From the Bar to the Moselle (6 –16 July)

Climb to the Summit

So Saturday morning we give the dogs a good walk and then deliver the car to the warden’s office at the campsite.  A Dutch boat the Esox wants to go first so we agree and give them 20 minutes’ start.  We say that we will moor at Tréveray but there is also Naix-aux-Forges.  They will look to see which they prefer.

There are 12 locks and 13 kms to Tréveray. Linda again is on the bicycle between locks, ready to take the ropes from below.  It is a very warm day.  She has water but by the time we reach Tréveray just after 13h00 she is very hot and exhausted.

A student lock-keeper takes our details as we leave Ligny, then a few locks later she pops by to check we are OK.  She is very keen to do a good job.  Born and raised in Ligny she is now a student in NSW, but doesn’t have a work or permanent visa.  She is applying for one with her Australian boyfriend, but it is a slow process she says.  And it’s the same whether you are married or not.

As we ascend we can see the top of the hills before us, now interestingly populated with wind turbines.  They do not jar though in this wide open landscape.

The Summit of Wind Turbines – old and new technology together

At Tréveray we meet up with the Esox, and exchange names but alas do not write them down.  All our dogs from both boats are allowed to run and play together.  Then we are joined by a German couple who have to get to Hamburg (with boat) in a couple of weeks, so they will be off first tomorrow.  The Esox will linger a day longer here, while we will move on later in the morning.

 German, Dutch, British moored in a row at Tréveray

Oucheka’s Walks

In the morning we find some long walks for the dogs.  We meet an ex-water worker who lives three locks on and walks his dog Oucheka 10 kms every morning.  We share a fair bit of the walk together and Oucheka – only 10 months old - quickly puts Topsy in her place.  We wave and chat to other residents and walkers as if we’d lived here for years. 

Oucheka and his servant descending from the hills above Tréveray

And so we set off for the summit.  It is very warm again, but there is some breeze, and the shade from the avenues of beech trees helps a lot.

Avenues of Beech Help Keep Cool on the Final Rise to the Summit

We pass Oucheka’s home.  He said we would recognise it by the donkeys.

Oucheka’s Home in the Hills Above the Locks 

Dreaming of Barley Water (or Something Else)

But it is getting warmer.  Linda spots the beautiful field of barley behind one of the locks, but says it only makes he think of the beer she could do with!

Brilliant Acres of Barley

Sweltering – Dreaming of those Barley Products

We finally reach the last uphill lock.  We hand in our tele-commande, and book to take the tunnel at 09h15 tomorrow morning.  Absolutely no problem, he says.  The last lock has a beautiful boatful of flowers to greet you to the summit.

A Boat Full of Flowers Greet You at the Summit 

And then, 100 metres further on you have to turn left.   The directional signs only give you one option.

Only One Option at the Summit (Unless You Turn Around Of Course)

If you do turn round you get a beautiful view of the lock and the hills behind.

The Last Lock Set in Its Hills

We moor up behind the old dead electric tug, clearly gone to the haven in the sky.

One Former Electric Tug Finding its own Nirvana

The water is clear – you can see the vegetation below.  We take the girls for a good walk and then they are free to wander as they like.  A peaceful, idyllic afternoon.

You Can See the Water Vegetation at the Bottom of the Canal

At 18h15 we hear some slight stirring and another boat is coming up from the lock.  Then we realise this is a commercial boat.  He will have priority in the morning going through the tunnel, and that could cause us a problem as we have a rendezvous at Void at 15h00, and if we cannot go until the 13h30 passage we won’t make it.

Barging In

The barge moors smack in front of us, but out from the old tug, making it very clear he is going to take first passage in the morning.  We let him settle, then go up to have a chat.  There is a whole family on board, mum and two girls as well as skipper.  He is relaxed and easy.  Yes, he is off first thing in the morning as he has to get Nancy.  No, we will not be able to follow him into the tunnel, only one boat is allowed at a time.  You will have to speak to Bar-le-Duc in the morning, he advises.

