Petite Peniche Anglaise.


Autumn 2000
Canal de Bourgogne.  River Saone.  Canal du Centre.  Canal Lateral a la Loire.
Canal du Nivernais.


That is how we were usually reported by Eclusiers to their colleagues up ahead.

Our second French cruise of the year again started at Migennes, on 7th Sept. This time we completed the Southern Burgundy ring - Canal de Bourgogne, River Saone, Canal du Centre. Canal Lateral a la Loire, Canal du Nivernais and finally, six weeks later, down the Yonne returning to Migennes on 18th Oct. A total of 670Km and 388 Locks.

The Bourgogne is magnificent. Many places of interest, Chateaux, Huge Churches, Medieval villages, plus an absolute surfeit of ancient wash houses.  Beautiful countryside, particularly the descent from the summit tunnel towards Dijon. This hilly countryside gave us the opportunity for several spectacular walks. Flavigny-sur-Ozerain, the splendid fortified Chateau at Chateauneuf, Gouffre des Dames, all steep, hot and further than the guide books admit, but well worthwhile.

We paused for a day at Montbard when Sister in Law and companions visited en route homewards from Provence.
Also at Montbard we had a very polite and restrained contretemps with a hotel boat which laid claim to the public mooring which we had occupied. The hotel boat always wins in the end - large noisy generators on the stern and  sewage tanks which are pumped out in the dead of night, ensure that. However its fun to make them squeeze into too small a space before deigning to move on. Many towns have solved this problem by building and reserving special moorings for the Hotel barges. These boats are proliferating rapidly in the Burgundy area, invariably loaded with over indulged, under exercised North Americans. They can be a pain. “Commerce” always has priority at locks, so if stuck behind a slow unwieldy floating hotel, then you are usually there for the day.
Generally we got on well with them and indeed once were waved through to enter a lock first and go on ahead.
One particular beauty the “Fleur de Lys” we encountered for several days. The English wife of the French Skipper was from our home town. An absolutely luxurious Freycinet size Peniche, with six crew and accommodation for six passengers. The Skipper was particularly proud that the floor area of his passengers bathrooms was 8 sq. M. each.

Another rest day at Dijon. Particularly interesting as it was Saturday - Market Day.

The Saone, a large major waterway has a surprising lack of commercial traffic and several interesting villages on the banks prevent it from becoming tedious.

We had for some reason expected the Canal du Centre to be uninteresting surrounded by lots of industrial areas. Far from it - this is  an ancient winding waterway. The Eastern half passes through a winemaking area, vineyards close to the canal and many small winemaking villages nearby. Paradise for an aficionado of the local Cremant de Bourgogne. (Guess who. A clue - not the same person who carried the boxes back to the boat.) Nearly all the coalmines and potteries have now disappeared.

Beware of the automatic locks, some are extremely fierce when filling. On one occasion the ground paddle outlet turned out to be exactly alongside where High Jump was secured to the floating bollard by a couple of turns of our centre line. Momentary terror as the boat was heeled over to an impossible angle by the sudden inrush of water.


After Montceau les Mines, as happens on canals, we fell in company for a couple of days with a seagoing yacht. This was a couple from Newcastle u Tyne returning home after a five year cruise around the world. Rather put our voyage into perspective.

There are many mature walnut trees alongside the canal and at least one fine specimen at every lock. We had timed our passage perfectly, just as the ripe nuts were falling. We stuffed plastic bags with tasty fresh nuts which perfectly complemented the early evening drinks.

To Digoin and then on along the Lateral a la Loire - by this time other boats were few and far between. Rejoined the Nivernais. (Covered in our Spring Trip report.) This canal is just as exciting and charming second time.  At one point rather too much excitement. The triple staircase at Chavance was reached mid Sunday afternoon. In the absence of other boats the Eclusier had dined well. As Peggy waited at the bottom of the first chamber suddenly a wall of white water advanced across the top chamber, impressively down the first fall - along and down again. Hit High Jump like the surf at Waikiki and the trusty boat rose to the occasion magnificently.

Further on we fell into company with our old friend “Billy”. An elderly, underpowered, steel hire boat from Burgundy Cruisers. Chatting with the Australian occupant I made various disparaging and indeed insulting remarks about the slow, cumbersome and unmanageable craft, later to find that he was actually the Owner. The boat was managed on his behalf by the hire company. As a punishment we then spent two days with an equally slow sister vessel “Lucy”, piloted by two Ladies from Paris.

After Clamecy the canal frequently joins the River Yonne, which by this time was running high and fast. Care required to spot some hefty lumps of driftwood - we had learned our lesson well in Paris. Also much floating weed now being swept into the waterway.

One final tourist site to recommend. The Caves at  Bailley are well worth a visit. The cases acquired here were well beyond my capability to carry but we were willingly chauffeured back to the boat by one of the staff. The extra ballast helped keep the bow down in the now fast flowing river. 

We left Auxerre at One Fifteen on Tuesday Afternoon and on passing through Chainette Lock found that this was due to close at One Thirty for repairs to the top gate. Information is frequently not well distributed.

All well at Migennes and Thursday saw us on the road to Le Havre. Around the Paris Peripherique I missed the exit for the A13 and  recovering the situation perhaps resulted in the first sighting of a Sea Otter in the Bois de Boulogne.

Where next? The boat performed well on this trip. The new Eberspacher water heater is brilliant. Electrical problems all solved, but still a problem with propeller size. Despite the change engine will not run above 2500 rpm. Now working on a few minor repairs and ideas to improve comfort before the next trip. We hope to make this the Midi/Garonne/Lot early in the Spring of 2001 - we have already purchased the guide books.