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Champagne Trip. Spring 07.

Friday 27^th April 2007.
Happy to be setting off again with the boat, after nearly a year since our last trip. Caught the 10.55 am P&O Dover/Calais ferry. On to the A26 and swiftly Southwards.
A hot sunny day, more like midsummer than late April. The Land Cruiser really makes life easy, I loved my Land Rover Defender but do appreciate the benefits of comfort, air conditioning, stability of the heavier vehicle and all this wonderful power. A shorter tow this year, to the River Marne - and that’s where the plan begins to come unstuck.
Since the journey had gone so well, we decided not to stay the night at a campsite, but head straight for the slipway and get launched.
Jaulgonne is a village on the North bank of the Marne, KP37. I had looked at the slipway on Google Earth, so found our way directly there without problem. Rural site with plenty of access room and parking space. Close to the village playing fields. Very attractive site. One Dutch Barge moored nearby, looks semi permanent.
Unfortunately we found that the slipway ended just under the water in a very large vertical drop. Absolutely useless for us. (See later - this is only a temporary problem and this should indeed be a very good slipway)
At this time in the evening we decided to immediately find a municipal campsite. Drove through Chateau Thierry and on to Charly sur Marne. Arrived at 8pm just as the Lady in charge was locking up the gates. Very hospitably received. We were the only occupants that night. Not even necessary to fiddle about getting on to a pitch, just parked on a tarmac roadway. The site is not in an attractive area, on the edge of an industrial estate next to a sports centre, but an acceptable and extremely well run site. Toilets and showers spotless with plenty of hot water. Every pitch surrounded by well-kept hedges, good turf and water and electricity available at every space. Cost for “Caravan” two people and dog, with electricity, Euros 11.45

Saturday 28^th April 2007.
Stretched our legs around the town before setting off to find a slipway. Charly, completely ignores the river and is in fact set back about half a mile from the riverbank.
Drove back upstream about 10Km to Azy sur Marne’ Kp57 on North Bank. Parked on river bridge and walked couple of hundred metres to the slipway. Now we realised something is wrong!! A good, almost new, slipway, but water barely covering the mud at lower end. Also realised that water levels at bank side are very low and we have not seen a single boat moving.
On to Chateau Thierry. Slipway there much the same. Made enquiries at Office de Tourisme. The ladies in the tourist office barely knew that their town boasted a river. After much searching contact numbers were found for VNF and telephone calls made. No replies, this being Saturday - on to The Web and eventually established that there was “Un Chomage” until 19^th May. Unfortunately I was unable to determine how far upstream the river was affected.
Drove on upstream and pulled in for lunch at Pont de Reuil. Although not shown in our guides we found an excellent nearly new slipway with normal water level. Lovely rural setting. I would have liked to use this slipway but did not know if the next lock at Cumieres was in operation.
On to Epernay where Parker Family/Bobbles had told me there was a slipway at The Camping Municipal. However the Receptionist informed us that there was a “Halte Nautique” although the water supply and electricity were not connected, but there definitely was not a slipway. We therefore checked in to a caravan pitch at cost of Euro16.15 Driving towards our pitch along the riverside we noticed an excellent slipway!!!
Pointless asking why. Got the boat launched. Did not need electricity supply, batteries still well charged having been connected to mains last night. I carried a couple of five-gallon containers of water from a distant tap and we used the site showers.
Talked to site Gardien and arranged to store trailer and Toyota for six weeks.

