Friday 7th July - Chalon-en-Champagne

I apologise for the lateness of the blog - the hot weather made our packing very slow work - everything was an effort!  We decided to work through the day and treat ourselves to a meal out in the evening.
We had a very good meal in a restaurant just off the main square, so we thought we would try that again.  There was a very different atmosphere to our previous visit as we ate inside the restaurant last time.  It was such a warm evening this time that the terrace was almost full and we were lucky to get a table, however the meal was not as good as we remember sadly!
On Saturday we spent the time with more cleaning and packing then on Sunday Skip left to catch his 8 a.m. train, not to be back until around 4.30 p.m.  Dinner was consumed on board both evenings.

The first leg of our cruise has been excellent, with lovely villages and the beautiful scenery of the champagne vineyards to enjoy......not to mention the fabulous summer weather.  Just hope it hasn’t peaked too soon and that we can continue in the same manner in August and September.
So, dear readers, will say ‘au revoir’ for now - we will re-convene somewhaere around the middle of August.
Just for the record we cruised 786km and worked 186 locks.

Thursday 6th July - Mareuil-sur-Ay to Chalon-en-Champagne

We left at 9.30 a.m. as we had a longer cruise than the last few days and we wanted to make sure of our berth for the next four weeks or so.  This was to be our last days’ cruising for this half of our 2018  cruise so we enjoyed the scenery in the sunshine!  All the locks went well until the last (Chalon).  Crew twisted the pole and the lights reacted.....one red, one green.  Then just as we thought the gates were about to open, we were faced with two reds!  Always the last lock!!  We tied off on the bank and Skip went up to investigate.  After a few minutes, Crew noticed that the gates had indeed opened so waited for Skip to get back.  The lock was manned and for some reason the keeper had decided to flummox us!  However we managed to find a stern to mooring in the marina and got ourselves settled.  Again the sun direction was not ideal as it meant that the aft deck had the hot sun on it all day but, hey ho!!
After some lunch and a bit of a rest, Skip went to the station to buy his ticket for St.  Jean de Losne.  He came back not best pleased as the strikes were operational both on Friday and Saturday, so had to book his ticket for Sunday......not ideal as we were leaving on Monday!  Never mind.
We had a takeaway pizza for supper (not the best pizza in the world) and lounged on the aft deck as the day was cooling.  Then TV and bed.

27 km. 5 locks. 4 hours

Wednesday 5th July - Mareuil-sur-Ay

We decided to stay another night as the mooring was very comfortable and we had time to spare.  So a day of relaxation for us before we start packing up the boat in Chalon-en-Champagne.
Skip has started to look at train times to go to St. Jean de Losne to collect the car and has learned that the rail strikes may be a problem, ideally he would like to go on Friday so that we would then have two clear days to clean and pack the boat before going back to Blighty but.......we will see!
So the usual lazy lunch and siesta before a few desultory jobs then Crew cooked dinner (and herself) in the hot, hot galley.
Again we stayed up top till after 10 p.m. so that it was cool enough for us to retire below for a little TV, then bed.

Tuesday 4 th July - Cumieres to Mareuil-sur-Ay

Another easy day for us - we left at 10 a.m. in already high temperatures.  Rain was expected according to our forecast but it is not always right!  We managed our short cruise in a little over an hour and moored, stern to in Mareuil.........our first stern mooring in a while.  The only problem with it in this case was that the westerly direction was such that we would get sun onto our back deck for much of the afternoon, making our sun blinds redundant.
We remembered stopping here last year, just after we dropped Martin and Clare off at Epernay station for their journey home.  It must have been a Sunday or Monday, however and the little bistro on the corner close to the port was not then open.....not so this time though, so we tidied ourselves up and went over for lunch.  It was fairly full and we had to eat inside as the tables outside were occupied. The lady serving was very helpful and jolly and we had a good, if large, lunch.
Again it was much to hot to do anything in the way of work so we whiled away the afternoon reading and resting.  The promised rain didn’t arrive!  Once the sun started to disappear we were able to sit on the back deck comfortably which we did until almost 10 p.m. again.  Then some TV and bed.

10 km. 2 locks. 1 1/4 hours

Monday 3rd July - Damery to Cumieres

Today, the shortest cruise in our history!  Just 4 km and 1 lock!  We have decided to miss stopping at Epernay this time as we have already visited twice, the second time just last year.  So we are stopping at Cumieres instead.  Our mammoth cruise in fact took just half an hour......was even too early to have a beer when we arrived!!
Again the power borne was onshore, even over some water so it was quite an art for Skip to reach it!  Both the canopy and the sun shades were put up straight away as we were well into the 30s again and no breeze to cool us down.  I understand that the rest of Northern Europe is having the same heatwave!
We rested and had some lunch, in between helping another boat onto the pontoon.  Shortly afterwards another boat arrived and rafted onto that boat.  Then just before Crew retired to the relative cool of the cabin for a read, a lone Swedish sailor arrived in his yacht and asked to raft alongside us, which we helped him to do.  I don’t know, we don’t see a boat for days and now we are five boats moored on a three boat pontoon!!
When Crew emerged from below just before 5 p.m. Skip suggested a walk into town to seek out the elusive Champagne, as our Swedish friend had gone ashore and returned with three bottles.  We walked all around the village (uphill most of the way!) and although there were lots of Champagne houses, none seemed available for a degustation.  On returning to our start point we discovered a board advertising a degustation at the Martin champagne house, so Skip went off to find it whilst Crew returned to Aphrodite as it was by now, raining.
Luckily the storm had passed over us by the time the football started and we had a cold collation for our dinner in between watching the match - the famous England v Colombia where we broke with tradition and won on penalties!!!  Wonders will never cease!
A bit more TV then bed.

