Barge Date:  07--2019

Bar-le-Duc and other places

Heading east on the Marne-au-Rhin.  We have been seeing notices about heavy weed growth at a number of locations.  Does not seem to be rhyme or reason why some spots have it and others don't.  Some have speculated that because the canal water is much clearer than it was even 5-7 years ago the additional sunlight is the important ingredient. Solutions vary from bring on the pollution and make the water dirty to importing a type of carp.  Our first night on the canal we had no regular place to tie up so we pulled ourselves into the weeds for a secure mooring.

Spent the next night moored to a bank in a little town that had only a bakery.  But we walked about a mile to a large grocery.  Had a nice lunch at the restaurant next door to the food store. Took some  pastries off the hands of the baker and had a good goùter.

The next day we departed early only to be held up by a bridge that needs a human controller.  Then made for the marina in Bar-le-Duc.  Sounds like a nice name for a town.  One meaning is a "preserve made from gooseberries or white or red currants".  It became the Duchy of Bar in 1354.

As is the case for so many old towns, the old part is up something and the newer "developments", say in the last 400 years, are down a bit lower. Modern Bar-le-Duc inhabits the lower area. Here are some views of both sides of the town:

  The video below show the largest "collection" of Renaissance buildings in France.

The weather has been very hot, but it seems to be wilting.  Just stay out of the sun.  It is on to the small town of Ligny-en-Barrois. You never know what to expect in terms of mooring space. This is one of our best efforts.  As you can see from the picture, we have fitted the barge into a 24-meter space. But not without some excitement.  There was a fisherman on the wall (on the right side of the picture) were we would have preferred to tie up, but being softhearted, I went for the difficult spot. Nice and slow.  The fisherman apparently did not want to move back his equipment spread out on his wall.  The stern missed the wall, but a small anchor hanging on the stern picked up his net of caught fish.  No damage, but come on. It was difficult enough to fit in the space, the least he could have done was help a little.  Marianne spoke with him; no damage, but he said he paid for a fishing license, and he had a right to be there.  Boats have priority, but what can you do?

The town was interesting if you take some time to visit it.  There was a walking tour we took and here are some of the views.

We had several nice meals in town and one night sat beside an American couple on a newly built barge.  Living onboard all the time; home port is Paris. 

There has been some excitement on the water.  Weeds and water level not being what they should be. Getting to Ligny was OK most of the way, but between two locks it was as if someone had let the water out.  We were on the bottom and barely able to make way. Limped into the lock and called the canal people as this might not be something they were aware of.  They said all was OK and they would add water if needed. Right.

Leaving Ligny, we moved ahead to Treveray.  Regular problems with the locks slowed us down. At our second lock we were held up for two hours.  Finally one of the canal people said he had made a mistake with the gates and the water level ahead was low.  It was, but not as bad as the run into Ligny.  Gradually the level increased from lock to lock. Hoping for some ice cream in town but none to be found.

Friday - a very long day as we did 22 locks and one 5k tunnel.  . The tunnel -  getting too good at this.  An hour in the tube then 12 locks to get to anywhere, which was Void-Vacon.  Shared wall with a big barge but no one around.  Giant grain facility here and wheat is now coming off the fields so lots of activity.  Nice meal in town that we shared with half the village people.

Tomorrow we begin to travel water we did last year.  This will be just for a short time then turning south.