Monday 30^th April.
All the locks encountered so far have recently been fitted with safety railings for full length of the quayside. This makes it difficult and unsafe for line handlers to reach up lines from the boat and to access bollards which are between safety rails and lock side. Line handler must work standing and walking along a fifteen inch wide ledge at edge of lock side. (This type of safety rail only found on this particular section of canal)
Many locks have a potable water tap at centre length, but with large screw connection. Moved on to Conde, junction with Canal de l’Aisne a la Marne. - village deserted and closed down.
Change of plan. Tomorrow is a public holiday so if we continue on the Aisne a la Marne we would probably be stuck between the Mont Billy chain of locks and the tunnel. Decided to continue South on the Lateral Marne and do our circumnavigation in the opposite direction.
Took water at the VNF maintenance yard across the canal’ since pontoons were all occupied by long stay boats.
On to Chalons en Champagne. (Previously Chalons sur Marne, but reverted in 1998 to the town’s pre revolutionary name)
Here we will stay for the May Day Holiday, when the navigation is closed. I think most workers have taken a “Link” day today and made a long weekend of it. Today seemed very much like a Holiday.
Lock at Chalons is operated from control room by attendant Eclusier. There is no indication of this before arrival at lock and the hanging pole is still in position. We had two attempts to use this before mooring to allow me to walk to the lock to investigate.
Good mooring for a town centre, just below the lock in pleasant backwater near wooded Island. Used one bollard and one pin, good concrete edge, grassy area along riverbank and mature avenue of trees. Seems a popular walk for local residents. Also moored are one Australian Yacht and on the other side of the canal a Freycinet working barge, fully loaded. (On Tuesday hatch covers were partly opened and I was able to see that the cargo was builder’s rubble/Hardcore. There surely cannot be much money in carting that around.) Some traffic noise from nearby roads but shielded by high wall. Dog can run loose.

Tuesday 1^st May.
May Day Public Holiday in France.
The French waterway system is now much more dependent on tourism than commercial traffic. French logic therefore dictates that the system should be shut down on holidays when many “customers” might be able to use their own or Hire Boats.
A perfect hot, sunny day. Chalons has extensive, well maintained parks and gardens. In the town centre many pavement bars and cafes. We took a very nice lunch outside a restaurant in the Place de Foch.
This is the Regional Capital as well as the administrative centre of the Department of The Marne and has an extensive and impressive area of administrative buildings.
A short walk before breakfast this morning to a Boulangerie towards the town centre. Also bought Muguet du Bois (Lily of the Valley) from one of the many pavement sellers, out in force from early morning. 2Euro a nice bunch. Still no one has been able to tell me why this French tradition of giving Lily of the Valley on May Day started.
Moved across to the lock entrance during afternoon to take water. Managed to extend lockside hose with jury arrangement hose fitting and jubilee clip.

Wed. 2^nd May.
Chalons this morning had lost it’s dead atmosphere, much more interesting on a working day. About half the stalls in the huge covered market were occupied. Bought fruit.
Continued South on the Lateral a la Marne. For today’s entire run the canal was bordered by mature growth of tree and bushes, so that the boater sees nothing of the passing villages or countryside. Encountered about a dozen working barges today, some loading grain at the waterside silos. Followed one for a couple of locks this morning but lost him when we stopped for lunch. Otherwise we were not delayed.
Only one other pleasure craft, a cruiser - caught us up, but strangely would not enter a lock with us, hung back and indicated that we should go through on our own.
Moored for the night at the village of Soulanges. Very pleasant mooring at the Halte Nautique. Nicely mown grass, but no other facilities, unfortunately not even a water tap. The small toilet block is vandalised and dry. A pity that the enthusiasm amongst small towns and villages a few years back for installing canal side facilities waned so quickly.
“Pas de Commerce” in this village although we are told that a bakers van will arrive at 8.15 in the morning.
No other water point seen today.

