Entering the Centre

While we were in St Jean de Losne our main mission was to see Catherine, the wonderful canvas worker whose work is admired throughout the barging community. She made the covers for Matilda’s rear deck a year or so ago and we want some extensions for the wheel house roof and sides for additional protection during winter and the colder months.

We visited her in her atelier (studio) and discussed our requirements and what she could do for us. Having done our business, we lunched at the Café National, the Maitre-de having kept a table for us.

We were in very familiar territory and it wasn’t too long before we were running into familiar faces from the past.  

Our visit complete, we left St Jean de Losne at 14.30 on the 23^rd April 2013. We planned a short trip down the Saone, spending the night above the ecluse at Seurre. We all enjoyed a relaxing evening “greenbanking” on a major river. The sunset caught these jet trails high in the sky

We are again in big boat country, and barges on the Saone are now very large vessels. This ecluse caters for them.

It is 185 metres long by 12 metres wide. The hire boat seems lost as it tries to get out. Matilda wouldn’t look much bigger.

Next morning we passed through Seurre and on down the Saone. We will return to Seurre in the future and see more of the town. There is plenty to see on the banks of the river – not to mention this “weekender” with its classical Burgundian tiled roof.

We pulled into this pontoon for lunch, fascinated by the overhead gantry and it’s ornamentation.

In its early life the building was a loading jetty for a munitions dump (there is still an army establishment behind the structure). It is at present set up as a restaurant that has operated during the summer months. Unfortunately during the winter the river is prone to flooding here and the lower level of the building goes under water.

We were now approaching Chalon sur Saone and the entrance to the Canal du Centre which meets the river at this 11 metre deep lock.

The Centre opened in front of us and we started to climb towards Chagny. The weather was looking good and spring was under way

We passed this little chapel which may even have been ruins when this canal was built in 1860. The canal takes a decided loop around the site.

A hotel barge was in front of us as we traveled. These hotel barges are “Freycenet” sized at about 39 metres long and 5 metres wide ( By comparison, Matilda is 25 x 4.7) The locks are theoretically 39 metres by 5.2 metres so, as these pictures below show, there is not much spare room. They may even have to turn their rudder sideways before the gates can be closed. Peter M walked ahead of us to take these pictures.

Matilda seems small by comparison.

We arrived at Chagny in the early afternoon Thursday 25^th April and had a wander around the town. We cycled from our mooring and found this lovely old chateau, now used as a hotel, the Hostellerie de Bellecroix. Parts of this building were here in the 11^th century and it has been modified and extended to the present.

 The structure was built for horses and carriages and shows the marks of its usage in the past.

 

Saturday 27^th Peter M left us in the morning by train. He was traveling to Paris then London before his return to Darwin

Marg’s sister Judy and husband Geoff arrive on May 21^st to spend some time with us and we have some work to do on Matilda in the meantime – if we have some fine weather.

There will be more to tell, so we will keep in touch.

Footnote:

Peter M has kindly allowed the use of some of his photos in this page.