Taking Precedence – Industrial Barge at the Summit

There is nothing we can do until morning.  We give the dogs an early walk and then ring Bar-le-Duc at 08h30.  They are helpful and considerate.  They thought the barge would have arrived in time to go through last night.  They are very sorry.  He is right about industrial barges only allowed through as single boats.  They give out a lot of fumes and with the ventilation system it is best not to have other boats in the tunnel at the same time.  Pleasure craft can go 2 or 3 together.

But yes, we will be able to go in the morning.  As soon as he has cleared the tunnel they will let us in at this end.  He is preparing to leave.  We ask what time he expects to get to Void.  Oh, about 14h00 he says, not earlier.  And of course we can’t overtake him even if we catch up with him after the tunnel.  Oh well.  We’ll have to see how it goes.

 We prepare the boat for the tunnel.  Although we could easily leave our back canopy up we prefer to take it down.  Glyn cycles up to the entry to the tunnel (a good 1 km in itself) to see if the VNF agent is there.  The girls run after him.  This is really good exercise for them.  Unfortunately the VNF man coming in his van behind is only half amused, the other half irritated that the dogs aren’t on leads.  But he is not too bad.  We get told they will call us as soon as we can go through.

At 09h45 we get a wave to get ready and proceed up to the tunnel entrance.  A red light but a hand wave to come forward and we have a good conversation. He is waiting to hear the barge has cleared the other end, and then we can go.  And we get the “all clear” at 10h15.

Waiting at the Tunnel Entrance

And then we’re on our way.  The tunnel is well lit and we can make steady progress.  We take just the hour to clear the 5kms.

 A well lit tunnel, but good to see light at the end 

The Scenery Changes

Now it’s downhill all the way.  12 locks to Void where we will moor the night, but so easy for us compared to going uphill.  The hillsides here though look more barren and rocky, whereas the other side was wooded and green.

A slightly more barren aspect on the Mauvage side of the tunnel

We are proceeding well, but at lock 10 we have caught up with the barge.  It is already 13h30 and we will struggle to make Void by 15h00.  We ring the taxi company and they are happy to re-arrange for 15h30.

The taxi service and we are back with the car at Void before 17h00.  We pick up the girls and meander down the canal to look at further moorings at Pagny-sur-Meuse and Lay-St-Remy.  We are now in the Meuse valley as she flows north through Belgium to the Netherlands (the Maas as in Maastricht) before crossing once again to the Moselle.

Both moorings are very good and rural, though set at the edge of villages.  No water and electricity but very pleasant indeed.  We return to Void for a quiet evening and night.  We are moored against the VNF office.  We can use their water, and yes, they are happy if we park the car in their yard.

It is peaceful, though the church opposite continues ringing the hour all through King Alfred’s hours of night silence.  Nevertheless, we awake in the morning, open the curtains, and there is one the most beautiful water reflections you could hope to see with sore eyes.

Morning reflections at Pagny-sur-Meuse

Tourists for a Day

Today we are going to have a tourist day.  No cruising. After a sprightly dog walk and lazy breakfast we amble into town to find the post office.  Then we go off to visit two local towns about 5-6 miles away.

The first – Commercy (also on the Canal de Meuse) – is advertised as having the summer palace of a former King of Poland, now converted into the Town Hall.  We joke as we drive along that it will be either a very impressive Town Hall, or a very disappointing palace.  See for yourself which!

The Town Hall at Commercy

And the gates before the horse parade.

The Entry Gates to the Town Hall

And the Avenue leading to the Horse Parade

This King Stanislaw, famous also for the Stanislas Square in Nancy (we naughtily call him Staszek) was alas first a Swedish then a French protected claimant to the Polish throne after the break up of the Poland-Lithuanian Federation, and was never really the effective king of Poland.  But his daughter married Louis XV and when finally he was deprived of the Polish throne he was made Duc du Lorraine et de Bar (there we are, the Bar again), hence the local connection.  He was an ancestor of both Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette.  How much bad luck can one man have?  Well more!  It could be argued that his weakness and folly also led to the partition of Poland which took place only a few years after his death (though 30 years after his last claim to be king).