Thurs. 3^rd. May.
Met a couple of barges on our way to Vitry le Francois. Canal approach to the town is littered with abandoned projects - rusting half converted barges. The Garnier repair yard is still active and opposite is the Port de Plaisance. Finger pontoon berths, with water and electricity, for 10 boats, plus newly renovated quay space for larger boats. An excellent slipway. New administration building with showers and toilets available. Within minutes of our arrival the two young ladies in charge were out to welcome us, ask what we needed and show us around the facilities.
Walked to the town centre. Market day, stalls filling several streets around the covered market. A selection of Salons de Tea, Cafes and Restaurants around the main square - coffee and cake and later on lunch before returning to the boat. McKnight rather runs down this town but we found it clean, bright and attractive. Large open spaces in the centre - the town was 95% destroyed by bombing in 1944. Good shopping centre, but not able to find English newspapers.
An English cruiser arrived at the moorings. Just re-activating after winter lay-up at Vitry.
Before commencing passage of the Marne au Rhin Canal it is required that boaters should announce intended arrival to VNF by telephone. The Ladies at the Port de Plaisance told us about this and made the necessary telephone call.
On arrival at the first lock we were met by an Eclusier who took boat details and gave us information leaflets about navigation services and times. All Locks over this first section are automated. Set in motion when the boat passes between electronic sensors set on the bank. When secure in the lock and ready for next operation boat crew lift a rod at lockside. After this operation is again fully automatic.
Again our guide told us that this was an unattractive section of canal. Not so! Although straight it is rural, raised up so that there are views of surrounding countryside. Pleasant vegetation. We have seen no other boats since leaving V de F.
Travelled 14Km through 4 Locks to village of Bignicourt-sur-Sauix. Nice Halte Nautique, but No Water!!
Village - small, no commerce.

Investigated why a small quantity of water is entering engine space. Found that with the new strongback the weed hatch is absolutely water tight. However - When I fitted new shaft seal I did it according to maker’s instructions and fitted a vent/air release pipe. When propeller is run astern water is forced up this pipe and ejected into engine space. I now have to find some way of raising open end of vent pipe above deck and safely ejecting water overboard.

Fri. 4^th May.
Today travelled 17Km. Through 14 locks. We don’t cruise for very long days, but the small boat is so easy to manage that we do get through locks quite quickly.
Locks are mostly between 2.5 and 3m rise. Moored tonight at Revigny-sur-Ornain. Appears to be mostly a new village, much new housing and also a very large National Gendarmerie base. A few shops, well spread about, did not find a centre.

This morning we left Bignicourt about 8.30 through 3 locks and stopped at Pargny-sur-Saux for shopping.
I have done much complaining about how waterside facilities are falling into disuse and dereliction. Here (As at Vitry) is a different story. An excellent Halte Nautique. Very smart and newly renovated. Good quay with plenty of bollards. Water and electricity points. Newly paved and grassed areas reseeded and not yet completely established.
How much use will it get. Today we have not seen another boat, either moving or moored.
A lock keeper told me that this canal is normally used by commercial barges, particularly serving the large galvanising works, which we passed at Contrisson, but this is a holiday week. Also Presidential Elections this coming Sunday. He said that of every 10 boats about 9 would be Peniches.
French Waterways desperately need more “Plaisance” traffic to keep them alive. I once thought that it would be a shame if too many British boaters discovered this wonderful facility and spoiled the atmosphere, but now must agree that they are needed. The French are just not interested. It is only the British, Dutch, Germans, Scandinavians, Australians (those are the nationalities we meet most) who can save the situation. France must be heading for a strong dose of economic reality soon, waterways will then be a prime candidate for expenditure cuts.

I am pleased that we started our French voyages before modernisation had got under way. The days when every lock was manned and all lockside cottages were occupied. Gardens competing for best kept or most original Most of the Lock keepers were friendly, informative and happy to chat. Some great characters. Modernisation is inevitable and has many advantages, but it is sad to see the derelict lock cottages and wasted gardens.

Approaching Lock 59 (Remmenecourt) No indicator lights on and Gates not opening, we turned back a short distance and moored for lunch. Very soon a VNF white van arrived. The Eclusier knew all about us, when we entered his section, where we spent the night, etc. Told us that this was the only lock not working correctly which he must operate for us. Arranged to continue at 3pm. He was there on the dot and shadowed us for the rest of the day in case we encountered any problems.
From Lock 55 onwards initiation of lock operation is by a hand held telecommand instead of the fixed movement sensors. From Lock 50 onwards Lock operation becomes manual - we meet our roving Eclusier at 9am tomorrow.
The full mechanisation of all locks started in January 2006 and is due to be completed July 2008.

