Week 9
Thursday 20 September 2007
Both woke up with a headache must have been the cheap bubbly! Undeterred we set off in search of wine and goats cheese in Sancerre. It was a long walk up the hill and it was a really hot, sunny day so we stopped half way and had a cake in a little cafι. On the way saw a lorry loaded up with grapes pull up outside a small winery (Robert Planchon & Fils est. 1715) and the lady (who turned out to be the owners wife) took us in to show us the machinery we even saw the machine that puts the labels on the bottles! The town was very well organized with a red line painted on the road for you to follow and lots of little plaques telling you the history of the various buildings. It is a really pretty town with very narrow streets and houses covered in ivy varying from pale green through to deep red. Bought a Crottin du Chavignol (goats cheese - with blue mould on the outside!!) and a freshly cooked baguette for lunch and ate it in the main square at the top of the hill. Wandered over to the wonderful viewpoint where you could see all over the valley and all the vineyards planted in perfectly straight lines. Went to the Marnier Lapostolle Chateau de Sancerre and tried 2 wonderful white wines (which were both a little out of our price range). The proprietor of this Marnier is the same as for Grand Marnier we also found out that they make a cherry flavoured Grand Marnier! Happened upon an English book shop and bought a book as we are rapidly getting through our supply.
Friday 21 September 2007
Happy Birthday Shelley
It seemed no sooner had we set off than we had to stop again the locks close at 12 for lunch for 1 hour. Stopped in a little town called Champalais and went in search of a baguette for lunch but there were no shops. There were, however, walnut trees so we gathered lots of them instead! After lunch a hire boat was desperate to overtake us so we moved over and then met him a couple of minutes later in the next lock! He was not going much faster than us so he had to wait for us at the next lock too we squeezed in behind him only for the lock keep to move us both up to fit in another hire boat full of German ladies. It was a very tight squeeze but we all managed not to hit one another as the lock filled up. Arrived in Charite-sur-Loire and walked into the town. Another very pretty town with narrow streets and a castle up on the hill. The view from the hill was great as you could see down over the town and the River Loire. In the centre of town was a lovely old church which had once been a monastery with lovely stained glass windows.
Saturday 22 September 2007
Rain! Rain! Rain! Left Charite Sur Loire and motored all the way to Nevers it rained all day. Went through an enormous step lock (2 locks one immediately after the other) where we were photographed by lots of tourists! When the lock keeper let the water in it was like an enormous waterfall coming into the lock with our little boat a little scary but quite exciting!! Once through the step lock we crossed our second pont canal, crossing over the Loire. Arrived just outside of Nevers about 6.00 pm and followed the signs to a little village called Challuy where the signs said there was a supermarket but no! Not a shop in sight there was a church, a village hall and a few houses. Back at the boat had some dinner and just as it had finished cooking the gas ran out that was lucky!
Sunday 23 September 2007
Happy 7th Wedding Anniversary to Colin and Sarah
Set of in search of gas and found an Intermarche just up the road which sold Camping Gaz thank goodness. Also discovered that over that side of the canal there were also signs for Challuy very confusing this was obviously where we should have headed the night before! Saw some signs for an F1 motor racing event taking place in Magny Coeur which was 8km away so set off on our bikes to see if we could get tickets. We followed various signs to Magny Coeur but each one led to the motorway and pedal bikes are not allowed on the motorway! Eventually gave up on this idea and headed into Nevers town. A nice town with some very old buildings and a lovely Palais du Duval right in the centre which also housed the tourist office and a little museum in one of the towers. Made our way to the top of the tower to find the most bizarre thing. Sitting at the top was a life-size model of a man in some period dress (looked a bit like Guy Fawkes) his face was a proper human face which was somehow projected into the face of this model and the voice was recorded and was telling a story (in French) it was very strange! As we passed the cathedral in town some lovely music was playing and we saw a sign saying someone was being ordained.
Monday 24 September 2007
It rained again most of the day and we had a long day motoring to Decizes. We arrived at the same time as a lovely looking French boat and the lady very kindly pointed us in the direction of the local supermarket which was just up the road. Did a bit of shopping and when we came out of the shop it was absolutely pouring down with rain. This called for a cosy night in with a movie The Wedding Crashers very funny!
Tuesday 25 September 2007
Woke to brilliant sunshine hurrah!! Walked along the canal and into Decizes which was a very pretty little cobbled town. Decided to make the most of the sunshine so had a Cobb pizza and cooked some bread on the canal side. Later another boat pulled in front of us and it had 8 very friendly Americans on board.
Wednesday 26 September 2007
Darryl borrowed a canal book from Ken from the boat in front which covers the next section of our trip. We set off at the same time as the other boat so we could go through the locks together. After lunch it started raining and it rained and rained and then thunder and then the most horrendous downpour of rain just as we were entering a lock (and Christine had to go out to the front of the boat and stand in it!!) we both got soaked. Just past the lock was a nice little mooring place so we decided to stop and a very kind French man came out to tell us where we could moor for free (with hot showers and electricity with meant we could use our heater absolute bliss!). The American boat pulled up too I think we had all had enough of the rain for one day!! Ken helped us tie up and invited us to join them on board for a drink later. Did a few jobs on the boat, had a hot shower (and a blow dry heaven!) and then joined the Americans on their boat (with central heating!!!!). They were all really friendly and within 10 minutes of being on board we felt like we had known them for ages. We had a couple of drinks and some nibbles and then Ken said they had all agreed earlier that they would like us to be their guests for dinner at the little restaurant on the canal side. We were very touched by this gesture and Winnie said that most of them in the group had children of about our age and hoped that if their children were doing something like we are that someone would be as kind to them. What a lovely philosophy (we both agreed later that one day we hope to be in a similar position and do the same for someone else). We had a wonderful evening, in great company. Ken and Bob had known each other for about 50 years and every year one of their group of about 30 friends would choose and arrange a trip and those who could and wanted to went along. They were an extremely interesting and friendly bunch and we are privileged to have spent the evening in their company. Many thanks once again for your hospitality. It was Joyces birthday so we all sang Happy Birthday (a couple of times) and then the restaurant owner came over and sang it again in French! A good time was had by all.
Thursday 27 September 2007
Got up early(ish) so we could say goodbye and thanks once again to our new friends as they had to return their boat and were heading home to Minnesota. It was raining again! We decided that despite the weather we would carry on - but this time in full wet weather gear leaving nothing to chance! It rained non stop all day (and all night). Met up with a little Swiss boat and did most of the locks with them one of the guys was really funny and every time we entered a lock he would wave frantically at us! Bad weather called for another night in with a movie, this time Poseidon (very similar to Titanic you sort of guess what was going to happen!). No electricity today so out came the hot water bottles!!
Friday 28 September 2007
After a night of constant rain (it woke up Christine on more than one occasion) it rained again, all day! Followed the Swiss boat most of the way to Digoin. They showed us their paraffin heater and could not believe we did not even have hot running water! It was the last day of their 2 week holiday and the weather had not been kind to them. They very kindly gave us some lovely Swiss chocolate and Swiss sausages thank you very much!
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