Sunday 31 July (Missing King Alfred / Ice Cream and Basil at Fleury)
It’s Sunday morning and from here on in forget the rushing to and fro, we are going to laze, enjoy the sun, travel slowly, enjoy the food, enjoy the wine, and enjoy the people.
But it’s only 6.30am and already Topsy is being lively. She is yapping. Not usually her. Then we hear running water. Running water and telephones – why will she always bark at them. But there is no running water on the boat. Where is it coming from? We slide open a curtain and see that on the boat opposite the man is washing his boat (yes at 6.30am on a Sunday morning) and hosing it down from the drinking water supply.
It’s a free country, but..... We are minded to remind him that ever since King Alfred’s time an Englishman is entitled to reasonable peace and quiet between 11pm and 7am. But we are in France and he is a Fleming. Alas King Alfred did not get to Belgium, only John of Gaunt. Another failing to lay at John of Gaunt’s door. But maybe it’s not history but sociology we should take note of! Perhaps he is not really washing his boat. As with the man washing his car in the rain, this is not boat washing, but “uxorplacation”. His wife kicked him out of bed at 6am, and what else is there to do?
So today we have an early start. The dogs have a good long walk, but even when we are back at 8am he is still washing his boat. He must have done something really bad.
So we have a lazy breakfast, do some shopping at 9am and set off slowly at nearly 10.
Only a short distance today, and only two locks. And somewhere along here on the way down the canal the lockkeeper sold us beautiful courgettes. We must get some more. At the first lock the lockkeeper says not he, try the next one along. But the next is cared for by a pre-shaving student who has probably never tended a garden in his life. In it we are joined by a second boat, visitors from the Czech Republic.
We reach Fleury before midday, have a beer, before walking the dogs and a quiet lunch. Our Czech friends also stop for a beer and light lunch, and start to move off at about 12.15. The lock is only 5 minutes away, we say, and you can’t get through until 1pm. They stop, chat a little in our both stumbling German, and decide to have a sunbathe. In fact they don’t leave until 1.45pm. That’s right. It’s Sunday in France and the sun is shining.
It is getting quite hot now, so we treat ourselves to an ice cream each from the summertime café during a gentle post-lunch read and snooze. At 4pm Glyn ambles along to the next lock to book a passage for 9am tomorrow morning. Fine says the lockkeeper, and you can walk across my “no entry” passerelle any time. Glyn apologises, and they laugh. Do you need any vegetables? He asks. Ah! You are the courgette man? Certainly, you want courgettes? Can we get some tomorrow: Alas no. It is his day off tomorrow and he must work in his garden because of the storms on Tuesday (take note – storms on Tuesday). I’ll be back in mo, says Glyn. So he ambles back to the boat, and Linda and the dogs all go with him back to the lock.
The lockkeeper is effusive. Courgettes, lettuce, but sadly we do not need tomatoes. His are beautiful but we bought lots yesterday. Do you want any parsley, he says. Ah, no, but do you have any fresh basil? Basil! Basil? He says. Of course. How much do you want? And he gives Linda a tour of his extended garden. He really has made this a wonderland. He is very friendly. If ever you are passing this way again just call in, he says, I’m usually here. And the price we ask? Whatever you think, he says.
Monday 1 August (By-Passing Nevers and The Beauty of Guetin)
The next day we set off early. We were going to visit Nevers, but after several discussions decide against. It is not a pleasant walk from the port to the town, although the town is magnificent. And the port is not very good at all for the dogs. A day on board is not very fair on them. So we decide we will go straight on to Guetin.
After the first lock we are joined by our Flemish friends from Gannay. We are still a little peeved, but they are pleasant and friendly as we shout from boat to boat in the lock. Maybe we were having a bad day on Saturday. The journey up to Nevers is peaceful and beautiful. The Flemings turn off into Nevers, and we carry on gently past Plagny, mourning our lost mooring pin. Then the grind past Pont Carreau, rewarded as we reach the open spaces and the aqueduct over the Allier at Guetin. It is a beautiful day today.
Both dogs are on the rear deck looking out as we cross the aqueduct. Guetin is busy. People are swimming in the river. Lots of gongoozlers watch us cross the aqueduct and descend into the two deep locks. One young lady seems smitten, especially with the dogs. She videos our every move from entering the aqueduct until we exit the second lock. What will she do with it?