Sat 5^th May.
Left Revigny 9.00 am. Arrived Bar-le-Duc 12.45
14 Locks. 16 km. Accompanied by Eclusier. An energetic enthusiastic lady to Mussey, equally helpful man for second half. Sometimes two or three other VNF staff helping at locks.
Encountered one other boat, A Crown Blue Line cruiser coming downstream.
First two locks today were operated by telecommand but from Lock 50 onwards manual. Eclusier operated. Later about three locks mechanised and operated by Eclusier from control stand at lockside.
Climbing away from flat agricultural plain into more hilly and wooded landscape. Canal becomes more winding.
The moorings at Bar-le-Duc announce themselves as a “Relais Fluvial” 6 berths on short finger pontoons. Water and electricity available. There is a smart sanitary block but locked up. Space for Camper Vans, three here tonight. Unfortunate position adjacent to main Line and railway station with busy main road on opposite side of canal.
Ten minutes walk across railway and river to Town Centre. Large traditional shopping centre. Large Casino supermarket. All other shops.
Many groups of youngish people have arrived by car and used the picnic tables nearby on the grassy area to eat their McDonalds. (200 yds away over railway) Noticeably, all of them have carefully cleared up and placed all their detritus in litterbins before leaving.

Accompanied passage is a disadvantage to some extent. We feel regimented and are not able to stop whenever we wish, although on this canal VNF staff have emphasised at all times that we can make whatever arrangement we like with regard to timing. This morning’s session was a sprint - we just managed to grab a quick cup of coffee on the go.

There is a nice looking slipway at the Relais Fluvial, but unfortunately extending only a short distance beneath the water then ending in a deep vertical step - useless.
However about 200 yards downstream is an excellent slipway. This is situated in disused land and access to this area is via a barrier. I do not know who is responsible for this slipway or if access can be obtained.

Sun 6^th May.
After walk to Town Centre and visit to Boulangerie etc. left Bar le Duc 10.00 am.
16 Locks. 15Km.
Our Lock Keeper for the day (The Ancient Mariner on a moped) was waiting by the two hydraulic lift bridges before Lock 38.
To Ligny-en-Barrois. A good Relais Fluvial at Ligny, set back from the canal in a large square harbour. Water unfortunately not on - but hopefully tomorrow morning we can move across near the Camper Van facilities and use their water supply - 2Euros for 10 minutes water.
This is a Paying Port, 10.20 Euros per night - no sign of anyone yet looking for payment.
Excellent slipway here.
Town centre shops only five or ten minutes walk away.
A filling station just across the road.
Saw no other boats today.
Accompanied for first 15 locks by The Ancient Mariner on a Moped. Only 30 minutes for lunch today. Taken in lock, whilst he ate his sandwiches in the nearby shelter.
This section is in midst of modernisation, some locks completed and full power operation (controlled by Eclusier at the moment) and some still fully manual, all hand wound, with many at various stages in between, including various dodgy controls.
This canal is more attractive than I expected, and becoming more so as we climb into the hills. Hilly, wooded country. Small fields, mostly pasture. Huge white Charolais cattle lying around.
Weather changed today, quite cold this morning but gradually warming up this afternoon.
Second round of Presidential Election - have just heard the result on television.
Having good results with Satellite TV. I intend to comment on this subject on a separate page.
Have arranged to set off at ten tomorrow morning. It is difficult to decide a schedule before even knowing what a mooring will be like.

