Bourbonnais: ascent to Briare

Hello folks!  We hope your Midsummer Solstice was sunnier than ours - we were in our all-weather gear as it was cold and rainy. 

Friday 21 June - Rogny to Ouzouer-sur-Trezee
As you may recall we weren't looking forward to the ascending part of the staircase locks but we needn't have worried - a friendly VNF chap was there to take our lines and assist us with the 6 ascending locks - phew!  They were pretty straightforward and spaced by 0.5-1.0km (as opposed to consecutive) so we had time to ready our lines for the next lock.  Here's a picture of the original staircase lock which was in operation until 1880 - you can see the steps alongside where a crew member would walk up or down with the line:


Original staircase lock at Rogny-les-Sept-Ecluses

We reached the summit just in time for lunch - and more rain - so we took shelter for an hour or so.  The descending locks were automated so quite straightforward plus we had the locks to ourselves all day which made it easier.  Overall, a pleasant experience!

We moored at a Ouzouer-sur-Trezee halte, a nice quayside mooring with power and water - and free!  We were the first there but it wasn't long before there was a full complement of yachts to adorn the quayside.    Here we saw Gary and Barbara again from demasted yacht "Quattro" as well as Alan and Jackie on "Splodge" (we first met them way back on the Liaison - you can't forget a boat with that name!) so it was good to see them again.

Quayside at Ouzouer-sur-Trezee with "Reward" in second spot

Locks: 12 (total 99)
Miles: 7 (total 311)

Saturday 22 June - Ouzouer-sur-Trezee to Chatillon-sur-Loire
Emergency, paging Mr Mick!  We couldn't start the engine - a first since we've owned "Reward"and we prayed it was just a fuse problem.  He managed to sort of jump-start the engine - not an ideal arrangement but enough to get us to Briare where there was a boatyard and moorings where we planned to stay for a couple of nights or so if necessary.

After an hour's cruising and two locks with "Splodge" we left the Canal de Briare (the oldest canal in France) and turned onto the Canal Lateral a Loire towards Briare but on arrival there was no room at the inn so we continued into the canalised acqueduct which carried us over the River Loire which was magnificent - designed by Eiffel it stands at 662m high - a masterpiece in ornate engineering for 1-way traffic only!

Pont de Canal, Briare, Canal Lateral de Loire

Once over the bridge we motored 5km to Chatillon-sur-Loire halte where there was a boatyard run by a British mechanic/engineer who had the necessary fuses which was great.  You'll be pleased to know that the problem was, indeed, only a fuse - an inbuilt system to protect the starter motor - phew!  To be fair, Skipper was great - as understanding as he could be in the circumstances - but nonetheless worried about his beloved engine!

Sadly we've lost "Splodge" along the way - she's much faster than us though - a twin-engined powerboat but we hope to see her and the crew again - not least as we need to return their coffee mugs!

Locks: 2 (total 101)
Miles:  10 (321)

So, yet another eventful day with the crew of "Reward".  We sadly didn't have the opportunity to look around Briare but we'll do so on the way back. 

That's all for now folks!  Until the next instalment, over!

F&M
xx