Anyway, after wandering around and having a lovely cup of coffee in the town square (horse parade) with the dogs at our feet we then head to other side of Void and Vaucouleurs.  More history as this was the town where Joan of Arc had her dreams and persuaded the local lord that she had a mission to save France for the King and Dauphin.  And it was from here that she left on her fateful journey in 1429.  It was worth a visit, but they have not particularly protected this heritage. 

The “Porte de France” from which Joan of Arc Marched Out to save the Kingdom

But somehow it was touching little town, and more modern aspects made us think of a little town in England.

Vaucouleurs – Beautiful Flowers in the Street

Vaucouleurs – the local Ironmonger

But there was more to see:

The Joan of Arc Tree at Vaucouleurs

View Over the Town and Valley from the Porte de France

After a morning of tourism we thought we should do something boat-wise so later in the afternoon we drove down to Toul, and popped into Lorraine Marine where we to moor and then leave the boat.  Duncan Flack, the owner, had more boats in than he expected and though he could shuffle around we all realised that mooring and getting on and off with the dogs would be a bit problematic, so we would hang back on the country moorings, and only come into the boatyard to leave her there while we were back in England.  We discussed the various little jobs needing attention, so it was successful from that aspect.  It many ways this was a better outcome.  Toul would be having firework displays over the weekend (12-14 July) and the dogs would be very discomfited during those.

We popped into the port at Toul (Port de France) and booked a mooring for the next Monday.  We had to check out though where there was enough space for an 18m30 boat.  We found one at 20 metres, though it would be fun doing the mooring.

Crossing the Meuse

So Tuesday we cruised the whole of 12 kms and no locks and moored up at Pagny-sur-Meuse, doing little else except sus out where to get shopping, diesel and gas cylinders. 

We cross the Meuse river itself but are still just in the Meuse department.

The Pont canal over the Meuse at Troussey

Glyn cycles back by road to get the car.  The canal meanders a lot here and the road is half the distance, though you have to use the towpath part of the way as no-one (in their right mind) would cycle on the RN 4 from Void. Or was he just avoiding having to cycle over the Pont Canal!

And the River Meuse Below the Aqueduct

Wednesday was a work day.  First we filled up with diesel.  With jerry cans from the local garage this always takes a while.  But we only took 140 litres, though probably could have squeezed in another 20.  We are pleased with how economical the engine has been, especially as we have switched off in almost all locks for the whole period, so there has been no idling time.  After that Linda does the inside scrubbing and cleaning, while Glyn does some sanding and repainting on the outside.  Some days have to be like this on a boat. 

The crew meanwhile just look on. It was lazy, very warm day.  At least one member of the crew thought it was cooler in the car under the trees for her afternoon nap.

I’m Quite Happy here, Thank You – Moored at Pagny in the Shade

Mechanical Failure – Strasbourg Cut Off from France

The two British boats who were moored overnight move on down to Toul, and we are joined by a Dutch colleague.  We discuss our various journeys and destinations.  Ah!  You are going to Strasbourg, he says.  “Have you heard that the St. Louis / Arzvillier Inclined Plane developed mechanical problems and is out of action.  It may be out of action for some time.  Getting to Strasbourg from here this year may be a problem.”

We look on the VNF website.  He is definitely right and it looks like it may be out of action until end September or even December.  We will need to make further enquiries.  This “lift” for boats (you descend inside a lock which is lowered like an enormous bath tub) has replaced 17 locks and is 45m downhill.  If it is out action we will have to rethink our August / September cruising.

Tourists Again?

