Besancon and back.

As we mentioned last time we left Ali and John at Dole. They left for Paris on Saturday 8^th October. We departed on Sunday and headed to Besancon. After departing at about 0930 we travelled upstream sometimes on the Doubs river and sometimes on the canals built to bypass shallow and rocky sections. These sections often were just parts of the river cleared to a depth with nothing more than a simple wall dividing the channel from the variables of the river.

We decided at lunch time that we would settle for the night and we found a lovely mooring at Ranchot where the local Marie has set aside a specific area for vessels our size. Thoughtful people!

Next morning, off early and we arrived at Besancon early in the afternoon.

Surrounded by high hills and a loop of the Doubs river there has been a town here since before Roman times. They called it Vesontio and since then it has been invaded by many forces from the Barbarians in the 1^st century to the Germans in the 20^th.. They included the Spanish, Austrians and the Prussians. To offer the town protection, King Louis XIV built a massive citadel on the hill behind the city and this, with four other forts on the other surrounding hills, (costing him a massive fortune) all stand today. The citadel was used infamously by the Nazis as a prison during the second world war.

We climbed the hill and spent an interesting morning touring the well preserved buildings.

Part of the citadel is occupied by a zoo which was set up late in the 19^th century Attractive in a way but small and cramped by modern standards. The great apes have the best situation. They roam free in the large area that would have been the moat protecting the entrance.

After a stay of two nights we headed back to St Symphorien as we had plans to do some work on Matilda that would not wait.

On our leisurely trip back down the Doubs river, we looked at things and country that we had passed on the way up. One spot was a “nature” mooring at the start of a deviation at le Maroc where we stayed a full day and found the stop most relaxing. There was a partially deserted factory which had used the canal for transport of product and we did little more than ride to the local village and get shooed away by the occupants of the factory.

We spent a night at Ranchot again utilising that thoughtfully provided mooring and had dinner at the local Auberge. Lovely surroundings and ambience and Peter was served the toughest piece of steak that he had ever experienced. Three medalions of eye fillet that even the sharpest knife available could not cut. We are spoilt in Australia with the quality of our meat!

And so back to St Symphorien and those jobs on Matilda.

We will be off to Nancy for Christmas in a month or so.

Until then, we will keep in touch.

The way to Dole

We had a strange mooring at Chalon sur Saone, we were told that we should be welcome at the pleasure boat harbour but when we looked, there was no room for us. We found a derelict commercial wharf not far from the centre of town, which was at least 15 metres high. To get to this height we had to moor alongside a recessed stairway in the face of the wharf and climb up to find something to tie to. We had to haul our bikes up to the top with ropes. Ali and John did most of the bike hauling – they are young and fit you see, and it was easy for them.
We stayed in Chalon sur Saone for a few days, then headed north on the Saone river for St Jean de Losne. We spent a few days on “the steps” there and showed Ali and John around the area we had called home for almost 6 months before we started on our dream. We then continued north and entered the Rhone au Rhin canal. Ah! the observant amongst you say, "you are back home at St Symphorien” and you are right! But we don't stop because we are on our way to show Ali and John the sites of Dole.

The observant amongst you will also note that the photographer must have been off on another assignment again.

Next morning we were up early – as were the ballonists, and we went off to investigate the town.

Ali and John left us at Dole.We put them on a TGV high speed train for Paris. They were off to Ethiopia in Africa to continue their volunteer work.

Marg and I continued up the Rhone au Rhin canal departing Dole the next day, Sunday 21^st August. We wanted to get to Besancon and next time, we will show you this wonderful old city.

Au revoir till then, Keep in touch.