Canal des Vosges and Nancy

So, after the Aster adventure we turned our thoughts to our own cruising and the need to get Slo-Mo ship shape. But of course, there was also a lot going on in SJDL. We haven’t been in port before when it really comes alive in the summer and so were often diverted by the ‘summer social’ gathering on a Wednesday evening, musical Fridays, BBQs, lunches with friends in the sunshine and of course the temptation of just sitting in one of the bars on the quayside with a glass of rosé, simply watching the world go by… the summer was slipping by.

But eventually we replaced the rudder bearing - a job that should have taken a day but eventually took 5 days, 2 sledge hammers, 2 blow torches and 2 desperate men!

At the end of last summer our bow thruster jammed up. We didn’t know if it was weed or worse. It turned out to be worse. It hadn’t rotted away over the winter so we had to arrange a lift out. We found a tangle of blue rope well and truly wedged around the prop. 

It was almost the end of July when Mal and John came to stay. The weather forecast was a mixture of some heavy rain and sunshine so we based ourselves in port and did some day trips in the car and a short cruise up to Auxonne. It was a great 10 days and fantastic to spend time with them both.

Good Friends and a Great Lunch on Jubilant

Baume-Les-Messieurs

August and we were finally ready to leave, turning left on the river. 
Where we are based in Saint Jean de Losne, the river Saône is classed as a big river but as we travel northwards, it becomes the Petit Saône - not so wide, slower running and meandering through some lovely countryside.

The weather was good and we stopped at Pontailler, Gray and then Port Sur Saône, where it was the final day of an International Festival of Folklore. (This made a very welcome change for us as we usually arrive somewhere the day after a concert or festival has finished.) There were groups of various nationalities parading through the streets, a pageant of beauty queens and a big stage area where performers dressed in national costumes entertained everybody with their national songs and dancing. Oh, and the quayside was full of stalls - a massive vide grenier!

The Argentine Contingent

Next stop was Corre Marina for three nights. We needed to repair a pump, and do some shopping. Then torrential rain. The marina kindly lent us a car so we could visit La Rochère, the oldest Art glassworks in France that is still active. Enjoyed the visit very much, but weren’t too impressed by the ‘art’ glass. Think we have been spoilt by the wonderful glass creations we have seen at the British Glass Biennales in Stourbridge!

Then onto the Canal des Vosges - again beautiful scenery and very quiet but also some torrential rain… so we took it in turns working on the roof through the locks.

Full Battledress

A mix of small towns and green bank moorings - the Canal des Vosges seems to be very well maintained and moorings are clearly marked often with picnic tables and good mooring rings or bollards.

NANCY

What a beautiful city! 

We arrived in the rain and managed to find a place in the marina, which is walking distance from the city centre. The sun came out and for the next couple of days we had a wonderful time discovering the city. Place Stanislas is reputed to be the most beautiful square in Europe - and it is quite wonderful with the gilded iron railings and gates, architecture and pavement cafés. 

Then there’s the  adjacent park with its Art Nouveau bandstand. Nancy is a beautiful city and we really enjoyed our short stay there and did find time to visit the Musee de L’Ecole de Nancy, which was the centre of the Art Nouveau movement, watch the son et lumière in the square, have lunch in the Brasserie L’Excelsior and finally to lust after some of the beautiful glassware in the famous Daum Brother’s showrooms.

Brasserie L'Excelsior

Our Art Nouveau Bank!

Son et Lumière