Châteaux and Chablis

Ancy-le-Franc

On the whole it's been a relaxing drift down the Bourgogne. After Ravières and the classic cars we moved onto Ancy-le-Franc. A delightful village and an amazing Renaissance château. €9 each but worth it.  Interesting too because a visit from the King was expected. The Clermont-Tonnerre owner virtually bankrupted himself  building special rooms and decorating in preparation, only problem was, the king didn't turn up. To save face, he commissioned paintings showing the king at the château and maintained the visit had taken place. How history can be re-written (or painted).

Pyramid - Ancy-le-Franc Château

It's all very low key here, not like the UK stately homes - but we do miss the NT tea rooms!

...not the château - just the gatehouse!

Then moved on to Tanlay and another château - this was guided tour only - and although informative, rather rushed and we weren't really given time to just wander and absorb the atmosphere. But the exterior is quite amazing - you think you're approaching the château only to find it's the gate house - talk about one-upmanship.

Tanlay Château

Onwards to Tonnerre and catching up on painting. 

Monday last week was eventful. Pete had returned by train to Montbard to pick up the car and we decided to visit Chablis. It was very hot but we enjoyed exploring the town - then onto Auxerre to return some shoes Glen had bought from Decathlon. However just as we pulled into the car park there was an ominous (expensive) noise from the back wheel. Fortunately Feu Vert was just 500m away and we were able to book in for disk and pad replacement - unfortunately they couldn't do it until 5.30pm. A big shopping mall nearby was air conditioned so we were able to spend 5 hours in the cool - unfortunately the shops had had a power cut and were closed (or maybe that was fortunate - the wallet was going to take a hammering because of the brakes).

La Fosse-Dionne, Tonnerre

Back to Tonnerre in the evening - a wonderful drive through the vineyards - only to be hit by an horrendous storm. It bought down trees by the port and caused considerable damage throughout the region. 

Next day hot again and this time police cars were circulating using loud speakers to warn everybody that we were on orange alert and further storms would be coming through. They did. But as Les told us, "Tonnerre" is French for 'thunder' 

Two days later the papers warned that the region was on orange alert again, this time  because the hot weather and heavy rain meant swarms of mosquitoes would be descending on us. Fire - floods - plague …. all sounds a bit biblical.

Deux Deux Cheveaux

Thursday we did manage to visit Noyers - said to be one of the most beautiful villages in France. It didn't disappoint. 

And a gem of a museum - Musée des Arts Naïfs - well worth a visit.

Yes, there's a story here...

Monday 24 June - onwards towards Migennes in small steps.

You do see some strange things along the canals.....

From CO2 to Classic Cars

Well, what a week.

We left Pont Royal last Tuesday and travelled in company with a German cruiser. Locking down is so much kinder than going up, but with another boat in the lock it did mean being more aware and having to use a rope to keep our position, so Glenny was back on the roof.

Full Speed

The other thing about sharing locks is that you always feel some pressure to be quick in case you delay the other boat, particularly a motor cruiser, which can travel faster than us and can accelerate and stop in much shorter distances than our 25 tons. And these chaps were in a hurry! After 32 locks we were quite ready to stop at the first decent mooring!

We spent the night moored to a grassy bank at Pouillenay, where there was some serious fishing going on, but not much else. 

On Wednesday morning the omens were not good. Having agreed a 9am start with the Germans and the eclusier, we woke early to hear a row between rival fishermen, arguing over territory, each staking claim with an array of rods on stands with complex electronic alarms fitted. Glen went for a walk and got rounded up by a very large, boisterous and noisy dog, whose owner, when he eventually caught up with the dog, explained that he was " un chien de chasse" and using the universal sign language that means " completely lunatic" - not very reassuring when you're being howled at by a big dog!

Our Teutonic neighbours were away early for the rendezvous at the first lock, and we dutifully kept pace. The day took shape much as the previous one; the cruiser ploughing on ahead, arriving at the lock before the eclusier and then having to hold station whilst the lock was filled ready for them to enter, which of course gave us time to catch up and slide in quietly behind them. The cruiser skipper did, bless him, always get off and walk back to take Glen's rope (we think he had seen G's attempt at lassoing the bollards and thought he could speed things up).

All went well for the first 8 locks, then in lock No 53 we found ourselves surrounded by bats! A wonderful aerobatic display, but a little unsettling to have dozens flying very very close to you when you are descending into a narrow, damp chamber. 

Waiting....

Before the next lock, one of our team of eclusiers scootered back to us to say that the lock was broken and we would have to wait for the engineers to arrive. Both boats pulled into the bank and our travelling companions hurried down to the lock to supervise repairs. We were soon on our way and a couple of locks further, tied up for lunch at a small marina.

The locks close on this canal between 12 and 1 for lunch (of course), and this enforced break does ensure that we do get a calming and restful lunchtime. And, boy, did we need it!

