22nd - 30th June 2017. Along the river Moselle from Toul, then up the Embranchement to join the Marne au Rhin canal(est). On via Crévic, and Parroy to the 15 metre lock at Réchicourt.

Leaving Toul, we turned to the right on to the River Moselle. There are not many locks on this stretch, but this one has a rise of 7 metres.

This lock makes those on the Marne au Rhin canal look very small!

We moored immediately above the lock, to be joined overnight by barge Luma.













As Luma passed us, these next two photos were taken, just one second apart, to try and show the sheer size of a 2600 capacity commercial barge, compared to The Puzzler.

From the Moselle, we turned off up the Embranchement de Nancy. The first four locks are very close together, so it was a bonus walk for Shannon.

We found a pleasant bankside mooring, with shade from trees on both sides.

Shannon and I both had a snooze!

At the junction with the Marne au Rhin (est) we went to the left, for an overdue trip to the supermarket. We seem to be going shopping once a fortnight. The flowers are doing better than ever.

From Crévic we made an early start, aiming to reach our first lock at 9am. However, barge Modicum crept up behind us, so he went past. Then, just as we approached the lock, a Dutch barge arrived, so again we moved down the queue! Pam and John, from New Zealand, joined us again in the lock.

At Parroy this purple sky warned us of the thunderstorm to come.

All the flowers came in for their safety. They do not like thunderstorms!

On our second night at Parroy the mooring was quite full, with 10 boats there. The capitaine said that it was the most boats there for two years.

We joined the Germans from five other boats for pancakes and drinks, but sadly we were rained off.

This kingfisher watched us pass by. You should have had your camera here, Matt!

Shannon enjoys finding the shade
under the flowers.

There were five hungry cats at Rechicourt lock 7.

Approaching the big lock at Rechicourt, it looks bigger than ever. This lock was built to replace six of the old locks.

We are sharing with a German cruiser, using the middle rope on to the floating bollard. We were right at the front of the lock last time, and it was much gentler there.

At the stern, it is very rough water, as the paddles let the water in from underneath the boat, pushing the stern out.

Normally, when going up a lock, the rough water is at the front.

Mooring above the lock, we need the plank to get to the shore. Every time the lock is filled up, The Puzzler tilts to the right for a while, as we are sitting on the bottom. This pound is very long though, so we are soon level again

31st August - 8th September,2016. On to Crévic, up the 50 foot rise in Réchicourt lock, through Niderville and Arzviller tunnels, down the Arzviller inclined plane and on to Saverne.

The flowers on the bridge in Crévic were the best yet!

Shannon was very apprehensive about these feral cats. She was probably wise to keep her distance!

Réchicourt 2 lock, ahead of us, is the deepest Freycinet (standard) lock in France, at 15.385 metres, or just over 50 feet. This lock replaced 6 locks in the 1960's.

There are two small cruisers in with us, so Andy has a floating bollard by our side doors, while I have a rope round a tall steel pole at the front. The lock is quite gentle though, so we had no need to worry.

Looking up at the top gates is enough to worry anyone! My steel pole is just on the left.

Shannon had no problem with the plank, when we needed it on a sloping wall mooring.

The countryside in this summit level is fairly flat. The canal has a lock free pound of 33 kilometres, between Réchicourt 2 lock and the inclined plane at Arzviller.

There are a few boats about, but this hotelboat is certainly the biggest so far!

Moving on through Niderviller tunnel, there is a deep cutting before Arzviller tunnel.

The railway tunnel is parallel to the Arzviller canal tunnel, rather like Standedge Tunnel on the Huddersfield narrow canal in the UK.

This section of canal used to be solid rock. Down to our left are the 17 abandonned locks, while 3 kilometres further on, we get to the Arzviller boat lift, which replaced them in 1969.

We had thought to spend the night at the top of the inclined plane, but this is forbidden, so we were straight into the caisson, which travels down this amazing boat-lift.

Here we go!

Looking back up, the black guillotine gate, through which we entered the caisson, can be seen, firmly closed.

Some of the lock cottages are very attractive. Shannon is minding The Puzzler in this lock!

Lutzelbourg stretches along the canal, and is a lovely village. We are saving it for our return journey, in a few days time.

This is a very pretty valley. We are sharing locks with a locaboat of friendly Austrians.

Several of the locks had this wooden trellis, above the top gates. This could have been left from the time when boats were towed by little trains, and it was used to guide the boats into the locks.

Saverne lock is lovely, and we were impressed by the whole town. There are flowers everywhere. Saverne is our destination on this canal.

This horse pulls a water cart, which travels the town, looking after the flowers.

There are a variety of attractive buildings in Saverne.

The museum is situated inside the old chateau. The most interesting part was about the life story of Louise Weiss (1893 - 1983), who campaigned all her life for women's rights.