Chavance, Baye, Port Brûlé, Sardy-lès-Épiry FR 21-25 June 2023 From Chatillion-en Bazois we headed for Baye, which was at the highest point of the canal, and then, down the other side to Sardy-lès-Épiry. Quite an adventurous trip. Thanks again to crew Steve Eeles for some photos. On Wednesday we were waiting in the lock before the lock-keeper arrived at 9am. After the lock was a tight corner with a narrow bridge in the middle which was very challenging. However the rest of the morning was a fairly stright forward cruise, although we did have to wait about 20 minutes for another boat who was heading in the opposite direction. One of the locks we went through was a double lock - meaning that there were two basins. Once you completed the first lock, they opened the door and you cruised into the next basin for a second lock cycle. We arrived at the Chavance double lock right on lunch time and moored in the lower basin as we had been instructed. We had been told that the Bazolles lock, further along, wouldn't be available until 3pm so we had a 2 hour break before we could go on. After our own lunch we took the bikes out to look at the double lock and the triple lock which was only about 100m away. Then we had an Orangina each at the little bar that now resides in the old lock house. The proprietor was a rugby fan (he even had an All Blacks flag out the front), and we had a chat with him. Our lock-keeper arrived at 2pm, and we quickly got through the double lock, and put our bikes back on board. When we had seen the triple lock at lunch time the first 2 basins were empty, the 3rd was full and all the gates were closed. When we approached we saw that now the 1st and 2nd gates were open and both basins were empty. We could see the sill to the 2nd basin so it was clear where we were to moor. To our surprise and shock, the lock keeper fully opened the sluices in the gate to the 3rd basin letting in a strong waterfall to fill both locks. It looked very dramatic, and initially I was a bit worried that it would be too strong for Steve to manage. But of course by the time it reached us most of the fury had gone from the water. After both the 1st and 2nd basin were filled to the top of the 1st basin, we moved into the 2nd basin and the lock keeper closed the gate behind us, and then further filled the 2nd basin. When it was full he opened the gates, we moved into the 3rd basin and so on. After that piece of drama we just had 2 locks to go to our mooring, which was on the "sea wall" at Baye. We were told that we may need to move in the evening as there was a movie being made. The "sea" is actually a man made lake which we think was probably built to supply the Loire side of the Nivernais canal. There was heavy rain that night so no filming was done, but luckily the morning was fine, and we were able to take our bikes off to have a look around. The large lake and surrounding country side is used for all sorts of sports, and there were clearly one or more school groups there. There was also a second lake behind another weir wall further along. The rain returned in the afternoon so we stayed on board. In the evening we had 2 visits from the lock keeper. Firstly to let us know that we would be leaving at 10am not 9am the next morning as another boat was coming from Port Brûlé at 9am. The second visit was to ask us to move the boat, as the film crew were setting up for filming in the evening. Both us, and the boat behind us had to move, so that the backdrop for their filming stayed the same as previous nights. The other boat moved before us and took the last spot on the quay, but offerred for us to moor alongside, which we did. During our journey we had heard a couple of times about the filming, and it was interesting as they had a small white ballon that they floated and lit up, so that it looked like the moon when they were filming. The next morning was foggy, so were quite happy to have been delayed until 10am. Steve had to clamber over our neighbouring boat to go and pick up the bread that we'd ordered the day before. It was a big day for us. We set off at 10am to tackle firstly the 3 tunnels. These tunnels were narrow and not lit. Even though we had our lights all set up, when we went from bright sunlight into the dark tunnel it was impossible to see. But once we were in the tunnel it was OK. The hardest part of the trip was actually in the narrow trench after the last tunnel which had become very overgrown, and in places there were rough rocks at the side. In some cases it was so overgrown that branches hit my camera set up in the middle of the boat to do a time lapse. It was very pretty, but with three of us looking out for obstacles we didn't get much of a chance to enjoy it. When we got to Port Brûlé the canal valley opened out, and we almost immediately started the lock staircase. 16 locks in 4kms. Initially we had 6 lock-keepers working to prepare the locks and take us through, each had a bike and would fly down the hill to the next lock they were to work at. That meant each lock was ready and waiting for us, even if we had only travelled 100m from the last lock. After lock 6 it was lunch time and there was a good place to stop. After lunch there were fewer lock keepers to help as there was another boat on the staircase, but the locks were a little further apart so we were hardly held up at all. Even though we'd had a late start we were moored after lock 16 before 3pm. I had started a time lapse, but found that my camera overheated in the full sun and keep stopping, so the time lapse is not complete. But it does give you a good idea of what we did. Notice that each lock is painted a different colour. In the afternoon, Keith, an Aussie we had met at the port in Baye, cycled past on the way to a hardware store. So he joined us for a beer on his way home. The next day Howard was able to go for a fish. We visited the tourist information just near lock 16 and then had a look around the nearby town of Sardy-lès-Épiry. The train doesn't stop there anymore so the station is now someone's house - great clock. After hanging out the washing we decided to cycle back up along the staircase as we had had little time to admire the views the day before as we were so busy with the locks. We went all the way back to Port Brûlé. At many of the locks the bollards were decorated. At lock 6 - the pink lock - there was a cafe. The previous day (Friday) it had been quite busy, but it was very quiet on Saturday. In fact when we tried to get a drink we couldn't find anyone to serve us even though all the doors were open. It had very eclectic decorations. At one of the other lock houses a sculptor worked and he had a few pieces on show. By the time we were back at the bottom we felt we needed an ice cream, which were avaiable at the tourist information office. Well, that was a good last day for Steve who had to leave the next morning to meet up with Michelle in Paris. The nearest train station was Corbigny, but there was only one local train a day in each direction, so he had a ticket for a train direct to Paris from Clamecy, but he had to cycle 40kms to get there, so he left us at 7am expecting to get to Paris early afternoon.
2 Comments
Johanna Hersey
27/6/2023 12:59:38 am
So interesting! Merci d'avoir partagé.
Reply
Richard Switzky
27/6/2023 01:56:14 pm
Amazing travels. I admire your navigation skills!
Reply
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWe are sharing stories about and travels on our barge Moondance. Archives
August 2023
|