Enough of that for now.  Thursday we have a quiet morning with the girls, and finish off some jobs.  For the afternoon we are going to leave the girls in the cool of the boat, and be tourists again, taking the train into Nancy. 

Nancy is quite an industrial city, but attractive as well.  The Stanislas Square is impressive.  We visit the Quais Sainte Catherine and Saint Georges and note that mooring at St George should be OK.  We take some lunch at the excellent and economical Cafe Opera, and then visit the Musée de l’Ecole de Nancy for a brilliant exhibition of Art Nouveau with which even Glyn is impressed.  Unfortunately we have forgotten how to turn the flash off on the camera so cannot really take pictures.  (We finally work it out when back on the boat.)

Stanislas Square in Nancy – Wide and Open 

Amazing Gilt at the Portals to the Square

And Even More Finery in the Arches (Toul 7)

Art Nouveau showing Miners at Work 

Then back to the girls.  We have spent two hours walking on concrete and one hour in a museum.  We are very hot, but in the boat with the air and breeze from the canal they are beautifully cool.  But they want to run around outside and we are enjoying the cool air.

A Slow, Easy Day

Friday we move the boat just a few more kilometres down to Lay St Remy.  Finally we cross into Meurthe-et-Moselle (dare we say Lorraine proper as opposed to Bar!)  We have to take another tunnel on Monday to get into the Moselle valley.  We need to forewarn the lock-keepers so Glyn decides to take the dogs to try to find a footpath to speak to them personally.

 The towpath is very rough and then disappears completely.  He sees a path over the hill and tries that.  He bumps into a forester more surprised to see him than he is to see the forester, who says there is way over, not too far.  They climb and climb.  It is hot, dry, rocky, no shade and no water.  Topsy doesn’t want to go on but they keep trying.  They start to descend but it seems endless.  The church bells chime midday.  “Mad dogs and Englishmen” come to mind, but the dogs aren’t mad (yet) and Glyn is less than half an Englishman.  Eventually they decide to turn back.  Linda wonders where they have been.  We all consult the map and we find that the path they were walking goes on into Foug village, and not the other end of the tunnel.  But they’ve certainly had a good walk, and after lunch all anyone wants is an afternoon sleep.

In the evening the L’Heritage comes in and moors alongside.  We help moor up, and then Ian, Jenny and Owen from Co. Durham have a coffee, beer and tea with us, according to preference.  They are in a share and hoping to get to Chaumont by the end of the month when American partners will take over.  We discuss mooring options and also opportunities in Toul when we go through.  And later we have drinks and nibbles together on the lawn in the shade before all we go back to eat

.

Fete Nationale

And gosh, it’s already July 14^th.   It’s very quiet here.  The L’Heritage sets off.  We discuss flagging up, but there is no-one to see us and it is a lot of work putting them up and then getting them down.  Gosh, we are getting lazy.  But we salute the Republic in our way.

Glyn sets off for a walk with the dogs in the morning, and, delightfully, discovers a beautiful round walk along the canal, through woodland, through marshes but with walkways erect to get you over the worst marshland, and then through beautiful open farmland and finally the small quiet village in which we are moored.

Misty Marshes at Lay St Remy

What’s This Contraption

Shaded Woods for an Afternoon Walk

The rest of morning is spent – ahem – keeping cool and blogging.

The 15^th we pass the Foug tunnel and head down Toul.  We have been warned that the lock keeper at Foug can be difficult but we telephone ahead before we leave and he is easy.  No need to book, he says, I’ll see you when you get here.   A German cruiser nudges ahead and we take the tunnel and go into the lock together.  Glyn is wary of the bolted bollard at the back of the lock as it is a deepish lock and the ropes can be trapped by the bolts, making it impossible to get them off.  He waves to the lockkeeper who says, before Glyn can speak, best not to us that bollard, and they agree a diagonal moor would be best.  This also keeps us clear of the fairly large sill at the back of the lock, which we have enquired about.  The lockkeeper smiles.  “I’m glad some people are alert” he says.  "So many come up the Meuse and this is the first downhill lock they’ve used for ages.  They get so stroppy when you remind them to be careful about the sill and the bollard!"  Is this why they think he’s stroppy, when he’s only trying to help?

