From the middle of nowhere

The southern branch of the Canal de l'Est from Epinal to the Moselle River is busy with commercial craft, they move all manner of bulk goods. We found one that is familiar to us loading bright orange maize. 300 tonnes of cattle feed.

The canal is going downstream and has been following the Moselle since Epinal. It travels through some beautiful wooded country. Autumn colors are everywhere.

At Flavigny sur-Moselle the canal crosses the Moselle via a pont canal.

The river is becoming rapidly larger and the canal and river soon merge and the river becomes the main route. The size of the ecluses suddenly become very large.

The geography changes too as we travel through some very hilly land. The river valley is lined with some quite steep hills. Beautiful villas abound and the villages are very attractive. On one bank we were accompanied by a disused railway line that seemed to be mostly supported on this beautiful stone viaduct that followed us for more that 5 kilometres.

We are approaching Toul and must leave the Moselle River as the appropriate harbour for Matilda is on the Canal de l'Est, (branche Nord). Access to the harbour is via a beautiful lifting bridge and around the battlements of the citadel.

Imagine having a couple of twenty four pound cannon balls coming at you from the fortified bridge in the background.

This type of structure really bought home to us just how long these canals have been used in Europe and their importance to trade.

A few days in Toul then Wednesday 2^nd November we are out on to the Moselle again for the final run to Nancy. The river was again in quite hilly country giving rise to some wonderful scenery. It takes a horseshoe bend around the village of Liverdun. This beautiful bridge and a second one almost the same, carries a railway line across the river and through the town.

The Chateau de la Flie a Liverdun looks out over the river.

We are in the waters now occupied by big freight barges and ones like this are seen all the time on the big rivers. This one is filled with about two thousand tonnes of processed scrap metal. It is being taken to a processing plant further up river that we passed a few days ago.

Early afternoon and we leave the Moselle. The Meurhe River meets the Moselle at the town of Frouard and we take the branch. Immediately we enter the canal de la Marne au Rhin via a 10metre deep ecluse. Nine kilometres later and we are in the Port of Nancy. Entry to the port from downstream is regulated by two bridges, this one lifts vertically, enough for us to pass underneath.

For the mechanically minded just look at the size of the three-stage ram that is lifting the roadway - there are two if them.

A half an hour later we are moored, rafted up, stern to the wharf where we will stay till next cruising season.

Christmas is coming up and we have family joining us. There will be stories to tell then.

So, we will keep in touch.