17th - 28th April 2017. Having eventually descended Bourg-le-Comte lock, we continued on to Digoin, joining the Canal du Centre there. Then it was on to Génelard where narrowboat Quaintrille joined us. Continuing on the Canal de Centre to Savernay.

Bourg-le-Comte lock should have had its new gates fitted two weeks ago, but they are now ready to use, although there is still work to do round the lock

On Monday morning we went into the lock, which was then emptied. It is a very deep lock.

Madame Eclusier then tried, and tried, to open the bottom gates, but failed. Eventually the lock was refilled and we backed out, to return to our place above the lock. I then had to walk round to the other side to retrieve Shannon, who had hopped off in the lock while we were busy minding The Puzzler! A couple of hours later we were again in the lock, with a hireboat too, while the bottom gates still were not opening. They attached some webbing strapping from the top of the right hand gate to the crane, and winched it tight. Monsieur Eclusier climbed on top of the gates to drive a wedge in, and forced the gates open. The problem was that the wooden seal between the two gates had swollen in the water, and it seemed that the winding gear had then been damaged by enthusiastic use! It was a relief to be able to continue.

At Digoin we walked by the river Loire, where the vegetation caught on this tree shows how high the floods were last year.

Sailing on over the aqueduct.

At Génelard we were joined by narrowboat Quaintrille, with Aileen and Mike on board.

After a pleasant evening on Quaintrille, we shared locks on Sunday.

There are some commercial boats on this canal, making a narrowboat look very small.

We are about to be eaten by this crocodile-type lift bridge!

We moored here at Montchanin with Debbie at the same time last year. The reservoir for the canal is reassuringly full, after a dry spring.

Our flowers are now in the big pots, but have to come inside at night still, because of the frosts. It was minus 2.6 last night, but the days are really warm. Here we are starting down the Mediterranée locks.

This last week has been one social whirl! After a pleasant evening with Jake and Rachel at Saint-Julien-sur-Dheune, we moved on to Saint-Léger-sur-Dheune, mooring by Owlpen apartment. First it was a quick(ish) drink with Gill and David there, then back to The Puzzler where Aileen and Mike joined us for the evening. Next day we caught up with them at Santenay.

On Friday we walked down to Santenay, then up through the vineyards on the other side of the valley. Every possible part of the hillside is used for more vines. They are just starting to grow.

Further on, Santenay can be seen below the vineyards.

We have reached our destination! After only one wrong turn, where the windmill was hidden behind a tree, it just took two hours to get here. It seems to be in good condition, although it is not currently in use.

We walked back down the road and then everyone had a much needed rest.

Later on Jake and Rachel arrived on Catherine Clark, and we all had a very enjoyable evening round the picnic table. Trigger and Shannon are becoming friends, though he is more enthusiastic than she is. Our pre-dinner drinks lasted until 10.30 pm!

12th - 21st October 2016. Along the Canal du Centre from Ch to Digoin, mooring just before the junction with the Canal de Roanne à Digoin.

We are enjoying being on a canal again, after the river Sâone.

The first section of the canal is very pretty, with vineyards on the hills to our right.

The weather forecast was correct, as we spent a couple of days at Santanay in extremely wet conditions.

On past Montchanin.

Continuing up the last few locks, Shannon and I get off below the lock, so that I can operate the controls, with Andy already being safely tied on to the floating bollard. These locks are extremely rough, with the water coming up from underneath the boat. At times it even shoots up on to the top deck, so it an uncomfortable ride on The Puzzzler!

The picture on the control box adds character to this top lock.

We carried on past the summit level, to moor on the corner above lock 4 Océan. This is a quiet mooring, as there is very little traffic on the road, and there is a pleasant walk round a fishing lake too.

Most dogs curl up forwards!

The autumn colours are improving day by day.

On to Génelard, where we caught up with our touch-up painting for the autumn. The bank was just the right height!

This cutting, above Génelard lock, has long had these words built into its sides, and at last they make sense!

There is a new walkway above the cutting, through the trees, with several wood cabins, with the history of the cutting printed out, answering the questions on the sides of the cutting. “Combien de pierres?” Well, we learn that 190,000 stones were used to pave the banks in order to prevent landslides. This is well worth a visit.

We spent a pleasant evening with Ian and Lara, who are travelling down to the Med. in their yacht, GeeNTee. It was interesting to exchange experiences with them.

On past Parail-le-Monial, where it is unusual to see an empty mooring.

The canal after Parail is lined with plane trees, making good reflections.

At Digoin, we caught up with Christian and Valerie, and had a pleasant afternoon with them on La Béa'bab. We then moved on down the lock, to moor near to the junction with the Canal de Roanne   à Digoin. Nearly home to Roanne for the winter!

6th - 11th October. On down the Petite Saône, then the River Saône, stopping at Auxonne and St.-Jean-de-Losne, before joining the Canal du Centre at Chalon-sur-Saône.

The Petite Saône becomes navigable below Corre lock, meandering across its floodplain.

This dérivation (lockcut) meanders round the village of Ormoy, lying parallel to the river.

However, most of the dérivations are straight, like this one in Port-sur-Saône.

All along the waterfront here, there are mounted prints, showing the town as it was in 1900, then progressively through the last century. A by-pass is planned, so the last set of prints anticipate the town as it will be in 2020. We will have to come back to see if their predictions are true!

This is a typical dérivation, straight and not very exciting! Between Corre and Châlons-sur-Saône, these dérivations cut over 40 kilometres off the distance as measured, and marked, on the river.

Shannon was fascinated by the donkey by a lock.

The tunnel of Savoyeux leads on to lock 13. We had just left this narrow section when our alternator belt broke, so the lockkeeper had to wait while The Puzzler floated gently, until Andy fixed it. Luckily no-one else was waiting for us, though he only took ten minutes to have it working again, with a new belt in place.

On Friday we did over 40 kilometres, so were pleased to find this sheltered bankside mooring, near to Autet. Shannon enjoyed the small beach nearby.

The river Petite Saône is getting bigger!

At Mantoche Andy found a friendly duck.

Sally is taking her turn at steering on the river. We are covering long distances each day as we head for our winter mooring in Roanne, so it is turn and turn about on the tiller.

We spent a very pleasant afternoon in Auxonne on barge Inevitable, with Carole and David, before the rain created this rainbow.

The evening light, too, was very pretty.

Thick fog delayed our departure on Monday, but we still had time to reach St-Jean-de-Losne, where there were several boats moored. We were delighted to meet Boris in the chandlery there.

Our longest day yet was on Tuesday, leaving as the sun rose at 8am. It was a record distance for us of just over 58 kilometres!

We saw over 20 of these white herons, or are they egrets? They are heron size, and have white legs.

The Petite Saône is now the River Saône, and is a much bigger river.

Shannon continues to sleep her days away.

We are now sharing the big lock at the start of the Canal du Centre.

It is a relief to be back on to the canal.