We lock all the way with the German cruiser to Toul.  They are easy and helpful locking companions, but they are going straight on to Nancy.  We wave a goodbye as we turn into the beautiful port at Toul.

The Port de France at Toul 

Flowers Bedeck the Road at the Port de France

The mooring we expected is full and we are told by another boat owner to moor in a corner which is less than ideal.  When the harbour master’s deputy arrives he explains his problem and we look at various alternatives, but as it is only one night it seems best to stay where we are. We find some temporary solutions to steady the boat at her mooring.

Overnight youngsters and a family are having a good evening just along from the boat.  This is all very pleasant until it gets dark and they are still there, some of the teenagers more than a little happy, and younger kids messing with our electrical cable.  We suggest it’s time they left, and after some gentle and then more robust exchanges they move away and finally go home..  It’s good they can enjoy their own town as long as we can achieve mutual respect.

Toul itself is a beautiful town, walled and surrounded by defensive mounds, with the Moselle along one side.  The cathedral is more than interesting, with a beautiful cloister.

The Front Facade at Toul Cathedral

The Cloister Gardens at Toul

Don’t Pick the Flowers with this Guy Overhead

Any way next day we slip down early to the boat yard two locks away.  The lockkeeper is our friend from yesterday.  Ah! Yes.  You are only going down to the boat yard he says, not yet to the Moselle. We have friendly exchange and he also sets the lift bridges to open for us.

By midday we have unloaded from boat to car, discussed the few works needed with Duncan who runs the boat yard, and are on our way home, with an overnight stay at Remilly-Allicourt, would you believe it, on the Canal de Meuse.  The girls get an evening walk along the canal which is still very warm.  An excellent meal, an early walk with the dogs, and then we are off to Bleriot-Plage before an early morning shuttle on the car train to England.

Courtyard Dining at Remilly-Allicourt

The drive now takes us right through WW1 country, which is clearly gearing up somewhat for 2014.  Nevertheless the number of cemeteries and war graves you see brings to mind what an horrendous war that was, and how uncaring it was about loss of life. 

Bleriot-Plage is pleasant enough though more difficult to find walks for the dogs.  We walk through the dunes which sadly have people who are clearly bivouacking overnight in them, some for choice no doubt, but others clearly for need.  So the journey home brings us down to earth. It makes us appreciate how lucky we are.

So next the Moselle – and then where?? Alas not Strasbourg which will remain cut off until next year.  Maybe the Sarre (Saar).

From the Marne through the Barrois (30 June – 5 July)

Go East Young Man

So Sunday 30 June and we set off for Lorraine and then the Rhine.  The Baturi goes off first.  We make our goodbyes to the Cirrus who are heading west and then north to Belgium.

We pass the entrance to the Canal Lateral a la Marne which they will take, which then wends its way down through Champagne country to the Seine.

The first part of Lorraine is called the Barrois.  In the days of monarchy the Duc du Lorraine was in fact Duc du Lorraine et de Bar.  Its main town – prefecture of the present day department of Meuse – is Bar-le-Duc.

The Lateral a la Marne Goes West, and we go East

We follow the Baturi.  At the first lock we agree it will be easier to lock separately and we hold back to let them go on (well, they are ahead).

We don’t see any other boats.  We are only doing 4 locks and 14 kms.  Our problem is that we need Linda ashore at each lock to fix ropes at the top of the quay which we cannot reach from the bottom of the lock.  But there is nowhere at two of the locks to put her ashore except  at the platforms which hold the sensors (“cellules”) which track our approach to the lock and operates it for us to enter.  In both cases the sensor system fails.  Is it co-incidence?  We will have to find out.

