16th March - 4th April 2018. More bridge, MAMMA MIA, followed by our departure from Roanne.

We have been playing bridge three or four times a week. Our bridge club looks out over this road, and the port can just be seen beyond the roundabout at the end of the road. New trees are being planted along by the widened road.

There is a major redevelopment going on here, with the creation of a new park in front of the monument. This monument commemorates the liberation of Roanne from the German occupation in August 1944. It has been interesting to watch progress every week, when we are here for bridge. Maybe we will return to Roanne one day and see it all finished!

We went to see Mamma Mia at Les Maronniers, in Le Coteau. It was an amateur performance, but was performed very professionally.

Eight of us went on this outing. We all really enjoyed the evening, which was a fitting finale to our time in Roanne.

This was the finale of Mamma Mia, with half of the songs in English and half in French. All the audience sang too, in whichever language they preferred! It was great!

It is 31st of March and, sadly, we are now leaving the mooring where we have happily spent the last three winters on The Puzzler in the Port of Roanne.

We are doing a circuit of the port, and Quaintrelle joins us. This circuit is great fun. Everyone sounds their horn as we pass by, and we reply with ours. Liane has to get the award for the loudest horn!

Into Roanne lock together.

A lot of our friends both from the port and from Roanne have come to the lock see us off. We really appreciated them doing this.

Iguerande is the first of the villages to be seen, as it dominates the skyline, away from the Roanne Digoin canal.

Two donkeys out for the day.

Artais church is always impressive. We stopped at the mooring soon after the village, where table tennis in the wind is always interesting!

The lockkeepers have realised that one gate is enough for two boats, so long as they are both narrowboats!

Making good time, we reached Beaulon by midafternoon on Monday. By the time that two hireboats had fitted in too, the mooring was full. If ever you stop in Beaulon, do not forget to visit the delicatessen in the village for your preserved sausages.

Tuesday found us at Decize, from whence our fellow narrowboaters, Aileen and Mike, left us the next morning. We have enjoyed travelling together, and plan to meet again in the future. They are continuing on along the Canal Latéral à la Loire, while we are turning right on to the Nivernais canal.

30th March - 16th April 2017. Our last few days in Roanne, followed by a pleasant weekend on the canal with Jean-Charles, Ghislaine and Escot.

As we come to the end of March, people are returning to their boats in Roanne, ready for the new season. L'Authentique is busier than ever, every Thursday, when we meet for Happy Hour there.

I have spent some time renovating our fenders, which were in a bad way. Meanwhile Andy has cleaned and polished The Puzzler so as to be ready for the season.

Several of us met on Sunday for a game of boules. As new people arrived, they joined each team alternately, and I think that we ended up with eleven altogether, in two strong teams! Who won is anybody's guess! No-one is leaving the Port of Roanne yet, as the lock at Bourg-le-Comte is still waiting for new lock gates.

The Puzzler has meanwhile been treated to some new LED strip lights, which are great fun.

This car was driven into the canal in the early hours of Saturday 8th April, but no-one was badly hurt. He took the corner too fast, and fell down the bank into the canal below.

Jean-Charles, Ghislaine and Escot have joined us for our first week-end of cruising from Roanne. Shannon has lent Escot her lifejacket, but he is not impressed! Escot a peur!

We cruised halfway up the port to collect Jean-Charles, exchanging hoots with our friends as we left the port.

Further on, Jean-Charles took the tiller and we moored by the bridge before Melay.

We walked to visit the village of Melay. The church is impressive, but was locked, so we could not look inside. Back at The Puzzler, we played boules on the track nearby.

Next morning we saw this stork, which showed no fear of us. Later on we saw one flying overhead – they are so graceful in flight.

It is cherry blossom time again, as we pass Artais.

Walking back from the mooring, which lies just beyond the village, we passed below the old pont-canal, or aqueduct, which was first built in the 1830's. It was widened between 1895 and 1904, to allow the passage of boats. We have just sailed over it, but it looks more impressive from below. After visiting Artais, we returned to The Puzzler, then enjoyed a game of table tennis.

Both Shannon and Escot like being with Ghislaine at the front.

Meanwhile Jean-Charles is helping to work the lock. Il est un éclusier nouveau!

We finished our week-end outing above the deep lock of Bourg-le-Comte, and walked up to the village.

The view is wonderful, looking back over the canal. C'était un bon weekend!