The moorings and the peace at Guetin are wonderful. Wide open spaces, and walks in all directions, the Lateral, the Allier and the disused but beautiful Lorrain canal.
We just snuggle in and moor, a couple from Great Yarmouth in front of us, and later the Czechs behind.
The dogs love this – walks, walks, walks.
Tuesday 2 August (Donner und Blitzen at Cours-les-Barres)
A much lazier day today, one lock and 9 kms. We arrive at Cours-les-Barres before lunch. A good space to moor on rings, with some lively Brits and Aussies on one side, with very quiet French on the other. Our French neighbours have a lovely husky but they are very precious about it. It has been bitten three times they explain and is very nervous. Can you ensure your dogs never come near him, they ask, and are locked on the boat when we take ours out. That is very sad.
We explore the quiet village again, and note that the restaurant at La Mole is still offering transport, but decide we might try the new cafe in the village. We need to use their loos before we go to bed! In fact it will be the first time we have eaten in a restaurant since we arrived (mind you, we have been treated to some excellent meals elsewhere, at Gien, Briare, and Decize.
What a delight. What is sad is that there are only us and a German family of four from Berlin. The service is very friendly, the choice of menu excellent, and the food to match. We were only going to have one or two courses but do the menu. Linda has pintadeau (guinea fowl) and Glyn has steak tartar (you know it’s “cru”, the waitress checks). Linda has an excellent salmon and prawn salad to start, and Glyn a goat’s cheese and tomato pesto. Why is this place not fuller?
We take the dogs for their late night walk and notice the thick black clouds darken. We recall the Fleury eclusier’s warning. How wrong he had had been. Today has been fantastic weather.
Well, it’s not over yet. We retire to bed just after 11pm. At 11.30 the sky seems eternally alight with sheet lightning. The tall trees opposite are almost touching the ground bent in the gale force wind. The thunder crashes. And then it rains, rains, rains. It thunders on the roof.
The dogs are startled. Shady in particular has never liked thunder and this is terrifying them. Topsy is trying to be a little bit braver, but crawls under the table. Shady needs cuddles and lots of re-assurance. She was digging into the floor in her fright. We manage to calm them. After an hour the storm subsides. Always take seriously what lockkeepers tell you!
Wednesday 3 August (A Quiet Visit to Beffes)
Today we only thought of going to Beffes – just 5 kms to Marseilles-les-Aubigny, two locks, 3 kms to Beffes and one lock there. However we also need to do some work with the boat and need to find a quiet place to do it. The weather is cloudy and cool, but reasonable given the overnight storm. We have to wait a little at Aubigny for upstream traffic. We are looking out for a suitable stopping point, but in doing so have to pass the moorings at Beffes. We finally are able to find what we need. Do we turn back to Beffes? Maybe another time. For certain another time. Today we decide we plough on to Herry, where the moorings are excellent, and the dogs can laze in the sun under the trees.
We get there before lunch. Our Berlin friends arrive, but only stay for lunch. The Odin and Carrie Anne arrive, and need some help getting ropes onto what are now a limited number of bollards. We walk and chat to the multiplicity of fishermen. It is good here they say, but only between 6 and 9pm. Were they joking? At 8.55 they are all still there. At 9.10 they are all gone.
This was otherwise a quiet day. Glyn does some rubbing down and touch-up painting, and plays boys’ games with the flags. Linda reads and reads and cooks.
Thursday 4 August (Staying on At Herry / Dogs Have Memories Too)
A nice long morning walk with the dogs. But we pass a garden end we passed in May which has three quite boisterous and loud dogs – one Mutt which is particularly aggressive (though in fairness under the control of its owner) accompanied by a Doberman and an Alsatian. They charge at Shady and Topsy. Shady stands her ground and refuses to be intimidated, but is careful not to give offence. Topsy is terrified, hangs back, cowers, and then speeds past faster than lightning as they are called back into their garden.
But otherwise it is a glorious morning. We walk for a long time and come back another way. The sun piercing the tall trees along the canal bank is just a beautiful sight.
The Morning Sun through the Trees at Herry
What did we do the rest of the day? We can’t remember, but it was beautiful and relaxing.
The next morning – STRIKE. In the morning walk Topsy is not going anywhere near those three dogs again. No, No, and No again. After 20 minutes of cajoling we go another way, and then get ready to set off again. As we pass by the dogs’ garden Topsy gives a round of barking at them, from the safety of the boat.
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