A Beautiful Quiet Spot on the Saulx

Its 1pm before we reach Bignicourt, which is a beautiful little spot.  A French boat the Fauvette is already moored there.  We introduce ourselves and say we are staying only one night, as are they.  They remember us (or at least the dogs) from Cours-les-Barres was it last year or the year before.  But we do not get any further information.  They have a boxer and sadly it is not possible for the dogs to run loose in the otherwise empty mooring area.

Moored at Bignicourt with the Fauvette moored behind us (014)

This is indeed a beautiful spot.  Behind us in the village an old chateau has been beautifully restored.

The Renovated Chateau at Bignicourt Looks Over the Halte Nautique

While on the other side the river Saulx runs parallel to the canal, already wide though shallow and rippling over the stones in gorgeous beauty.

While on the other side the Saulx makes it way down to the Marne

In the afternoon we check out Pargny which is our next planned stop just 6 kms and 4 locks.  We bump into Jim and Julia on the Baturi again, and now we suggest we are stalking them.  This is a pleasant spot too, with the added bonus of water and electricity though at a small charge.

Back at Bignicourt we discover walks nearby right out into the countryside away from the canal, and have a quiet relaxed evening.

And the Morning Sun Shines on a Beautiful Rustic Walk

And in the distance as we walk there are cattle gently taking their morning feed.

And Cattle Feeding in the Morning Mist

Mustn’t let the dogs too near to them.

Shady and Topsy enjoying their morning stroll (020)

So we set off at 9am for just the short distance to Pargny.  The weather is warm and pleasant.  Putting Linda ashore is not too problematic, but at two of the four locks the sensor system fails and we have to await the VNF man to operate the locks.  It takes till 1pm as a result.

Cargoes Do Make a Boat

As we moor a major cargo boat quite heavily laden goes by.  It reminds us that this was a major industrial highway, but now there are only occasionally industrials.  Pargny as a mooring is pleasant, also offering good opportunities for dog and person walking.

Moored at Pargny while a Heavily Laden Cargo Boat Plies Its Way

The restaurant near the mooring seems to be very popular.  As we arrive we see three gendarmerie cars and one police nationale.  We wonder if a raid is going on, but no, more likely this is just a good place for them to lunch. Unfortunately by the time we are moored it is too late to try it, and it is not open in the evening.

Three Gendarmerie and One Police Car Lunch Here: Or Are They Master Criminals (023)

From Pargny we will start some more serious work, with 12 locks and 13 kms to our next stop at Revigny.  

We ring the control centre at Bar-le-Duc to tell them that is our destination tomorrow.  We also mention that the mechanisms of 4 of the first seven locks have failed us.  Is there a system problem, is it something we are doing or is it just bad luck?  Just “mauvaise chance” he says, without enquiring what we might be doing to affect the system.

We pop along in the car to Revigny to have a look, and also to ask if we can park there.  Once again we are stalking the Baturi just ahead of us.  We call in at the VNF works.  They are very happy for us to park our car there.  We discuss the lock problem.  It really is just bad luck they say, though some thing (before us) has triggered some malfunctioning.  In their opinion our manoeuvring around the sensor might make it think there are two boats and so the gates might take a long time to close, but we are doing nothing to stop them opening.

We are relieved but decide that from tomorrow Linda will cycle between the locks, not because we might be affecting the sensors, but because we would be taking up so much time putting her ashore before each lock.

The weather is getting warmer and more humid, though at the start of the day it is quite pleasant.  After a couple of locks we pass yesterday’s cargo boat returning unladen.   It is surprising (or perhaps not) how much higher in the water these boats are when unloaded, but also how low in the water they must be when fully loaded.

Cargo Boat Returning Unladen:  She’s This High without her Cargo

As we approach Revigny there are too major Mittal Arcelior plants.  Not sure what they make here, but they dominate the town.  Was this the destination of our cargo boat?