Mon. 7^th May.
There is a railway line adjacent to the moorings at Ligny. Winding branch line with an air of little use. A train passed at 6am and a single locomotive later.
Obtained three cans of Gasoil from the filling Station only 200M distant from the mooring.
Moved across from pontoon to quayside, close to Camper Van site and took water from combined unit. 2Euros in slot for ten minutes water, more than adequate for us, and no objection to paying since no one has collected the 10.2 Euros due for mooring.
To town . Match Supermarket very close, also to Boulangerie.
Dressed in full waterproofs and ready to leave at 10am. Unpleasant wet day. Intermittent moderately heavy rain.
Our Eclusier was waiting for us and all locks were set in our favour. Completed five locks in an hour, then the Eclusier left us. Starting at Lock 17 all locks are automatic - We then took One and a Half hours to complete the next three locks. After entering lock 17, lifted blue rod but the gates failed to close. Called for assistance. VNF arrived set lock in motion and disappeared. Entered Lock 16, lifted the blue rod, gates failed to close. Called for assistance. VNF arrived and set lock in motion. He thinks that being such a small boat we must pass the sensor at the lock entrance very slowly. Tried this at Lock 15. Gates closed when the blue rod was lifted. VNF disappeared. Unfortunately gates failed to close fully and activate the relay to set in motion opening of vanes. This time Peggy was on shore and I could not get to the ladder to leave the boat so she had to call for assistance. VNF arrived, fiddled with controls, Lock filled. Fortunately due to the weather we had decided to call it a day and moor here just above Lock 15 at Naix-aux-Forges. Very quiet, view over wooded valley. We are told that the nearby small village has no shops - ignore McKnight. Too far out of date.
No other boats seen today.

Today’s run. 8 locks. 8Km.
Walked around village. Large Church and well kept Marie. Village is expanding, several new houses. No shops.
No Mobile Telephone reception here.
Watched a DVD. Good Sat. TV reception - has been good every evening recently.

At Treveray we were met by a VNF official who recorded our details and gave information leaflets concerning the Mauvage Tunnel. We arranged to pass the tunnel at 1.30 pm tomorrow - there are two convoys per day in each direction, the earlier one is at 8.30am.
Took water in this lock. Water points with small connections for pleasure boats.
Spoke to passing lady and found out that there is an Epicerie not far away in the village, which also sells bread, so moored just after lock intending to walk to village. This plan thwarted by heavy rain so sat and drank more coffee. Quick, damp, walk before lunch to buy bread.
While we were moored a Peniche came downstream. The Popov, a hotel boat but in poor condition with a sign on the side saying “Chambre d,Hotes” No passengers, only two crew on board.
Continued on our way at 1pm and lucky to get an hours sunny weather before rain for the rest of the day. Full waterproofs all day today. Ten locks this afternoon, several gave problems and we had to reverse out of the chamber and re enter very slowly past the sensor.
Lovely rural canal as it climbs towards the summit. Wish I had the words to describe it. I feel very privileged to be here enjoying this experience. All this for an annual licence of Euros120.
Good moorings, with water at Demange-aux-Eux, just below Lock No 1. Torrential shower just after we arrived and got moored up. Abandoned ideas of walking to the village, that can wait until tomorrow morning.
Days like this, when the cabin is hung about with wet clothes, we really miss our Webasto air heater which seems to have thrown it’s hand in completely.
There is a steel cruiser moored here, appears more abandoned than laid up. Last years licence still displayed. Possibly Swedish Registration. Obviously been here all winter, but perfectly safe and undamaged.
In the five days since we left Vitry the only boats we have seen moving have been One Crown Blue Line Cruiser and the Peniche today.

Throughout the system all moorings and picnic sites have a life-ring prominently displayed in a plastic easy access box. In every case when I have examined the box the life-ring is still inside, not vandalised or stolen.

All the locks encountered so far on this trip have been reasonably gentle in operation. That is to say water has been let in without too much turbulence and current, although much faster than would be encountered in any English Lock. When ascending we use one rope from the centre either fast to a bollard or returned down to stern and fast on stern cleat. Initially the bollard will be a metre or more above steerer's head. As the lock fills engine is run about half speed and rope kept taught and boat against lock side.
Sometimes Peggy walks from Lock to Lock and I throw up the rope as I arrive in Lock, sometimes if there is a suitable place I put her ashore before the lock. Otherwise Peggy steers and depending on conditions I either stand on cabin roof and throw the rope over bollard, or step on to ladder from bow and climb up with rope.
I know that there are people single handing around the French Waterways, but I really can not imagine how they manage ascending automatic locks. Not something I would like to do.

