Monday 4th June - Vanneaux to Decize

We arranged with the lock keeper yesterday to start at 9 o’clock but a hire boat snuck in just before us so it was 9.30 before we locked through.  We managed to complete four locks before midday, avoiding a lunch stoppage and went through our final lock which was automatic, into the spacious marina in Decize.
This was our third visit to the port of Decize, the first about nine years ago when it was pretty scruffy but when we visited just five years ago with our son and his wife and baby, about twenty lodges had been built, along with a handy bar and restaurant!
The temperature was nudging 30c with hardly any wind so we got settled and had a leisurely lunch.  Skip then paid two visits to the nearby Intermarche, the first for comestibles and the second for a replacement gas bottle.  He also went to the Capitainerie to pay our dues and at the same time, booked a table for us for dinner.
After a siesta and freshen up we walked over to the restaurant, where we noticed Malcolm, the ex-pilot was also dining.  Unfortunately, the service was rather rapid and we didn’t have time to finish our apero before the starter arrived!  Likewise the main course followed quickly after the starters were finished so the flow of the meal was all wrong and I have to say that the quality was not there either.....disappointing!  Malcolm came over to chat to us for a while after his meal and then we wended our way back to Aphrodite for a bit of TV and bed.

16 km. 5 locks. 3 hours

Sunday 3rd June - Dompierre sur Besbre to Vanneaux

With rather thick heads, we left port at 9 a.m. and waved goodbye to our new French friends who, surprisingly were already underway and seeming rather chipper!
A fairly slow morning as all the locks were against us......everyone seems to be going our way.  We stopped after three locks for the 12 - 1p.m. lunch closure.  Two more locks and we arrived in Vanneaux around 2.15 p.m.  A late lunch and then Skip went for a look around and came back having discovered a small cafe that was open for dinner.......result!  Vanneaux was a small village but the larger Gannay sur Loire was a bit of a walk.  Around 6.30 a loud thunderclap preceded torrential rain which only lasted for ten minutes or so but the thunder continued so loudly that Crew could feel the boat move!
We had a reasonable meal in the cafe, which was popular with local residents and started chatting to an English ex-pilot who was the proud owner of a 1911 Dutch barge and had seen off two wives and quite a few girlfriends it seems!!
Digestifs and TV before bed.

21 km. 5 locks. 5 1/4hours

Saturday 2nd June - Digoin to Dompierre sur Besbre

We left at 9a.m. as we had a five or six hour cruise ahead of us.  Our first lock was just after the aqueduct which worked well as a boat was just coming out as we approached.  With a morning mist over the water, it promised to be a lovely day and sure enough, quite soon the sun appeared burning the mist off.  We then caught up with another boat waiting at the next lock.
These locks are manned and manual so not quite as speedy as the automatic ones. We passed through two locks with the French foursome, and in the second, one of the ladies (with glass in hand!) asked if we would like to overtake, which we did, thinking they would stop for an early lunch.  As we approached the next lock there was no sign of them and, having passed a very nice looking restaurant, assumed that we were right.  Wrong - as we were going down in the lock they appeared.......ooops!!
The lunchtime closure was from 12 till 1 p.m. and we really thought we would get through our penultimate lock at 11.45 but no.....so we tied up in the lock to wait until one o’clock.  Then just after midday, the lock keeper turned up and operated the lock for us!  A very strange day!  He told us to be at our last lock of the day not before one o’clock, so we ambled slowly through the pretty countryside and arrived just before one.  In the end we didn’t lock through until after 2 p.m.as the lock keeper was busy and the lock was against us.  Having thought that we had made very good progress, our arrival time was now well behind schedule!
We arrived at 2.30 finally, immediately plugged in and filled with water - hopefully we can stay in the spaces reserved for the Locaboat base.  There is an alternative spot across the canal, also with power, so it wouldn’t be disastrous in any event.
Skip went into town for some shopping and to look for likely restaurants for dinner.  He came back saying that none of them were remarkable but all looked reasonable.  The TV reception was good so Skip was able to watch a friendly football match between England and Nigeria before leaving for dinner.  The French crew that we shared a couple of locks with earlier had arrived in port and Crew stopped to apologise to them for not waiting for them earlier......they were not at all upset and were very gracious.  We went for a very nice looking Italian restaurant with a lovely terrace but were turned away as the only table left was reserved and crossed the road to a very small cafe which served us with very good steaks and homemade chips.  There was a lot of noise going on nearby and after a while, lots of people started to emerge from a side street opposite us......they all made for the canal side and were performing tricks on some strange floating boats which were set in a circular structure. Not seen that before!!
On our way back to Aphrodite we were waylaid by the French foursome who were still in party mood and invited us aboard to join them.  Although their English was not brilliant and Crews’ French leaves a lot to be desired, we all got on famously and before we knew it, the clock had reached midnight!  A thoroughly good evening!

27 km. 6 locks. 5 1/2 hours

Friday 1st June - Digoin

We decided to stay another day in Digoin in order to get Aphrodite shipshape again.  Unfortunately around ten o’clock the lady in the Capitainerie told us we would have to move as our space was reserved.  Skip did a recce and said he thought there was a space further back where we could get power and much needed water.  So we slipped our lines and went for it.  It was a very awkward spot to get into, involving some chicanery and, indeed, as we approached we spotted a notice that it was also reserved!  Plan B was to moor further along the Bank with no facilities.....so care with the water supply was called for.
Whilst Crew changed the bed and sorted out the guest beds, Skip set to work on cleaning the outside of the boat. We had a leisurely lunch followed by a fairly long siesta.
When we were moored outside the Capitainerie we got no TV reception at all thanks to a big tree beside us but now we had moved, we got a pretty good reception so I guess, every cloud, etc.......!  Crew was very happy to be able to watch Come Dine with Me again!!
We had duck, sauté potatoes and veg. for dinner but we’re very disappointed with the flavour of the duck......it’s normally very tasty!
We watched TV instead of a DVD and bed.

