I am removing the caps for the first time. Almost impossible.  Was able to do five.  The sixth cap was under some cables and just was not accessible.  So I get the wrench to maybe take the clamp off of the battery post. Sparks fly.

I did a post online to get some advice.  And it was mostly good. Insulate around the batteries - hey, it is a metal boat, the batteries are on a metal shelf and there is only six inches of clearance to more metal. Buy some insulated wrenches. That sounds good.  The best suggestion was from a guy that said when he put batteries in his boat some time in the past he never opened the caps.  They lasted seven years. Guess what I am going to do?

Have varnished all of the wheelhouse on the outside.  Could be better and I will work some more on it. Started chipping paint on the cabin roof.  I will treat for rust and prime with a couple coats of good marine paint. Next year the deck, the cabin, and the wheelhouse will all be worked on and painted by me and any person I can get to do it.  Who wants to take a trip next year?

Dungeon for sale.

 

 

 

 

In Cravant there is a dungeon for sale. It is a mighty big dungeon and includes a nice garden and living space in an adjoining building.  When we stop again Marianne wants to ask the lady owner and artist for a tour. It has been listed from 350,000 to 800,000 euros.  Sounds like we can get her down a bit.

She is selling the dungeon.

This is a church and other buildings at the top of a very sharp hill.

Tell the time?

The village of Clamecy has a history of wood, firewood. There came a time when Paris could not source enough wood for the winter heating and cooking. With improvements to the Yonne River a new industry was born. Trees were felled in the greater Clamecy area and positioned near the Yonne and smaller waters that fed the Yonne. Each log had an impression stamped into the end to identify the owner.  In the spring these logs, of a particular length - I think 1m14 - were pushed into the water and gathered at Clamecy.  Here the wood would be sorted by owner and great long rafts were created and then floated north to Paris where they were disassembled and sold.  This went on until coal was able to pollute the skies over Paris

Our new runner for the hallway on Lionel

This little French sweetheart wants to eat the new tomato.

So what do we think of the Nivernais?  We have seen a good many canals and the Nivernais is not near the top in terms of the views from the boat. Our earlier trip on the Burgundy gave better views. The Meuse River from Liege to northern France is better.  The trip from Toul to Strasbourg was very nice. We did not cover all the Nivernais and we may never do it all. But from this trip this canal is down the list.

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