We've got a few days until Drummer is being lifted out so nothing for it but to do some sightseeing around Rochefort.

We started out with good intentions to walk along the Charente River to the working Transporter bridge only 3km away. However due to a very slow start we found the port harbour master had opened up the lock gates and we were on the wrong side! Admittedly, we could have walked the long way around following the edge of the marina basins but instead we chose to wait, thinking that it won't be long until they lower the bridge... an hour later and we're still waiting (we've finally mastered the art of just sitting around and enjoying the atmosphere) so then decided that we should walk around otherwise it'll be lunchtime and we'll be eating really late by the time we've done our walk. As we passed the local bar "Oliver Cook" who specialise in moules the aroma was just too good to miss and before we knew it we found ourselves sat under the shade of an umbrella, overlooking the marina, scoffing a delicious bowl of moules and frites. Yummy.

Needless to say with a full stomach the last thing that we now wanted to do was to walk, however we managed to discipline ourselves and commenced walking along the towpath.

Walking along the Charente River was wonderful as there was so much to see. The 374m long 'Corderie Royale' (old rope factory) situated along the river was once the longest industrial building in Europe with manicured gardens that were a delight to walk around.


Corderie Royale

Still continuing along the towpath we encountered the dockyards where we stopped to admire the 'Hermione', the largest replica of a traditional ship ever rebuilt in France, a three mast ship over 66 meters in length which was the jewel of the 18th century French Navy.


Hermione

The river is reminiscent of Redon as we passed fields of cows, horses and ponies grazing along with herons and a few Frenchmen fishing (unsuccessfully, by the looks of things).

Eventually we arrived at the Transporter bridge and with ice-cream in hand we sat to appreciate the structural design whilst it transported people across the river, in a (kind of) cradle. It's the only working transporter bridge in France dating back from 1900.


Transporter bridge