4 km. I lock. 1/2 an hour!

Sunday 2nd July - Damery

We decided to stay another night as we have plenty of time to get to Chalon, where we leave Aphrodite for five weeks, whilst we go back to Blighty for social events........and cricket!!
The plan was to see if we could find a champagne house to have a tasting, with a view to buying a case or two, then to go for lunch.
Around 11.30 we walked into town and indeed, found many champagne houses but no invitations to have a degustation.......we suspect that an appointment has to be made.  So we made our way to the riverside cafe for lunch.
We both agreed it was probably the strangest meal we had ever had in France!!  We managed to get a couple of beers from the elderly barman and explained that we wanted to eat.  ‘No problem’ he said but as no further instructions we forthcoming we found a table in the shade on the terrace and enjoyed our cold beers.  After a while and after observing two French men on a nearby table, we realised that we should find a plate and some utensils and help ourselves to the fairly meagre buffet for our starters.  Then an elderly lady came to ask ‘Paella or chicken?’......we said chicken, so were then asked which part of the chicken - leg or breast!  Before we had finished our starters she came out again, making a fuss with a hot dish of chicken with pasta and mushrooms.  The French men suggested she put the hot dish on a plate before she burned her hands to serve it to us - needless to say, by the time we got to the chicken, it was tepid!  Skip had decided against cheese or dessert but Crew rather fancied an ice cream which was obtained from a freezer in the corner of the bar.....a Magnum!!  I have heard of self service cafes but never experienced such a thing in France!
On returning to the boat we found two young girls sitting on our bathing platform dangling their feet in the water.....cheek!!  Crew asked them to go elsewhere, which they did but then they came back five minutes later......Crew had to then get a bit more forceful and eventually they did leave but they still continued to dive into the water right by the boat, making a considerable racket!  I know it was very hot but there are hundreds of miles of riverbank for them to use!!!
Too warm in fact to do much, so we lazed around for the rest of the day and some TV in the evening once it was cool enough to go below.

Saturday 1st July - Dormans to Damery

As Crew had trouble getting off to sleep, she overslept again so we didn’t leave until 10.45 a.m.  After a 9km run we came to our first lock and to our surprise a cruiser was just exiting as we approached - we haven’t come across much traffic at all on this river.  On entering we found a huge lock with a floating pontoon, which we vaguely remembered from our last cruise in this area.  As the pontoon would only accommodate one boat, I guess if another boat wanted to lock through at the same time, they would have to raft up side by side.....a strange arrangement!
We made very good time and were moored up and by 12.45.  A bit of a panic as we didn’t see a borne to plug into but discovered it at the top of the steps of the pontoon.
There was a nice looking restaurant just across the river from the mooring so after some lunch, Skip went over to see if he could reserve a table for us, either dinner today or lunch tomorrow.  Unfortunately, the usual story.....closed on Sunday evening and on Monday!  So later he went to a restaurant on our side of the river to ask if they were open for Monday lunch - they were!
Although it was far too hot to cook in the galley really, Crew cooked our last British steaks and jacket potatoes for dinner......and very hot it was too!!  Again, we stayed on the back deck for as long as possible as it was still a very warm evening!
Some TV and bed.

21 km. 2 locks  2 hours

Friday 30th June - Chateau-Thierry to Dormans

We left at 9.30 under a clear blue sky - another warm day promised!  Last night, just before our (late) dinner a couple of American men from the boat in front of us came over to chat.  When asked their next stop, they said it would be Meaux - we were very surprised as it would be probably an eight hour trip for them.....not much of a pleasure in 30c heat!  We wished them ‘Bon voyage’ with a silent ‘good luck’!!
Just an easy cruise with two locks today, so we arrived in Dormans at midday to find a nice empty pontoon with power and water which was adjacent to a camp site.  As soon as we were settled, we walked across the bridge into town for lunch.  This was not as easy as we thought it would be as it was market day and the most likely restaurant was fully booked.  So we walked a bit further and found a cafe which advertised moules et frites.....that’s good enough!  On asking about the moules though we were told that it was out of season for moules, so we decided on steak tartare.  This was a fast, fast food restaurant......the meal came within ten minutes and was not exactly what we had expected!  It turned out to be what the French call ‘Americain’ which I believe was beef but it arrived a strange orange colour and was the texture of baby food.....ah well, the frites were home made at least!!
Skip in the afternoon went up to the impressive war memorial chapel,Chateau and flour mill.

We returned to Aphrodite and whiled away the afternoon - it was too hot to do much. We sat up top till after 10 p.m. again, listening to music and watching the happy campers having a little party.  Some TV and bed.

24 km. 2 locks. 2 1/2 hours