Up, Up and Away

Instead of "two steps forward, one step back", our progress on the Canal de la Marne au Rhin Ouest can more aptly be described as "one step forward, two steps up". We have cruised for 5-6 hours each of the last 3 days. In that time we have made about 47 kilometers (28 miles) of forward progress and completed 32 "up" locks, with an average rise of 2.5 meters (8 feet) per lock, for a total climb of approximately 80 meters (250 feet). The landscape becomes hillier . . .

The rooftops of Bar-le-Duc and the hills to the east.

. . . over the next 40 kilometers before we reach the summit of the canal (and its 5 km/3 mile long tunnel) and we will complete another 38 "up" locks (95 meters/304 feet). When we come out of the tunnel we will have a fairly rapid initial descent over 9 kilometers--12 "down" locks, each about 3 meters (9.5 feet) deep--before reaching a 9 km lock-free stretch just prior to the junction with the Canal de la Meuse.

Auxonne is the starting point (left), Maasbracht is the end
point (right). We are currently at the crossed purple lines
in Bar-le-Duc.

On day 2 (July 28) the lock automation process changed and we were given a remote control device (télécommande) to activate the locks. It lacks some of the features of the unit we had on the Champagne et Bourgogne Canal, so I refer to it as my "télécommande for dummies." (TFD)

With the "ici signs" still in existence, the TFD
makes it hard to mess up the lock prep process. 
"Montant" basically means "going up".

Also of note, in the past 3 days we have not encountered any other boats on the canal. It seems a little strange, but on the positive side, it means no waiting to use locks and little competition for overnight mooring spots. What is also interesting is the amount of individual attention we get from the vnf to keep us moving. I've had to call the "help" number a few times when locks weren't operating quite right, which is always a challenge to my minimal grasp of spoken French, and had amazingly quick responses. Yesterday (July 29) we actually had someone assigned to accompany us through several of the locks in order to facilitate the opening of two mobile bridges that were part of our cruising day.

"Julien" was assigned to assist us through several locks to
make sure we got to and through two mobile bridges. We were
grateful that his English was better than my French.

The lift bridge at Mussey was old. It required two men to
pick up and move metal plates (used as the driving surface)
 before the bridge could be raised.

Over the course of our cruising we have had numerous encounters with "gongoozlers." We first heard the term when watching the "Great Canal Journeys" series on television. The term originated in England and applied to people who were not boaters themselves, but who enjoyed watching boats and activities on canals. We had to modify the term a bit for the watchers we encountered at a lock on July 28.

These "goatgoozlers" had taken up positions on and near
the lock wall.

The main difference between goatgoozlers and gongoozlers is
that the goatgoozlers do not concern themselves with taking photos
on cell phones.

Weeds continue to be problematic to a greater or lesser degree. The invasive aquatic plants may have been inadvertently spread throughout the canal system by a boater-or boaters-carrying non-native plant species on their hull(s), and current environmental regulations do not allow herbicides to be used to kill the plants.

In this bief (the waterway between two consecutive locks) the
vnf was using the "big guns" to scoop plants from the canal. The
problem is, the weeds grow back quite quickly, and there isn't
enough canal traffic to keep the growth down.

Throughout this year's cruise on the canals we've been pleasantly surprised by the availability of safe, easy, and free or inexpensive places to moor for the evening. Towns and villages seem to be encouraging visits by installing quays that can often accommodate larger boats like ours. Some have service points for electricity and/or water and have either been free or a nominal cost (e.g., 10 or 12 euro per night). When we did our Great Loop cruise in the U.S. and Canada, a cheap marina would cost us $1/foot/night; however, it was not uncommon for us to have to pay $1.25 - $2.00 per foot per night (ergo, $52-84 per night for our 42-foot motorboat). The section of canal we cruised on July 28 was an exception to the "availability" rule. There wasn't a decent quay to be found in the area where we were planning to be done with our cruising day. Fortunately, a kind member of the vnf told us we could spend the night at a vnf facility near the town of Revigny-sur-Ornain by attaching ourselves (rafting) to the vnf icebreaker moored at that location.

C.A.R.I.B. III gets "up close and personal" with the vnf 
icebreaker Asterix.

The rooster and chickens in a neighboring house were a little
noisy, but our mooring served the purpose for one night.

After 5 consecutive days of cruising we decided to give ourselves a rest-and-sightseeing day in the town of Bar-le-Duc. It feels like September outside, but at least the sun is shining.