Wed. 9^th May.
Another cold, wet day.
Walked to village of Demange, unfortunately Boulangerie closed on Wednesdays.
There is also a Butchers shop which was open. A couple of Restaurants, both had a permanently closed look about them. Not a particularly interesting village.

As we decided to move up through No 1 lock a VNF man happened along the road in his van. He was not a Lock keeper, his van was full of gardening tools and compost, but he conferred on his phone and then operated the lock for us. Also kindly gave us one of his baguettes.
Moored just before tunnel entrance until 1.30 Opportunity for a walk over the tunnel mouth and across open fields - not a habitation in sight.

Mauvage Tunnel.
Length 4,785M. Altitude of Summit Pound. 280.75M.
We were drawn through the tunnel by an ancient, clanking, rattling, moaning, cumbersome escaped exhibit from an Industrial Museum. An electric powered, chain tug which progresses through the tunnel by lifting a chain from the canal bed and spitting it back out over the stern. Picks up power from overhead electric wires in the manner of a trolley bus.
This contraption and two operators, just to tow our little 23ft Sea Otter through the tunnel.
Sharp on 1.30 we were attached by two tow lines from the tug to our forward centre cleat. We were told to use our engine to assist steering and blow the horn if we got into trouble.
The passage took an hour and ten minutes.
I found steering very difficult, our boat wanted to act like a crab and the stern was constantly drawn towards the right hand wall. I found steering easiest with engine running slowly, not fast enough to take tension off the tow lines. Occasionally a quick burst astern was necessary to control the situation.
The tunnel is well lit for the full length and mostly dry. A few wetting from the roof near the Mauvage end. Stone and concrete lined with some lengths reinforced by steel rings, which reduces width down to within a few inches of the tugs beam.
Absolutely straight, it is possible to see light at both ends from the middle of the tunnel.
There is a walkway on one side with good concrete handrail. I believe barges were originally hauled through the tunnel by manpower until the middle of Nineteenth Century when the electric tug was installed.

A downhill run now. So much easier than climbing through locks. Passed seven locks to tonight’s mooring at Sauvoy. These locks are linked in a chain. When leaving a lock the next is automatically prepared. Same problems with sensors, but assisted by an Eclusier who was never too far away.

Thur. 10^th May.
Today’s run. 24Km. 17 locks.
Before leaving this morning walked to village, poor little place on main road. No shops.
Left 9.05 and continued down locks to Void.
At Void there are moorings alongside VNF Regional office, with water available.
This is a small town, rather run down with no particularly attractive features, but providing all shopping.
After Void a long pound, the longest stretch without locks encountered so far on this holiday.
For some time the canal runs close to the noisy N4 and then after 9Km arrives at the junction with Canal de l’Est branche Nord. We kept to the right and continued towards Toul.
After another 10 Km arrived at Souterrain de Foug.
867M long straight tunnel. Traffic lights were at green, so we went straight in. As we approached the entrance thought we could see a boat in the tunnel - no decided not. Then once inside could hear the very obvious noise of a large diesel engine. After our Canal du Nord experience we are rather nervous of errant barges in tunnels and spent an anxious few minutes before we were sure that the mystery boat was travelling in the same direction as ourselves. It turned out to be a VNF tug, pushing a couple of odd shaped pontoons/barges loaded with a large tracked excavator. The first lock we came to, Ecl. 14 is larger than normal and 6.15M deep. Plenty of room for us in lock behind the tug/barge.
However thereafter we had to wait while tug went through locks and we followed on. All automatic locks, we were not delayed long. After fifth lock the tug tied up and from then on all locks were in our favour. We continued down to Toul, arriving just before 6.0pm.

