The locks in the downhill (southward) direction are a little different from the uphill ones. They are not as long which keeps the hotel boats away and many of them have vicious sills near to the up-stream gates. They can’t be seen when you enter from upstream – so we have learned to make sure we moor well into the lock. Many of them are quite high – well over 3m – and have no ladders so getting onto the boat after helping the lock keeper open the gates is very difficult. Theoretically it is possible to get on from the stone platform just outside the gate but in reality it is difficult to manoeuvre the boat to pick up there and with our high topsides it is also difficult to get on. It is made even worse in the rain as the steps and platform become very slippery. The first time L tried this, I couldn’t get her back and she had to walk nearly 2Km downstream before I could find a suitable spot to come in to her bank! We’ve stopped doing that it of helping now unless there is a ladder in the lock or it is less than 2m high.
After the night at the summit, we wanted to try to get down the other side and find somewhere to go out for a meal. There are several locks in close succession, the most notable being a triple lock, basin and double lock sequence at Chavance. It was here that we met our second less-than-helpful lock keeper.
He seemed to go out of his way to operate his set of locks in the least efficient way possible. First he locked us down into the mid-way basin. Then he left us floating there while he reset all of the upper locks and let another boat down to join us in the basin. Then, despite the fact that the lower locks were already set for downward traffic, he left us both floating in the basin and emptied them. He then locked a boat that had been waiting down below for over an hour up into the basin. It was only then, just before he went off for lunch that he finally locked us down. Altogether it took us two and a half hours to get through. There was a small cafe beside the middle basin and we wondered if it was run by his brother so that he sees it as his task to make sure there as many boats as possible nearby for lunch!
We refused to play ball, went on down to Marré and had lunch while waiting for the lock to open. We noticed a couple having a picnic outside their car in the pouring rain. Later we realised that it was the lock keeper and her friend. It just goes to show the sheer dedication that the French have to their lunch!
The morning had been nice, but the weather was rapidly turning colder and looking like rain so we decided on a short hop down to Chatillon-en-Bazois. We went on without further incident but getting wetter at each lock.
Chatillon has a very impressive chateau, a few shops, a hotel and a pizzeria. It also has a hire-boat base run by a great chap called Chris. He welcomed us, gave us a pontoon and hooked us up to water and electricity. He let L use his own washing machine for a modest fee.
He recommended a restaurant run by his mate Réné who he could arrange to pick us up and return us. In the event, this sadly was not to be as the restaurant was closed in the evening until the holiday season. Not daunted he recommended the Pizzarea rather than teh hotel which he feels is a rip-off. We took his advice and were very glad we did. It is far more than a Pizza Joint. A huge space with lots of tables done out nicely and full of locals. The menu is reasonably extensive with French as well as Italian cuisine. The wine was good, the meal was excellent, the waitress was friendly and helpful and the bill was reasonable. What more can you ask?
Thursday was raining but we had to get to a train station by Friday Lunch for Richard and Janet to get away to catch their ferry. We discovered that there is no station at Paneçot so we had to go all the way to Cercy-la-Tour - a distance of 35Km and 15 locks. Quite a challenge particularly as we had hung around till 10.30 before deciding to brave the rain!
Realistically, we didn’t expect to make it and we didn’t quite. We ended up cold wet and miserable at Lock Chaumigny moored to the bank amid piles of dog shit. It rained all night and was still raining next morning. I cycled the 4Km into Cercy, found out the train and bus options and cycled back. If we cracked on, we had a good chance of making Decize by lunch time where train options were simpler but we could get to Cercy by 10.00 with little risk. As there are always risks of unexpected holdups on the canals so we went for the short option and sat around till we saw Richard and Janet of at 13.00. And it was still raining!
That’s when we heard that the Loire is too high to cross at Dicize so we are well and truly stuck in the Nivernais until it hopefully re-opens on Monday. Well it poured all Friday and all Saturday and now we hear that it will probably be another week before we can get across and it could be longer!
We waited at Cercy which is a nice little place with a bar, Boulangerie, General shop and pharmacy all by the excellent pontoon moorings – one which are free water and electricity. There are plenty of other shops further into town and some nice walks up to the castle and church and up the rivers. By Sunday (slightly better weather) though, we had exhausted its charms. Monday has dawned clear and bright so we are off to see if there is room and reasonable moorings down at Decize. We can always come back later if we don’t like it....
It was an uneventful trip down and only took 3 hours. There isn’t much room but we’ve moored up to a barge on the town quay where there’s water and electricity. It’s a pleasant place with a Lidle, a Hypermarche and the railway station all in very easy reach.
I cycled into Decize this morning. Most shops are shut because its Monday but it’s a pretty little town fairly similar in size and flavour to Clamecy. We’ll go and explore properly tomorrow. I went over to the Loire lock and the river really is impressively wild. It’s a huge brown torrent running at over 6 Knots and appears to be over 150cm higher than normal. L and I walked down to the barrage below the town this evening and it really is impressive. They lock keeper says that it should be clear on Wednesday but I have to say it looks very unlikely.
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