Bar-le-Duc, a town of about 16,000 inhabitants, is the capitol of the Meuse departement in the Grand Est administrative region of northeastern France. Although traces of Roman and Merovingian presence have been found in the area, the first major development of the town dates to a fortification of the 10th century (no longer in existence). From 1354 to 1480 it was the independent Duchy of Bar. The current town consists of an upper town (Ville Haute) and a more modernized lower town. The Ville Haute grew up around the castle belonging to the Counts (later Dukes) of Bar and contains a relatively large number of Renaissance houses. It also contains the remnants of the 15th-16th century castle of the Dukes of Bar; Saint-Etienne Church (1315-1520); a section of the former castle walls called the "clock tower", so-named for the Great Clock installed in 1381; and disjointed sections of the old fortifications.

A half-timbered house built in medieval tradition 
contrasts with the Renaissance mansions.

I loved  this combination of the flowers
with the architectural elements

A bit of the macabre in the Saint Etienne church:
the Cadaver Tomb of Rene of Chalon, a Prince of Orange
(Holland), killed during the 1544 siege of St. Dizier.
Sculpted around 1545 by Ligier Richier, legend says it 
fulfilled the prince's wish to be portrayed as he would
be 3 years after death. The outstretched hand once
held his actual heart. Below this tomb is an ossuary
that contains the bones of some of the 12th and 13th
century "princes" of Bar.

The remaining section of the chateau of the 
Dukes of Bar.

Lon walking along the old fortifications.

The clock tower (the current clock is a 
modern addition)

Following history is hungry work, so a lovely stop
for lunch is just the ticket.

The lower town has much of the shops and other businesses that are required for modern life, although that is not to say that it doesn't have its share of old buildings. For example, it contains the Notre-Dame church, the oldest church in town (dating to the 11th century, although most elements are newer than that, owing to a fire following a lightning strike in 1619).

The 14th century Notre-Dame Bridge, at one time the only
bridge to cross the Ornain River and link two urban districts.
The small structure on the bridge is a chapel.

A view down the Ornain River from the Notre-Dame Bridge.

A bit of more modern history: Bar-le-Duc, avoiding German occupation after the First Battle of the Marne in 1914, was the site from which Verdun was supplied in WWI. And, on August 31, 1944, American troops entered Bar-le-Duc. 

Tomorrow we'll start moving again. The weather should still be dry on Saturday the 31st, but it just doesn't seem to be able to last. We hope the weather forecasts are wrong, as they currently indicate several grey and wet days ahead.

Heading East

Yesterday, July 26, we exited the Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne at the town of Vitry-le-François. The two days prior included a rest day in St. Dizier (July 24) and cruising toward Vitry (July 25).

St. Dizier was a largish town that had as lively a commercial center as we had seen in some time. The town originated in the 13th century as a fortified chateau. It became a royal fortress helping to protect the east of France and eventually an industrial center. Much of the industry revolved around metallurgy, although some of the now-vacant commercial buildings on the city's outskirts indicates that industries are in transition.

A portion of the surviving medieval ramparts, still
"protecting" the medieval castle (now a police sub-prefecture).

In 1775, fire destroyed 2/3 of the walled city.
This half-timbered building is one of the few
remnants of pre-1775 St. Dizier.

In our cruise on Sunday, July 25, we encountered more than one lock with thick, thick weed infestation. We had to call for vnf assistance at our very first lock in St. Dizier, which was not completely surprising to us, as we had watched several boaters having trouble with the lock the previous day.

The lock gates of a French écluse: the modern-day
equivalent of The Hanging Gardens of Babylon (one of the
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World).

Fields of sunflowers, which brighten even cloudy days.
 Sunflower oil is used widely in France.

Apparently "boats in locks" is a spectator sport here.

It's always sad to see an old lock keepers house that
is no longer used, but this one actually looked nice
with the green shutters and the roses.

We boated in and out of showers on the 25th.

Lon really knows how to show a girl a 
good time

The sun came out later.

Happy Campers.

Leaving the last lock on the Canal entre
Champagne et Bourgogne at Vitry-le-François.

We don't have much to say about Vitry-le-François. It is an important waterways crossroads, sitting as it does at the confluence of three canals. However, we never made it to the center of town to see what was there. We were moored canalside at the only remaining boatyard in town and spent the afternoon of the 26th getting information from the owner of the boatyard about available services, stocking up on groceries, and relaxing on the boat while staying out of the intermittent rain. 