From Vitry to the junction at Troussey we were exactly a week on the Canal de la Marne au Rhin and saw just one barge and one hire boat!!
Met a couple of boats later this afternoon.
Here at Toul there are very few boats. Ten to be exact and several of those look permanent. A trip boat, an English barge with last years licence on display, one hire boat arrived after us, and a Swiss Cruiser - had a chat to the owner, he keeps the boat at his second home on the Costa Brava, and regularly does the 2 hour coastal passage from Sete.
When we were last here in May 2003 the moorings were much busier.

Fri. 11^th May.
Stayed today at Toul. Very windy this morning and wet until lunchtime.
Shopping and a little sight seeing, Lunch in Town. Only ten minutes walk to town centre.
Town was fortified by Vauban and most of the immense perimeter walls still survive. The town is laid out in a circle with main roads radiating to each gate and a circular square (Place) at the centre.
A huge Cathedral with very ornate façade. The scaffolding which covered the front at the time of our last visit has all gone now.
Afternoon, jobs on boat. Investigated Eberspacher control box and found a fuse with contacts slack and corroded. When corrected water heater works correctly. HURRAH !!!
Hot water available so bathed dog and did laundry.
Fetched three cans of gasoil from nearby filling station using little trolley.
At 5.30 a Large Connoisseur Hire Boat arrived and parked immediately adjacent to us - completely unnecessary - we immediately moved across to next pontoon where there are no other boats.
Uniformed lady arrived to collect mooring dues. Euro 9.46 for two nights with electricity and water.
Rupert, our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is totally used to this life and becoming far too confident. At first he stayed very close to the boat but now is beginning to roam too far. We have to watch him carefully. Enjoyed his visits today to Café, Salon de Tea and Brasserie. At each place he was welcomed in, no objections and lots of attention.

Left the top lock just at Noon. Were issued here with a telecommand for the Canal de l’Est . passage.
The top lock (Ecl 14, Foug) with 6.15M rise, is in fact a twin pair of locks. Used alternately, water from the full lock is run into the empty lock, thus saving half a lockfull of water at each operation. I have seen no other attempt to save water in this area, supply seems to be plentiful and water is pouring over the top of lock gates at all times.

I now went ahead of the Hire Cruiser, as we immediately entered the Foug tunnel. He being full width was obviously much slower than me through the tunnel.

Back up to the Troussey junction then continued North on the Canal de l’Est. Now descending, there are four locks within the first two Km. Beside the third is a huge cement factory. This has been visible for many miles. Very dusty. There is a barge quay and crane, would not like to be passing when a barge is being loaded.
We had planned to stay the night at moorings just before Lock 5, Euville. Unfortunately a busy road runs very close to the moorings, so we passed through the lock and moored a couple of hundred yards further on against sheet piling.

Today’s run. 25Km. 17 Locks.

During our run along the Marne au Rhin Canal I particularly noticed how well maintained the canal was, with nearly all banks having been sheet piled.
The first 6Km of this canal are very different. Banks are seriously and sometimes dangerously eroded. Very few places where mooring would be possible. Odd lengths of steel piling and in one place about half a Km has been repaired with wooden stakes and fibre mesh netting (How long will that last)

Where we are moored tonight there is on each side of the canal a line of young plane trees. Healthy and well established, I would guess about twenty years old. I like the way the French look after their trees and forests. When trees reach maturity they are harvested and new replacements planted. It is farming, just like any other crop, but with a very long term outlook - farming for their Grandchildren and their Children. Hence magnificent forests, shady avenues at all stages of growth, and small plantations on every farm for the firewood of the future. In England trees are treated as sacred objects not to be touched. Allowed to decay and rot and die and go to waste. Planting is at the whim of whatever is the current environmental buzz, then never properly maintained. Remember the big publicity drive in the Seventies:-
Plant a tree in 73
Plant some more in 74
Will they survive in 75
Bundle of sticks by 76

How true - now what about the latest “Spivs Charter”, Carbon Offsetting ???. Pay me and I will plant a tree and save the world.

I noticed as we came through the Foug tunnel today many bats flitting about. I suppose in England that tunnel would be closed down and no maintenance allowed.