Four locks after lunch, I switched the cameras to engine room and saw SMOKE!  Called Glen down from the roof and asked for the big CO2 extinguisher. We pulled into the bank, carefully lifted the hatch board and let rip with a good squirt of gas. We could see the main alternator glowing incandescently and the beginnings of a flame starting to develop. More CO2.

A few minutes later, we were left with masses of smoke and a strong smell of burning plastic.

Our Alternator

The eclusier came back to see why we had stopped, told him we had a fire…"poof" (French shrug), then he rode away. 

We, traumatised, tried to think what to do. Could we run the engine? How could we get help?
We were of course, in the middle of nowhere.

Calm down, think it through, make some 'phone calls. We got some great advice from Engines Plus in Gloucestershire, who said that if we disconnected every wire from the alternator, we could run the engine safely. 

So we did and cautiously made our way to Montbard, a sizeable town with pontoons, water and electric. 

Locking into Montbard.

This cheered Pete up!

We decided to stay put for a few days and sort ourselves out...

The next day we made many calls, to our insurers, mechanics in the UK and to Simon Evans at Migennes, where we are planning to leave the boat whilst we return home for Paddy's wedding. Between all of them, they helped us to reach a decision as to how to proceed. 
We could run the engine safely, but could not charge the domestic batteries by motoring. So. if we aim to have electric every night, or use our generator, we can keep going. At Migennes, Simon will sort out a replacement alternator while we are away. So we have a plan.

We'd left our car at Pouilley, so called Grant and Susan on 'Chocolat', who kindly agreed to drive to us and take us back to pick up the car. When they arrived they also offered to tow us back to Saint-Jean-de Losne if we would like. What a fabulous, selfless offer! thank you so much.
Helen and Steve also phoned and offered us accommodation on Jubilant if we needed to vacate Slo-Motion for repairs - again, what a generous thought - thank you.

We spent three days at Montbard, cleaning up the engine room, checking all our engine wiring for signs of collateral damage and making sure that our batteries were taking and holding charge.

Ravières

On Saturday we moved on to Ravières, a great mooring, long stone quay, electric and water, all free! Stayed Sunday and visited a Vide-Grenier, and a small display of classic cars, then washed off the boat, the first real opportunity since we left Saint Jean.

Tonight we are moored at Ancy-le-Franc and will most likely stay tomorrow, to visit the Château and shop at the best butchers in the region (according to the skipper of the hotel boat moored in front of us).

The Sun has been found -

well for a few days...

PONT ROYAL

What a lovely place and what a lovely day. 

Set off at 9am this morning and made our way through many locks but in the sunshine! Arrived here at 2.30 - what a gem. Delightful chambre d'hôte and water and electric. 

Not much else but quite delightful. 

A walk into the nearby village of Saucy revealed a 'serious' log cabin. 

And to finish - the first BBQ of the cruise.

The Sun is Lost

FRIDAY 31 MAY

Pouilly en Auxois

" The sun is lost!"

I've just been to pay for a further three nights here at Pouilly-en-Auxois and when I asked the lovely girl in the Port Office, what has happened to the sun, she replied "it is lost".

Funky moped and the Harley Davidson Panniers!

We stayed a day at Fleury. After realising that there were no shops for some days ahead, we cycled back to Velars and stocked up with provisions to see us through - we wouldn't want to become skellingtons!

This part of the canal is known as Burgundian Switzerland

we can understand why - even in the rain, it is lovely

After a day of grey skies and drizzle, we moored at Ecluse 34 on the following evening. It's a pretty spot with an outside eating area for the use of boaters and water and electric available, so a very tempting stopping place. It was cold, windy and wet, so although we were pleased to recharge our batteries and top up our water tank, we did not have the opportunity to enjoy the rather delightful facilities.

many pretty cottages alongside this canal

Chateauneuf from the canal

our mooring ropes were an ideal resting place for the swallows

After stopping briefly at Pont d'Ouche, Vandenesse and Escommes, without any real, lasting change in the weather, we spent our first sunny morning in ages, transiting a 3.5 k tunnel.

Tea rooms in Vandenesse

Coot chicks on an island at Escommes - but they wouldn't stay there!

approach to the tunnel

We arrived at the other side in bright sunshine to find people in shorts, doing sunny day things, washing clothes and boats, cycling to the shops, talking in groups on the quayside, it was like arriving in another world. And it was great to see Grant and Sue off Chocolat and Pete (and Jack) off Rook - felt a bit like a St. JdeL reunion.

That afternoon, we enjoyed an impromptu boules match with the other crews, which was an extremely pleasant way to while away the first sunny afternoon for a long time. 

(thanks for the photo Teresa)

It didn't last! The days since Monday have been a mix of dry mornings and wet afternoons. Have managed to wash and dry most of our laundry, explore the local shops and wash off one side of the boat, but it is still cool and grey. 

dusk - Pouilly en Auxois

We returned to Saint-Jean de Losne yesterday to pick up our car and enjoyed catching up with Paul and Mal on Lazy Heron and were treated to lunch with Helen and Steve from The Jubilant. We can only hope that in June the sun will be found again...

Room with a view