REACHING FOR THE SKY

As we rise out of the lock......

Since we left Vitry le François, we've been steadily climbing, forty five locks so far and twenty three to go to the summit. We're heading up to the Langres Plateau where we will encounter our first real tunnel, 5 k's underneath the ridge.

We never know what will greet us in the eclusier's garden !!

The landscape is changing as we ascend, we've lost the gentle, sunny slopes of the vineyards and now have steep sided hills covered in mostly deciduous forest, with the occasional plantation of firs, it's almost alpine and very beautiful.

From Chamouilley we were accompanied by our team of two VNF eclusiers, buzzing ahead of us from each lock, on their mopeds, just checking that everything worked at each lock and lifting bridge.

We spent two nights at Joinville where Neil and Angela joined us. They are touring the area in their motorhome and we have been meeting up at small Haltes for the last few evenings and enjoying some good meals together. 

Since Joinville the locks seem to be in better condition and we do not have the VNF eclusiers with us all the time. The canal is really beautiful and the we're spotting many birds of prey sweeping amongst the wooded hills.

The first mists of Autumn shroud the canal when we wake now and we are debating digging out the winter duvet, but the days are still fine and warm with clear skies and lots of sunshine and forecast to be the same until next Thursday, when it will rain. We shall see.

We're at Chaumont, on a quiet quayside with electric and water, N & A will leave us tomorrow to continue their route homeward and we shall walk into town for supplies and probably a coffee or two.