UP THE ORINOCO

We left Paris a week ago and have been making slow but steady progress along the beautiful River Marne.

This river just gets better and better

Ze's week with us in Paris was great fun. We walked miles of course, but really enjoyed feeling almost like natives and appreciated exploring some of the "off the beaten track" districts as well as some must see attractions.

Fashionable district

Lunch at Musee d'Orsay

We hope you enjoyed it Ze and that you will visit us again soon.

Les joined us for our third week and we all enjoyed being in the heart of the city. It was a very hot week, but in the cool of the evenings we would stroll down to the Ile St Louis for a cool drink and some serious people watching. 

A keyboard of cakes

Market shopping was a treat as always and we all agreed that having, in effect, an apartment in the centre of Paris, gave us the time to just wander and really enjoy just what makes Paris Paris.

Maritime Museum

Luxembourg Gardens

and of course.......

Someone's got to do it!

Jude arrived last Friday and with two good friends aboard, the passage Eastward was bound to be good fun. 

On our way

The Marne is really beautiful there's an amazing number of herons and kingfishers. The landscape changes subtly as we move East; the green wooded slopes open out to reveal hillsides covered with vines, richly fruited and promising great things to come.

Great shot Jude

Natives

We stopped for the night at Lagny and met the Two Terrys and Gladys and John from Puddle Stone, both great blog writers who have inspired and helped us in making our own plans.

Skutsje

The moorings at Meaux were full, but we were invited to lie alongside some neighbours from Paris in their beautiful Dutch Skutsje. The cathedral here was magnificent, but the big treasure was the cathedral garden, beautifully laid out and planted with herbs, vegetables and exotic foodstuffs, a culinary and visual delight.

Meaux

Next night we found a perfect pontoon at Mary sur Marne, unfortunately no water or electric and the two restaurants by the halte were shut, but really beautiful location. 

Peace and quiet

The next night was truly in the wild, on a crumbly concrete pontoon, with nothing but owls and horses for company; then on to Chateau Thierry, a great town where we spent three nights. Big supermarket and fuel on our doorstep, ancient chateau to explore and the best Friday market ever. A direct rail link to Paris meant that Les and Jude could make a relatively easy journey home on Friday.

Champagne country

We're now at Dormans. On a small pontoon just alongside the campsite, mini golf and children's play area. We have water and electric and a chateau and WW1 monument to explore today.