These are the adventures of Andy and Sally Rawnsley on their narrowboat "The Puzzler". We have been living on the boat for over nine years now and are still loving it. Our Ulster born Shih Tzu, Shannon, has grown up, and has taken over the boat! After three wonderful years in Ireland, we transported The Puzzler to The Netherlands, and spent a year there. In 2015 we went southwards, to reach the north of France by June. After glorious weather throughout the summer, we arrived in Roanne in late October, and enjoyed our winter in this friendly port. We cruised extensively in France in 2016, 2017 and 2018, returning to Roanne each winter.


Thursday 7 June 2018

1st - 7th June 2018. Cruising on the Canal de Bourgogne, with visits to Tanlay, Ancy-le-Franc and Cry.



It is nice to be on the canal de Bourgogne again. This wooded section is just south of Germigny.


This makes a good pillow for Shannon. She much prefers the canals.


The valley opens out near to Charrey, making a lovely wild mooring with a view.


We have been so lucky with the weather!
As we approached the wide canal at Tanlay, another boater summed up the mooring for us. “On the left you have electric and water and you pay. On the right you get nothing, and it is free!” He omitted to tell us that we would have to moor a metre from the bank, due to lack of depth, but then again, it was free!


The chateau at Tanlay is impressive, but was closed to visitors. Monday again!


St Vinnemeer is another picturesque village. The roses by the lockside cottage were the best yet.
In Ancy-le-Franc we followed signs to a viewpoint, up a track behind the church. It was quite a climb, and would have been a very good view when we got there, if someone had kept the bushes trimmed! The wild strawberries on the way up were delicious anyway.


The lock before Ravières was very well kept.

There is a big quarry, taking a lot of the hillside, before the mooring at Cry. Two long distance cyclists pitched their tent on the far side of the canal inlet here, arriving as darkness fell, and leaving at the crack of dawn too.


Some of the houses in Cry had real character.


Here's hoping that someone will harvest these cherries! We liked the garden wall.


Out in the country again.


These locks can be quite rough. We have three éclusiers travelling with us today, showing how few boats are on this canal.

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