Mittal Dominates the Skyline at Revigny

It is getting hotter and hotter.  There is little shade for Linda working the towpath and quayside.  But she sticks at womanfully, but is pleased to get in the shade when it is all over.

But the Workers work in the Poppies Too

The Maginot Line

Revigny-sur-Ornain.  We are now out of the Marne department in Champagne and in Meuse, Lorraine.  Lorraine, named after Lothair, grandson of Charlemagne and himself the third Holy Roman Emperor.  Can anyone remember this history better than us?  Everyone seemed to have nicknames (Charles the Bald, Charles the Fat, Peppin the Short, Louis the German) except poor old Lothair himself.  We recall he chose the Eastern Frank kingdom, no doubt to rule all the others, but with all those unruly relatives he ended up with not much at all.  Though at one time the Dukedom of Lorraine rivalled that of Burgundy, and of France itself, until overrun by those two unruly neighbours in various 15^th-17^th century wars.

We also discover that Revigny’s most famous son was André Maginot.  What we didn’t know was that he was Deputy (MP) for Bar-le-Duc in 1911 so even in the 1870-1918 period this part of the Meuse must have been still in France.  As Minister of War in the early ‘20s he set up his famous defensive line across eastern France, only for it later to be so easily circumvented.  A second thing we didn’t know was that he died in 1924, so long before his famous creation fell into disrepute.

We are joined at the moorings by a Belgian family, and again although we chat a lot somehow we don’t get names.  And later John and Izzie McDonald on the Spring Tide arrive, travelling fast from Leicester to points east.

We took to Revigny, but the weather became hotter and more oppressive.  Until that night it broke, and we had rain most of the night.  Luckily this made for a cool and refreshing morning, though more rain hovered over us.  The landscape opened out again, with a lovely rural aspect around the industrial towns.

From here the canal will follow the Ornain valley (more or less parallel with the Saulx) up to its summit, and then through the Meuse valley and over to the Moselle. We set off at first locking with the Spring Tide, but we quickly both agree it will be easier to lock separately so we let them speed ahead. 

 Wooded Hills after Revigny

Giving Bar-le-Duc a Pass

Our next stop is Fains-les-Sources, just short of Bar-le-Duc which is one of the former frontier posts of Lorraine.  The moorings here are all taken up by seemingly permanent residents.  However the Spring Tide is still there when we arrive.  One failed lock needing to call out the VNF, and a swing bridge closed until 12h30, and we have caught up with them. They move on when the bridge opens, and we are able to moor easily along the bank, the quay being fully occupied, but this is better for the dogs as they have a free area to run.  It is a little noisy, however, with freight trains nearby running all through the night.

Linda gets quite wet during the trip up.  The sudden showers are not long but quite fierce.  The little town of Fains-les-Sources is quite pleasant with an imposing hilltop church, a functional but pleasant Mairie, and even some small canals running through the streets.

The Church at Fains-les-Sources

And the Mairie “En Face”

Canals in the Streets

Glyn cycles back to get the car from Revigny and then we go forward to explore Bar-le-Duc and Tronville.  We get slightly lost in Bar-le-Duc (only we could do that).  The town centre is very nice, but the rest of the town seems higgledy-piggledy and worn down a bit.  Worse for us the small Port is wedged between a major road and an even more major railway line, with a road system at one end and industrial waste land at the other.  Nowhere conceivably to exercise the dogs.   We become wary of staying here, and although it will be a long hike we go on to look at the village of Tronville some 11 kms and 11 locks further on.

Here the moorings are delightful and rural, almost perfect.  A family from Bar-le-Duc have their boat here, but it has broken down.  Granddad has to make the 400 kms round trip to Dijon tomorrow to get the part he needs.  Grandma is staying on board to look after the boat, with one of the granddaughters.  They are pleased to chat away with us, and we say we are coming up with the boat tomorrow.   Then we decide it would be better to leave the car here tonight, so after 13 kms earlier in the afternoon, at 6pm Glyn will come back again and then cycle the 16kms back to Fains-les-Sources.  Come on, this is trivial in Tour de France terms.

