13th - 19th October 2017. Having loaded our wood on to The Puzzler, we continue along the Canal Latéral à la Loire, and then the Canal de Digoin à Roanne.

At least half of our logs are now covered on the roof of The Puzzler, and Shannon is trying to uncover them again. We had to offset them to the port side, so that she could still walk up and down the boat.

After an extremely misty morning, the sun has suddenly broken through, so I needed the bridge as a sunshade! Some more wood is here in the cratch, while the rest is safely inside the boat. If it were all on the roof, we would be very top-heavy, and rather unsafe!

These trees have suffered from being hosts to the large balls of mistletoe, and are now dying because of this.

On reaching the start of the Digoin to Roanne canal, we feel as though we are nearly home, although we still have over 50 kilometres to go.

Here are some thirsty young charolais cattle.

Shannon and I are walking between the locks at Chambilly. The trees are just starting to turn yellow, as autumn approaches.

On to Artaix, where there are as many camper vans as boats! Shannon loves the leaves.

Our canal travels parallel to the river Loire, and the Loire valley is quite wide here, with small villages along the top of the surrounding hills.

Every time we pass  near to Iguerande, we see this sign directing us to the donkey farm.

It is possible to take one of their donkeys out for a walk, as this family are doing.

Autumn is coming, and the canal above the lock at Briennon is full of leaves!

Our last lock of 2017, as we enter the Port of Roanne. We have been through 672 locks this year and travelled 1756 kilometres (1098 miles).

We have the same place in the port as we had last year, though we must vacate it for the next couple of weeks, while we are away in England. This is the first time that we have seen the fleet of day boats in residence here.

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!

Early February through to late March 2017. Spring is on the way in the Port of Roanne.

The skies in February have been threatening over the port. This winter has been much colder than at this time last year, with little table tennis in the park! When not suffering from the local bad throat, which we took turns to do, we have played quite a lot of bridge, where everyone continues to be very friendly at the Bridge Club du Roannais.

Shannon is keeping her winter coat quite long for now.

When the pompiers bring their hosepipe down to the port for some practice, we make sure that all windows are closed on that side of The Puzzler!

Even the dogs are enjoying a trip in the dinghy with Jake and Rachel.

Shannon delights in looking cute, especially if food is involved.

On the other side of the port, Dave and Jane have started to prepare their peniche, Narwal, for her new colour scheme.

Dave is now hard at work with the red, or is it maroon, paint?

That is one side nearly finished.

The spring flowers are lovely beside the roundabout, at the other end of the port of Roanne.

Christmas Bridge in December 2015, then on to January 2016, both in Roanne and England.

A friend at the Bridge Club sent us some photos of us in action at the bridge table. We look very serious here, playing against Dominique and Marcel in the Téléthon competition! The Téléthon is an annual fundraiser, with various activities throughout Roanne.

Just before Christmas we played bridge at the club, then moved on, with the whole Bridge club, for our Christmas dinner, which was held at Le Château de Champlon at Villerest. This was a superb five course meal, which was enjoyed by all. We look happier here!

This was our last sighting of Cedric, or it might be Cecile, in early January. We thought that these were suitable French names for our tame(ish) coypu friends. We are told that they are now probably in hibernation for the rest of the winter. The warm weather here must have been confusing for them, as we haven't really had any cold weather as yet.

There are usually several camper vans at the Port of Roanne, but in the second week in January we had an unusual arrival. It was a horse drawn caravan, owned by Barney Maurice, of Wanderlusts.co.uk, who was travelling with his wife, Katya, and his young son, Madog. Both horses are tethered on the grazing beside the port, near to the caravan.

Both horses are very calm, but built for strength. I saw this one being shod, and Barney told me that one set of his shoes lasted 400 miles, but for another set it was only 250 miles.

They have travelled a long way from Penrith in Cumbria in this caravan.

The sign on the side of the caravan tells us about Barney's business, with horse drawn holidays in Cumbria.

Barney is travelling with his wife, Katya, and his young son, Madog.

After a couple of days, these intrepid travellers left our port, to travel further south in France. Madog can be seen at the front window.

By the middle of January the weather is much colder, and snow can be seen on the hills beyond the port of Roanne.

Shannon has a new scarf to wear.

Meanwhile, Andy has been spending a couple of weeks in England. He went to Slimbridge Wildfowl Centre with Debbie and Matt.

Feeding the geese is an essential part of your visit here!

They also went to visit the Rococo Gardens near to Painswick, quite high up in the Cotswolds. This splendid carving of a castle, out of a living tree, had been recently completed.

This imposing maze was planted to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Rococo Gardens, as can be seen here.

There were also a series of follies built in the gardens. This one is called the Red House, not surprisingly!

Shannon is just checking out her new sweater. After I clipped her on 10th January, she certainly needed the sweater to keep her warm at night. She has, however, managed to stretch the neck, so that she can pull her front legs in, then out through the neck. This creates a sort of body stocking from which it is easy to escape! Shannon would do this during the night, then wake me up to tell me that she was cold!