We had further discussions this morning with the boatyard owner, but we had pretty much decided yesterday to keep our options open and stay with Plan D, i.e., we're going to cruise east on the Canal de la Marne au Rhin Ouest to the point where it meets the Canal de la Meuse. At our hoped-for rate of travel we should be there by August 4 or 5. Then it's decision time: turn north on the canal de la Meuse toward the Netherlands; continue on the Marne au Rhin Ouest to the Canal des Vosges and the Petite Saone to take us back to our starting point of Auxonne; or make an about-face and go back to the boatyard in Vitry. There are a lot of factors involved in the decision, so we truly will just have to wait and see.

The purple lines cross at Vitry. We've completed the
"left" portion. We have just started the "right" portion, 
and will go through 80 locks over 111 km before we reach
the Canal de la Meuse. It really isn't like mountain
climbing, just a lot of locks over a relatively short distance

The intersection of the Canal de la Marne au Rhin Ouest
and the Canal Lateral de la Marne.

A fallen tree narrows the canal.

The seven locks we went through today were
automated, and we triggered the lock preparations simply by
cruising past sensors installed about 300 meters
from the entrances to the locks.

More off-and-on rain today, and we're spending the evening at a lovely halte nautique adjacent to the town of Pargny-sur-Saulx.  

We thought the church looked a bit "new" compared to most of the churches we've seen in villages. It turns out there's a good reason for that. On September 6, 1914, the town was bombarded by the Germans during the First Battle of the Marne (Sept 6-12, 1914). 

A photo of the town after the bombardment and
resulting fires.

It was a sobering reminder of the part of the country we're in. The city of Verdun, which saw horrific action in WWI, is not that far away.

Movin', Movin', Movin'

On Tuesday morning, July 20, we left Vieville and 5 hours later reached the Halte Nautique in Donjeux. At that point we decided to phone the vnf in hopes of getting information about the status of the canal closure ahead of us. Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles, we were told that the Champagne et Bourgogne would be opened up the next morning. Not long after that conversation we received a notice to mariners in our e-mail with the official announcement of the opening of navigation. Good news indeed. The halte in Donjeuex was a nice enough place--quiet, peaceful, and a free mooring with electricity--but our time limitations and the distance yet to travel are always on our minds, so we were happy that we were going to be able to move on.

Weeds in the canal are occasionally a problem again.
This mass/mess was in the canal as we passed by the
halte nautique of Froncles on our way to Donjeux.

Maybe the bird lovers out there know what this bird is.
All I know is that its colors were stunning.

The French canal version of a branch library.

As small a village as Donjeux was, it boasted the 
lovely Chateau de Donjeux in the vicinity. The current
chateau is of 18th century construction and is built on
the site of the feudal fortress of the 11th century. The 
gardens would have been open for viewing, but we didn't
have enough energy to attempt the hill.

A short cruise on the 21st brought us to the now-accessible-to-us town of Joinville. In the Middle Ages it was the site of an important lordship in Champagne. Its medieval chateau-fort was demolished during the Revolution of 1789, but the 16th-century Chateau du Grand Jardin survives, has been restored, and is open to the public. 

Enjoying a self-guided tour of the chateau gardens
and the first floor of the chateau.

Very formal gardens in Renaissance French style. The
chateau had several gardens; this one was at the front
of the building.

One of the gardens in the back.

The Chateau du Grand Jardin and some of its gardens

Looking from the Chateau du Grand Jardin toward the hill upon
which can still be seen the remnants of the medieval fortress.

The Peceaux docks along a canal running through town.
"Peceaux" refers to wood stakes that were used to support grape
vines. Until the phylloxera infestation decimated French
viticulture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the
hills in the area were covered with grape vines. Until the 17th
century, the canal was used to fill the moats surrounding
the city's fortifications.

The Eglise (church) Notre Dame dates to the 12th century, although it was much restored in the 19th century (and the facade reflects that). 

One of the church's treasures is "St Joseph's Belt", 
brought back from the Seventh Crusade (mid-11th C) by
Jean de Joinville.

The timing of our visit to Joinville was good, in that July 21 was the date of the first concert in a "Festival d'orgue" to be held in the church with music played on the church's 1688 organ. The artist that evening was Juan Paradell Sole, organist emeritus at the Vatican in Rome. Two comments about the concert: 1) the music was enjoyable and 2) the pews were the most uncomfortable we have ever sat in. The seat was at a 90-degree angle to the back, and the top of the pew back had a strip of wood that forced us to lean forward. 

