Sunday, April 1, 2012

Kicking Our Heels in the Sun (13-18 March)

What to do Next
Well now we are all ready to go but it is least this week before we know the canal will open.  We meet a few boaters, French, Belgian (Claude from the Garance) and Brits – Peter is tidying up the Elsie May while his wife is grandchild sitting in Australia.  Steve and Marie on the Eos, but will be popping back to Blighty after Easter before going out.   There is also the Mandrella, a small sail ship, in the Port du Commerce with three Brits who have been waiting a month to get through to the Med.  We chat to them while dog walking.  There are various rumours of what’s wrong and how long the canal will stay closed.

The Ever Helpful VNF Man
 We decide to go to the VNF (French Waterways) Sub-Division Office which is in Briare and get information direct from horse’s mouth.  The chief engineer is very friendly and helpful, invites us in and draws a diagram to explain the problem.  Water is leaking from the canal wall and they don’t know where it is going. A specialist inspection from Blois has just arrived to do some depth sounding.  However it may be building inside the bank, in which case they have a major problem.  If not it may require only a little work.  He suggests we telephone his colleague on Thursday (he himself is off to Portsmouth to see his son, and looking forward to visiting England) when it might be possible to get through at the weekend.

Heavenly Sunshine
Meanwhile the cold of last week has gone away, and temperatures are now reaching the mid 20s.  If we are stuck, it couldn’t really be a better place to be. Briare is a beautiful town.  We visit the art exhibition recommended by Philippe and Claude Albagli.  Well worth seeing.  The artist doesn’t seem to be able to get the perspective of the human body quite right, but his facial portraits are very good.  We walk a lot, especially along the Loire. 

Linda and the Girls walking the Loire in the Sunshine

The Pont Canal Stands Firm - Even If Not Crossable

Also just along from us two swans are nesting.  We have to walk the dogs past them every morning.  They are very protective and the cob can be quite vicious.  Topsy soon learns not to try to visit swans on the nest.

Swans on the Nest in the Early Morning

 Thank God for Kindles
We read a lot.  Linda has long been a slave to her Kindle, and Glyn got one recently.  But they are a boon when you have time on your hands to sit quietly.  Linda gets through a book every day or so, while even Glyn manages two in a week.  We also manage to inspect the Pont Canal.  Definitely no water.

The Pont Canal Drained of Water

E-mails, Maps, and French Connections
Back in January we ordered some additional canal maps, including some of this area.  Only one arrived before we left.  But as you can guess, now we are here we get a (helpful) email saying another has now been sent to home in England.  Then we remember that Annie (who-she? – well Annie-C’est-Moi of course) is going over to Malmesbury for the weekend with her grand-daughter to help set-up some work experience (Annie needs it).  She is staying with Tim and Maureen, so we call and ask could they can see if the map is in the house.  Will it work?  We do abuse our friendships.

An Unexpected Visitor
Thursday afternoon we have just rung the VNF to see how the works are going on the canal bank.  A very helpful young lady explains they are underway, but it will be at least until the 22nd (another week) until the canal can open – with the emphasis it seems on the “at least”.  Just as we are absorbing that there is knock on the roof of the boat.  A very smart lady asks if we are Glyn and Linda?  Yes?   Ah!  It’s Corine’s mum.  (Corine lives in Malmesbury now: Jeremy works for Dyson).  Her parents live at Chatillon(-sur-Loire). Agnes (Mum’s name) emphasises the sur-Loire, but then there a lot of Chatillons in France.   We have a cup of coffee and a long chat, and get invited over for Sunday cakes (Sunday tea as we would say in England).  That was a very pleasant surprise.

All change at the weekend
The weather dips at the weekend.  When Glyn takes the dogs out Saturday morning the roof of the boat is covered with frost.  The sun is strong, but even when he comes back a hour later the frost is still there on the unsunny side.

Sun and Frost in the Space of an Hour

 We visit Agnes and Jean-Loup on Sunday.  We are lucky because it is raining hard and haling outside.  It’s so nice to be inside chatting, and we even have a Skype/Webcam link-up with Jeremy and Corine, who’s just had another 21st birthday.   The cakes are gorgeous.  And we’ll never call Pain Perdu French toast, not when it comes with rum and vanilla in the mix.  While on the other side of the Loire we pop up to St Firmin to see the canal works.  Not much to see really – a digger and an empty canal. 

Well we’ve had a lovely week, and will have to see now how next week goes.






No comments:

Post a Comment