STAGE 5 Chartrettes to Chalon-Sur-Saone
10 November 2007 | Phil
STAGE 5
CHARTRETTES TO CHALON-SUR-SAONE
MONDAY 8TH OCTOBER once again, arriving back on board with thanks to Christopher, driving the well-overloaded Volvo with all the boat stores, not forgetting the recently purchased foldaway bikes. It was not until Wednesday before No Rush was prepared and geared up for the next two months on the waterways. That morning, standing on the misty riverbank, we said our goodbyes and thanks, to Chris as he drove off to catch the ferry back home, I remember thinking to myself then that I am really going to miss both my boys and the Volvo as they both disappeared out of sight.
When we found the local tavern that day was showing the French and England Rugby Match, we immediately booked a table. The evening started with a good feast followed by drinks at the bar as we talked with the locals. When asked, we would say "Monsieur you French have a good team we English don't stand a chance," this was well received and our prophecy was looking "blooming good," that was until the second half, then our drinks tab took a bashing with many locals now looking despondent we asked for the bill. Always seems more in Euros. Nevertheless, they were all very good sports and attended to all our injuries as we hobbled out.
MONDAY 15TH OCTOBER with both of us fully recovered from all the excitement the night before, we made the decision to start our adventure again into the French canals. Keeping to the original plan, the Bourbonnais route, this being the most westerly route through to the Mediterranean, but not so dramatic in scenery, with 61 fewer locks to negotiate and no tunnels. This we should achieve with a good following wind and some luck before the canals close for maintenance work on the 13th November, wintering in a ditch did not appeal or was an option. Slipping our moorings that morning, we reversed the boat out from a very tight berth into the flowing river, just above the weir, with fingers and toes crossed hoping that the engine did not stop! We headed south with just two more locks before reaching St-Mammes, and arriving at the first canal lock on the Canal Du Loing at 12.00hrs, 83 kilometres south of Paris. With the lock gates open, we entered and tied alongside to wait for the lockkeeper to come back from his lunch.
That afternoon on one particularly narrow section, just on a bend, with grass banks lined with trees on either side we met a northbound 38-metre barge, clipping along at a good speed trying to negotiate the tight bend just after exiting the lock. Having no option, we had to turn into the starboard bank, now the keel was well stuck in the mud and holding. With the barge half way past, the suction from his wake was so strong it caused No Rush to swing her bow viciously into the bank and dragging her stern into the middle of the canal onto the oncoming side of the barge. The only chance we had was putting No Rush into full throttle straight back up the riverbank and into the trees and mud again. Ray, who was amazingly still standing at the bow, gobsmacked by all of the commotion, just managed to duck as a low branch was heading his way.
We missed the barge by inches; the next problem was not wishing to stay a fixture in the canal, putting No Rush in full reverse and using the barges stern wave to help lift us out of the mud hold, its great when a plan works!
This would not be the only time we would find the mud-covered bottom of the French canals! That afternoon we managed to achieve eight more locks, before mooring up along the canal bank at Chateau-Landon for the night, with sheep roaming around our mooring lines.
THE FRENCH CANALS
THE BOURBONNAIS ROUTE
Four canals make up the Bourbonnais route, Canal du Loing, Canal de Briare, Canal Lateral a la Loire, and the Canal du Centre, with 149 locks and a total distance of 414 kilometres. The Canal du Loing opened in 1723, running for most of its length alongside the Loing River, which still carries commercial traffic through the wooded countryside. The Briare Canal is the oldest in France and was the prototype for all future canal construction. The Canal Lateral a la Loire is famous for its canal bridges, particularly the 662 metre long Aqueduct over the River Loire. Although Canal du Centre is more industrial and carries the most commercial traffic, there was little evidence of this. It took us through the southern parts of the Burgundy vineyards and the plains of the Charollais, where Ray made one of his better decisions on how we could cut down on weight, simple, purchase 5 litre boxes of wine instead of bottles.
TUESDAY 16th OCTOBER over the following days we made good progress stopping overnight at Montbouy and then just as we were losing the light on Thursday 18th October we entered Briare, mooring up on the town quay just before the 622 metres long x 11.5 metres wide Aqueduct. It felt unnatural the next day being that high and going over a river that wide in a boat. The weather, by now was getting a lot colder at night with ice and mist first thing in the mornings, but by midday, it had usually cleared with the warmth from the sun, followed by the removal of our thermals.