The old organ, placed as organs usually are, up
high and in the back of the church.

No neck-craning needed: a screen was erected in
the front of the church for our viewing pleasure.

We set an ambitious cruising schedule for ourselves on July 22nd. To take advantage of the continuing good weather, and with the prospect of a day in port on the 23rd, we decided to put in a long 8-hour day to go directly from Joinville to the city of St. Dizier. This would entail about 30 kilometers, 13 locks, and several lift bridges. We started relatively early, and for the first 3 hours things were great. But as the exit gates of Lock 50 just started to open they suddenly stopped. A call to the vnf was followed by a 30-minute wait for someone to show up to get us out of the lock. While waiting, we had the opportunity to contemplate the difference between regular time and "boat time" with respect to distances travelled.

As water poured over the back gate . . . 

. . . we contemplated the partially open doors
in front of us. Ah, freedom! So close and yet so far. 

And then we contemplated the sign on an adjacent building
 that said the Super U supermarket in Joinville was 10 minutes
 away. We had left Joinville (moored close to the Super U)
 3 hours earlier. And that is the difference between
 "regular time" and "boat time".

Despite the unexpected delay we still planned to end our day in St. Dizier. That is, until a recalcitrant lift bridge in Bienville sapped our will to continue and we stopped for the day at the village of Chamouilley, about 9 kilometers shy of St. Dizier. It turned out to be a restful stop and great for our frazzled nerves. The quay was spacious and the village had created a lovely park environment for residents and visiting boaters and campers.

There was one boat (not occupied) behind us on the quay, so we essentially had the mooring to
ourselves.

Our bike ride that evening took us to the neighboring
village of Roche-sur-Marne. For such a small village,
the church was a wonder.

A short cruise during the morning of July 23 and we are now in St. Dizier. 

As we sit at the Halte Nautique this Saturday morning, we are mulling over a potential Plan E. It may seem strange that Plan B was mentioned in the blog about two weeks ago, so how is it that we are already to the point of possibly implementing Plan E? It's simply that events and decisions to be made are oft-times moving faster than these blog entries are created. In this case, Plan C was our decision several days ago that we would not be making a trip to the UK this summer. The covid situation is changing so rapidly that we did not feel comfortable travelling out of the EU to a current "hot spot" and not knowing if we'd be able to re-enter the EU. We have not yet changed our return flights to the U.S., but that will happen soon. October 6 will become September 14 to keep us compliant with the 90-day Schengen limitation; we have yet to finalize our departure city. Plan D related to our proposed routing to the Netherlands. We had been hoping to go north to the Canal des Ardennes and from there to the Meuse and into Belgium. The problem is, the Canal des Ardennes is currently closed to navigation. It had a problem with its Lock 2 even before the flood, but according to a contact at the vnf, the recent flooding caused additional damage on the canal, which will likely keep it closed for several weeks. This leaves our only east-west option as the Canal de la Marne au Rhin (Quest), which then would intersect with the Canal de la Meuse to take us north. Because of the recent flooding, the Canal de la Meuse is still closed in its more northern sections, so we have to hope that it will soon reopen.

Covid uncertainties and canal uncertainties aside, another factor at play is the truism that boating and schedules are not a good mix. Our experience this summer is confirming that truth. Being limited to a 90-day visit this year, and having a rather ambitious cruising destination, is not allowing us to relax and explore the way we are accustomed to. All factors combined add a level of pressure to the journey that cannot be fully overcome, even as we glide through some beautiful areas and have enjoyable experiences. We feel the need to keep "movin', movin', movin'," but at the same time we fear getting too far and then being stopped short of our goal and in a less-than-optimal location for our needs.

Hence, exploring a possible Plan E seems wise. We recently became aware of a boatyard in the city of Vitry-le-Francois that has a dry dock and works on large barges. Vitry is at the beginning of the Champagne and Burgundy canal (only 30 km from St. Dizier), and we are making arrangements to stop by this yard and talk to them about the variety of projects that we were hoping to have done in the Netherlands. If we are comfortable with what we see and hear, it is entirely possible that we will decide to take the Netherlands out of the equation for this year and leave our boat in Vitry for the winter. We could then spend the last few weeks of our summer in relaxed cruising before leaving France.

Plan E? We may already be in Plan "punt" territory.  How exciting!