Barging from Loire to Burgundy
The journey begins . . . here.
Monday 11th June 2018
Roanne to Briennon
We untied the ropes around 10.00am and made a start toward Digoin. The ropes had been tied and coiled for almost a year and were in a dreadful state. My other half had already washed them but they were still covered in green fungus, spider webs and insect cocoon type things. All our gear had to come down as the bridges on this canal are very, very low. I’d forgotten most of what I needed to know to get the boat going again. But it was lovely to start bumbling along the canal at a snails pace listening to the birds and looking out for wildlife. We scraped through low bridge after low bridge. Fortunately the weather wasn’t too hot, so it was bearable on deck. The forecast had been for lots of rain but apart from a few sprinkles it was a lovely morning.
We opted to stop just outside Briennon at a wild spot. The French (unlike the Germans and Dutch) allow boaters to stop at random spots. We passed one of the couples we had met in Roanne. My other half put pegs in the ground and we tied up for the night. Next thing the couple popped past to say Hello. They had a cup of tea with us and chatted more, then arranged to meet for us a drink at the bar in the marina. They mentioned that the supermarket had shut down completely which was a bit of a blow. My other half and I were reading and doing crosswords when the afternoon rains came. Love the sound of rain on the boat deck when we’re inside. So soothing.
Around 19.00pm both of us went past the boating couple and said we would meet them at the port bar. We got there to find it – closed. They close at 17.00pm. The couple joined us and luckily we found a bar nearby where we had a couple of drinks. Nice spot. And not too expensive. Around €20 for two rounds for 4 of us. They don’t eat out much and nor do we, but there was a fancy French restaurant next door for those who like eating out.
The journey continues . . . . . . here.