The routine was to be much the same, over the following few weeks, motoring from first light to the last lock before they closed at 19.00Hrs. Friday the 19th October we managed to reach Menetreol with all-day Saturday and Sunday spent resting and restocking the boat at Marseilles Aubigny. With the kilometres and locks now adding up, progress was looking good and ahead of schedule. Monday 22nd October saw us in the town of Decize, and Tuesday 23rd October with the River Loire still running alongside the canal we reached lock 77 at Gannay Sur-Loire, this only leaving one more day to our next major stop, at Digion for a well-earned rest.
MONDAY 29th OCTOBER after leaving Digion, we motored through to our first lock on the Canal du Centre. It seemed that No Rush was labouring, after hours spent on board one gets to know all her different habits, movements and sounds, just like being married! Looking at her echo sounder confirmed the problem, the canal was a lot lower in water, instead of the 1.8 metres, we only had 1.2 and with still nine more locks to go before we start descending it was a worry that the canal could be short of water.
It was over 5 kilometres before she stopped making a trench along the canal bottom, 'good move having a large propeller fitted I thought!' I was not liking the pressure she was under, or the idea that we could be stuck in the middle of this canal until it rains. I know Ray was also concerned as he constantly kept asking me the depth reading, we had both read in the book that in recent years, the Canal du Centre has had to be closed in the summer months due to lack of water, blocking off the Bourbonnais route to the Saone for months. 'Had I made a big mistake and the wrong decision?'
No Rush continued to proceed without much difficulty through the next four locks, with the depth still constantly changing, staying in the middle without doubt helped, just hope we do not meet a 38-metre barge coming in the opposite direction! We decided to stop early that day at Paray-le Monial and have another go tomorrow.
TUESDAY 30th OCTOBER we started early to make up the time we lost yesterday, with a positive determination that we would get through the next five locks. This will be as high as No Rush has ever been above sea level, then the big descent all the way down around the Alps to the sea. We spent the night at Genelard arriving at lock 100. Lock 100, YABA DABA DO! We have now been through more locks than taverns.
WEDNESDAY 31st OCTOBER reaching our first lock that day, we found that, like England, the French also put the clocks back. However, that day we certainly were in fine-tune like a formula one team, going through one lock after another. With most locks being automatic and no traffic to hold us up, we surpassed our planned stop and continued to BonolilIy where we descended nine locks in just 4km down into the valley. By now, it was getting dark and with three more locks to go before reaching a suitable place to moor for the night, only to be told by the lockkeeper that this was the last lock, and that all the locks would be closed tomorrow November 1st for All Saints' Day. Not only had we run out of time and light but we would be stuck in the wilderness for the next 36 hours.
On motoring out of the lock, we proceed with caution along the tree-lined canal, Ray now standing in the pulpit shining the torch to find a suitable place to stay. With all the hundred kilometres of canals, this would have to be the one stretch without a suitable grass bank to tie up to. On reaching the next lock with its gates closed, we had no choice, approaching what looked like a good spot only to hear Ray shouting "abort - abort" after seeing large concrete blocks just under the bow. We reversed and tried the opposite bank only to go aground five feet from the canal bank. Now, feeling tired, I said to Ray "this will have to do", being aground and in complete darkness we had no choice anyhow. Ray made a perfect landing on to the grass bank and throwing him both mooring lines he then went about the job of securing No Rush for the night.
The next morning, waking up after a very cold night without heating as the Eberspacher diesel heater had decided to give up the ghost, to find only four feet from the riverbank, was a road with our mooring lines neatly tied round a crash barrier on a fast sweeping bend. If things could only get worse, all day people were sounding their horns and waving, one particular French man actually stopped his car and crossed the road to take a photo of our predicament, only to watch him suddenly running back after his car, the twit had forgotten to put his handbrake on. Things did get worse that day when we found that the nearest warm watering hole was over 9 kilometres away and like the locks closed all day.
FRIDAY 2nd NOVEMBER the lockkeeper found us prepared and waiting that morning, as we did not want to stay another second, tied too a motorway, aground. With Chalon sur Saone some 38 kilometres, 24 locks away, and being the only marina still open with electrics, made us work the locks like demons. However, just as it was getting dark and with still along way to go, it looked like our luck had changed, when fortunately we came across a restaurant with a pontoon not listed in the book, and even better it had electrics, although the restaurant was, closed for the winter.
SATURDAY 3rd NOVEMBER the last lock of the canals before entering the river Saone, this was the largest lock we had encountered to date, with a drop of 11 metres. An exhilarating experience, but left us wondering about the largest lock in Europe still to accomplish which is on the Rhone and is an astonishing 26 metres. Chalon-sur-Saone is the one time capital of Burgundy and the important crossroads where all yachts bound for the Mediterranean will eventually meet, via the various routes from the northern waterways.
END OF STAGE 5
DISTANCE 425 kilometres
LOG TOTAL 1,041 kilometres