Dijon to Dole

0635 on the 4^th June. We are on the railway platform at Dijon. The Thello train from Milan to Paris will arrive at 0639. As the screen on the platform indicates it will not pick passengers up. It will stop to drop passengers only. In this case, from coach 93, Craig and Penny stepped off.

They were only with us for a few days between touring Italy and a nature and bird watch cruise on a small ship in the seas between Ireland and Scotland. Penny has become something of a twitcher in recent years. We were taking them up the Bourgogne Canal for a few days.

Note: the affinity with the duck.

On this canal, the ecluses are operated by an eclusier who follows the boat along the towpath – usually on a motor scooter. We think Penny is trying out for the job – probably next summer.

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During our travels in France we have seen and photographed many of their attractive buildings but as in the rest of the world there are many that have little architectural merit. This complex in Plombiers was an interesting exception. Five like this one, all in a group, all the same, all taking the shape of old freight barges.

Unfortunately as Craig and Penny were only with us for four nights we could not make another major town. We traveled up the canal to a little village called Dissey sur Ouche, turned Matilda around and made our way back to Dijon.

On our return we found the port full of boats similar to Matilda. The DBA – Barge Association of UK, was holding a rally and there were some 20 vessels in the port for the weekend along with the normal traffic. Space was tight but we managed to moor at the end of the harbour.

Craig and Penny left us next morning and we were joined by another group. The brother of a nursing friend of Marg’s was travelling in Europe with his wife and two friends and they had asked if they could join us for a week. They were Chris and Margot with Val and David and after dropping Craig and Penny at the railway station we met them at their hotel and took them to Matilda.

We had an early lunch and set out down the Bourgogne Canal towards the Saone River. We were headed to Dole on the canal du Rhone au Rhin.

These Burgundian buildings, with their colourful glazed tiles, appear again beside the canal.

D to B 036

We moored on the steps in St Jean de Losne and our visitors toured the town. One of the hotel barges we have come to know, Jeanine came into port and found she had nowhere to moor. We were able to move out and let her take our place. We then rafted up to her. It was almost like being in Boom again. In the picture above you can see Jeanine hard against our port side. We were all relaxing after dinner.

Another lovely meal was a luncheon we all had together at La Grignotte restaurant in Dole which is noted for its masses of tasty sliced potato frites.

Chris, Margot, Val and David were with us for a week of an extended European stay. They left us to continue by car to Herisson a village in about the geographical centre of France. They were staying there in a friend’s villa.

But there was no relaxing for us, the weather was clear and at last we could paint the walkways and rear deck area with quality non-skid paint. This we did and barely had time to watch it dry before our next guests arrived.

A golfing buddy of Marg’s and his sister were arriving soon, so there will be more adventures.

We will keep in touch.