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.