Thursday 31st May - Digoin

Gary and Tina were leaving around 1.30 p.m. so the plan was to have a walk to the aqueduct which allows the canal to flow above the River Loire ( not navigable) and then find a cafe for a bite to eat before returning to Aphrodite and waiting for their taxi to turn up.  A lot of research had gone into trying to book trains to get them to Lyon airport but it all became too complicated and they decided to book a cab instead - an expensive but more expedient option!  They managed to get the same driver that brought them to Chalon just over a week ago, who drove a very smart electric car.
He arrived a little early and we sadly waved them off - we’ve had a great weeks’ cruising, admittedly with some mixed weather but lots of good fun nevertheless.  Just Skip and Crew now!
Skip moved out of Crews’ toilet and shower, back to the guest facilities straight away, much to Crews’ delight......a recipe for disaster sharing the ablutions!!!  Then a long rest and a bit of tidying up.
After our copious restaurant meals, we decided to give our stomachs a rest and feasted on nobbles during the evening, whilst watching a film - fairly early to bed!

Wednesday 30th May - Paray-le-Monial to Digoin

Only a short day today, so we left our mooring at 10 a.m. on a bright sunny morning.  Unfortunately the forecast doesn’t bode too well with rain for this afternoon. But as usual, forecasts can be wrong and the storms that we have quite often pass over very quickly.
We had problems with the first two locks and had to call the VNF man each time.....but our last lock was fine.  A very pleasant 6 km run into Digoin followed.
We remembered the port in Digoin - last time we were here we had to move on as there was no room for us.  This time we dared to moor on the hire boat side of the port.  We were just getting ourselves organised when a nice young Frenchman appeared asking questions about the boat - it appeared he worked in a nearby boatyard and was interested in internal layout.  He very politely asked if he could come back some time and have a look over Aphrodite.....we said of course he could and arranged for him to come over around 6 o’clock when he finished work.
The two men went off to the station to find out about trains for Gary and Tinas’ departure the next day and while the girls were chatting, a very angry Frenchman came along grumbling loudly and making explosive noises.  With that he viciously unplugged our power cable!  Crew tried to reason with him but he was having none of it - he was extremely agitated.  Crew tried to explain that we only had the fridge working but he just wouldn’t listen.  A little while later, the men arrived back and after we related the sorry story, Skip went to plug us back in but Crew advised against it and suggested we wait until we could find a Capitaine to ask what the problem was.  The man came from his boat and started ranting again and this time pulled the plug on one of the motor homes parked nearby.   The caravanner came rushing out shouting and promptly re- attached himself.  A little while later a man from Canalous (a hire boat company) walked up with the angry Frenchman to his boat and as he walked back Crew asked what the problem was......he said it was another boat further along causing the problem - neither an apology or even an apologetic look was forthcoming from Mr. Angry!
After a fairly quick lunch the men went over again to find out where to pay for our berth and were directed to the other side of the canal to the Capitainerie......the only place they found was a nursing home.  However, using their wily resources, they sussed out a very nice space for us to move to right outside the real Capitainerie.  On returning to the hire base they caused great hilarity on recounting the nursing home story!  We moved across and plugged in - safely this time and got comfortable again.
Not very far from the port was a hotel with a restaurant which looked to be pretty good and whilst in town the boys booked a table for dinner.  We had said around 6 p.m. for Matthieu (the young Frenchman) to come over but as we had moved, it was considerably later when he finally found us and by then we were getting ready for dinner.  So another arrangement was made for the next day.
Another delicious meal was enjoyed, followed by drinks and cards.

12 km. 3 locks. 2 1/4 hours

Tuesday 29th May - Génelard to Paray-le-Monial

We left at 10 a.m. under an improving sky and by the time we arrived at our first lock the sun was shining. We had to wait a while for the locks as there was a small yacht going our way.  We managed to catch him up just before  midday.  A lock keeper told us to stop before the next lock - we weren’t quite sure why but suspect something to do with lunchtime!  On approaching the lock the lights were working and on the green light both us and the yacht went in.  The same thing happened in the next lock, so we made no stop.  We arrived in Paray at 1.45 p.m. and all made a foray into town to find a certain restaurant which Gary had researched.  We found it OK but of course, lunch service had finished so we booked a table for dinner.  On the way back we came across a very smart pizzeria, so stopped and asked if we could get pizzas.  The man said he had finished really but agreed to serve us pizzas.  We enjoyed our lunch on a very pretty terrace and, after paying our bill we were on our way home when the nice man came out waving a bottle and glasses.  As one, we all ran back to imbibe a very acceptable Creme de Menthe type liqueur.........good siesta juice!!
The skipper went into the lovely town to get a recharge for his SIM card on his I pad.

After a good rest and a freshen up we all assembled on the back deck for a glass of bubbles, then walked to the restaurant.  The food and service was excellent and again just one waitress (who was very efficient) and I believe just three people in the kitchen.  It was high end so quite expensive.....but well worth it!
Back for cards and digestifs before bed.

21 km. 7 locks  3 3/4 hours