“En Panne” at Tronville

While Glyn is doing this Linda has entertainment of her own.  Back at Fains-les-Sources a frogman has decided to dive around the canal opposite the boats.  What is he searching for?  No it turns out just a “pompier” doing some rescue exercises. 

 Frogman to the Rescue: No This is Fains-les-Sources

And now it’s Glyn’s turn to get soaking wet.  The rain holds off for 14 of the 16 kms back from Tronville, and then just showers him to be soaked through along the last pound.

So Thursday morning we set off for the 15 locks to Tronville.  The car is already there, and the weather is again cool after the rain of yesterday, but the sun is shining and gently warming.  We pass through Bar-le-Duc with its industrial edge, though looking pleasant in the sun. There are three lift bridges across roads into the town as well as the 5 locks, but we take it slowly in our stride.

Lift Bridges in Song at Bar-le-Duc

We actually get to Tronville by 2pm, so are well pleased with our progress.  Grandma and 13 year old granddaughter are still looking after their boat.  The youngster is certainly not sure of Topsy, and we spend the next 18 hours trying to make the two of them friends.  It seems the family is pure “Lorrainien”, Granddad originally from Metz and Grandma from Nancy but now both at Bar-le-Duc.  We don’t get any names but the youngster has quite good if basic English which she practises a little.  But she doesn’t like school, and is glad the holidays have arrived.

Wooded Hills Again at Tronville

Friday morning and we treat ourselves to almond and peach croissants for breakfast from the excellent bakery just 3 minutes from the mooring.  Grandma is off to fetch water as they have no natural supply on the boat.  We fill up her bottles to save the heavy walk back from the village.  We know from our Woodcraft days that carrying water is one of the most tiring jobs there is.

We make our goodbyes.  We are only going 5 kms (3 miles) into Ligny-en-Barrois (we are still in Bar country) and Glyn says he will be back by midday, but they hope Granddad may be back before long with the part needed to get the boat going.  And indeed when Glyn returns they have happily got underway.

The Folks are Gems at Ligny

Ligny is very pleasant and well set-out port, though only two other boats are there.  The town is also pleasant.  We use the Tourist office to see if we can get a taxi on Monday back from Void the other side of the summit.  There is no towpath for cycling through the tunnel and the canal will now rise fast into the hills.  The Tourist Office is amazingly helpful.  Not only do they look up taxi firms, they ring around and get quotes for us.  They also advise on the best places to take the taxi to and from.

The Port at Ligny-en-Barrois, beautifully set out and very helpful people

Back at the port the agents who also run a campsite discuss with us where to leave the car.  We can leave it where it is, but there would be complaints over Saturday (market day) as it is taking up a prime space.  So they offer a secure and cool alternative up at the campsite, at no cost.  This has been a very friendly and helpful town.  It is worth visiting this town simply for the friendliness and helpfulness of the townspeople. But it also has a beautifully clean and large town square, with the church looking over.

The Town Square at Ligny-en-Barrois

The Church Beyond the Town square at Pagny

The afternoon we use the car, which we will now be without for three days, to top up our supplies, and also visit the potential mooring sites up to the summit.  Naix-aux-Forges which we had planned is perfectly adequate, but Linda spots another possibility at Tréveray further along, which will split the travel over the next two days more evenly.  Tréveray also looks the nicer of the two moorings.  When we arrive we see Jim and Julia on the Baturi so we continue our stalking another day.   They also recommend Tréveray.  From there we visit Demange-aux-Eaux at the summit, catching up this time with John and Izzie on the Spring Tide.  Their book like ours tells them you are towed through the tunnel by an electric tug.  But Jim and Julia have just told us it “died” – “used to be” as in “dead parrot” - two years ago.  So we advise them they can travel under their own steam. 

We head back to Ligny and prepare for our crossing to the Moselle.