This has to be the nearest thing to what this whole exercise is supposed to be about! We are back at the junction (between the Canal Lateral à La Marne and the Canal de l’Aisne à la Marne) after our brief diversion. We have been to Chalons-en-Champagne and have spent a very pleasant three or four days there, but back here at the junction the sky is blue from horizon to horizon, the motorway is only a distant rumble and the occasional loud ATV can be forgiven. The evening sun is warm and dappled by the trees and we are only occasionally bitten by the insets that the swifts are flying all around us to mop up. A sparrow hops onto the taft rail and grabs the large spider nesting there.
Things could get better (or worse) but it all bodes well for this adventure that we have chosen to be on.
Chalons-en-Champagne (formerly Chalons-sur-Marne) changed its name in 1998 possibly to make it sound more central and important in the champagne area. To be fair though, it is an attractive town in itself with two huge churches, one of which is classed as a cathedral – St Etienne.
We moored there just in front of Paul and Diane of 'Eleanor' with whom we shared a couple of meals and plenty of chat. We were also all joined by Peter Mastenbroek of ‘Brave’ who had motored down from Berry au Bac to Chalons in one day! (a long one admittedly – but single-handing too). We had not expected him for at least two days – these blasted superhuman ex-professionals!!
We have been in email contact with Peter ever since we met him just before the tunnel on the St Quentin Canal some months ago now, so it was nice of him to make a detour to Chalons on his way to Epernay, to meet up with us again. And of course, it was lovely to meet up again with Paul and Diane who we had first talked to on the VHF when passing each other on the Oise river and then later at Lagny and Meaux.
Shortly after they all left we were joined again by Australian Mike of ‘Motswari’ (now with his next visitor Pam) with whom we had evening drinks! The socialising goes on!
But in the meantime, we had visited the two churches, looked at the old Marne lock, done a trip on the old Mau and Nau rivers round the periphery of the city walls and actually underneath the city in a small boat (commentary all in rapid French and pretty unintelligible to us). We also found an extensive out-of-town shopping precinct with Carrefour and, more importantly, a general motoring spares outlet: this latter because when showing Peter round Riccall, Alex noticed water where it shouldn’t be in the engine room. The damned (or undamned) stern gland again! So this time he decided to fix it once and for all by constructing a containment vessel out of fibreglass for which of course, he required fibreglass matting and resin.
The motorist spares shop had a kit containing exactly what was required at €21. (€21!!!) Alex said, “Avez-vous donnez moi le discount?” The lad behind the counter did a double-take and asked “Etes-vous professional?” “Mais oui, je suis professional”. “OK, 20% discount”. Result!!
So that’s all done and seems to be working well.
Meanwhile, back at the junction we suddenly found ‘Horreur!’ that we were out of fresh milk - one of Alex’s ‘must-haves’. So he looked at the mooring guide and saw that there was an Ecomarché less than five kilometres away. A half hour bike ride found no fresh milk but instead a rather splendidly cleaned church in the village, and another unlocked spiral staircase to the organ loft and thence to the belfry. Louise stayed down below in the shade taking photographs while Alex couldn’t resist the climb and re-emerged a bit later covered in cobwebs and what not – a bit more light and a little less cowardice this time!
On returning to Riccall, milk-less but determined, he perused the map again and realised that it was only 16kms to Ay where we knew there was a l’Eclerc Express. So the following morning he set off on his milk run on the trusty bike. 2 hours later he was back triumphant (and the milk had even been reduced as it was near its sell-by date!) but rather saddle-sore and weary. In the meantime, Louise had painted the front coamings and deck (as you do when your partner is off chasing after the white stuff).
We also met a Dutch couple on a newly built Dutch barge – Cinclus (Norwegian for dipper) – who take up to eight people on barge cruises. They used to have a clipper taking up to 20 people to Norway and Sweden but have decided to downsize and stick to European canals. Their barge was very swish, as you would expect, but they were complimentary about Riccall when they came for after dinner drinks.
We are now climbing up to the Mont Billy tunnel – some 20 kms south of Reims – and judging by the lack of civilisation, when we will be able to post this blog is somewhat uncertain!
The seven locks on the climb to the tunnel went OK and even though it was rather early we decided to moor up at Vaudemanges on the end bollard of the lock moorings rather than in the basin just beyond. We later got on the bikes to look at the Mont Billy tunnel a kilometre or so ahead. As we approached it an old Dutch barge called ‘Biesbosch’ emerged, reminding us of our own problems in the Biesbosch last year!
Later when we got back to Riccall we noticed that Biesbosch had moored in the basin and that two of the people on board were returning from the lock with empty water containers (no water to be had there). So we offered them some of our bottled water for which they were very grateful. ‘Pour les enfants,’ they said.
The tunnel was fine, lit throughout, with two sets of fans blowing through to remove the fumes (and give us some coolth as well) and after that we descended a few locks to Sillery where we are staying for a fortnight while Louise dips back to the UK for a week. When she returns, sister Julia, with Steve and the rest of the entourage are spending a couple of days here in Sillery close to us.
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