6th - 14th May 2018. On to Lucy-sur-Yonne, where we are tempted to stay in France! Next it is a visit to Châtel-Censoir, then on to Les Rochers de Saussois, at Merry-sur-Yonne.

Moving on from Clamecy, the sides of the valley rise to cliffs in places. Andy's beard comes and goes!

We spent several days in Lucy-sur-Yonne, which is a pleasant village. This is the first boat that we have seen for days!

We were tempted by this idyllic canalside property.

Wouldn't The Puzzler look good at the bottom of the garden? However, we decided it was not to be.

The Château de Faulin is in this field near to Lucy, and is an impressive building.

The village of Châtel-Censoir lies right above the canal, and it proved to be a fascinating old village.

The collegiate church of Saint Potentian lies at the top of the hill, and dates from the 9th century.

Inside, the chancel is built over the 9th century crypt, hence the unusual height of the altar here.

Carrying on, the canal is almost like an English canal in character, as it winds along the hillside.

The river Yonne appears beside us at intervals, as we share its valley.

In places the valley opens out, with this being an area of arable crops.

However, soon, we approach the Roches de Saussois, which are spectacular.

This rock is used by people who want to practise their serious rock climbing.

This will be our route up to the top. I am very pleased to be fit enough to climb up, as last time we were here, I had to admire our crew climbing, while I stayed on the boat.

It was rather off putting, to say the least, when this climber decided to do acrobatics on his rope, which was directly above us, as we ascended!

We can see The Puzzler far below us, once we reach the top of the cliffs.

Looking on down the canal, Merry-sur-Yonne can be seen over to the left. There is a good restaurant there, at the campsite, which is not to be missed!

When we were here last, in October 2015, this was the route down from the top for Andy, Debbie and Matt. Happy memories!

This time, however, we found a much safer route down, beyond the highest cliffs. The pine trees lined our descent, and were really pretty, with all the new growth.

1st - 5th May. On to Clamecy. The story about The Floating of the Logs.

Having been at Villiers-sur-Yonne for five days, and done all the local walks to explore the village, we felt that it was time to move on. We were also running out of food, as there is no shop in Villiers. Shannon is practising her best photographic smile!

So it was on to Clamecy, where once again we were the only boat in the port. It is a luxury to have decent internet, so this is my third post in as many days!

Here the old timbered houses really look old!

The cathedral, St Martin de Clamecy, stands proudly in the centre of town.

There is so much detail around the main door.

Inside, it is an imposing cathedral.

There is such detail in the stained glass windows.

This rose window, half way down the cathedral, was more impressive than the one above the organ at the end.

We visited the museum, which we missed when here in late 2015. There was quite a lot of archaeology and art, but we were fascinated by the story of The Floating of the Logs. This began in the 16th Century, reaching its peak between 1785 and 1816, at which time Paris consumed a million cubic metres of firewood per year. All timber producers upstream of Clamecy would cut their logs to the standard length of 1.14 metres, mark them with the owner's mark, and float them downstream during November to one of 22 “casting ports”which were spread along the upper reaches of the Yonne. The logs were stopped by barrages, removed from the water, and piled up on the river banks to dry, awaiting the “Great Flood”. The following March, the logs at all 22 ports were all cast into the river at the same time. When the dammed up waters were released, the resulting flood carried all the logs to Clamecy, where they ran up against dams, and were again taken from the water, to be sorted by the owner's marks, and built into log “trains”, like the model shown here. The 22 small dams built along the length of the Yonne were successively released, at the beginning of the summer, to create the current required to transport the trains downstream to Paris. This journey took about 11 days. However, by 1881, coal had superceded wood as a source of energy, and the last free log float arrived in Clamecy in 1923, almost 400 years after this saga began.

25th - 30th April. Through three tunnels, down the flight of 16 locks, then on to Villiers-sur-Yonne

Having passed the lake, there are three tunnels before descending the 16 locks. There are no lights in the tunnels, which is unusual for France.

This cutting after the third tunnel is reminiscent of the Shroppie!

There was even one lock with traditional balance beams, although they would be too high for easy use. We completed the first 8 locks in record time, then had to wait for half an hour for a boat which was coming up the flight. We started at the same time, but we made much better time! It does help that we only need to use one gate at locks.

All the trees are really green now, as we continue our descent.

A pottery shop at one lock was followed by some unusual sculptures, alongside the canal. They are unusual, to say the least!

Did this martian annoy someone?

I think I prefer the steel ones.

What a pretty lock cottage!

The canal widens out below the 16 locks, and we actually shared the mooring with another boat, for the first time on this canal. It is really quiet.

Most of the time, the canal wends its way between trees.

Sometimes, though, the river Yonne can be seen from the canal, across at the far side of the valley.

We are passing some pretty villages. This is Dirol, with a lift bridge too, which was open for us. There are push button controls at lift bridges on this section of the canal, so they are easy to operate, without having to call VNF.

The plane trees are very attractive here.

Near Asnois village we gave this log pile first prize for the best stacking!

On to Villiers-sur-Yonne, where we spent five days on our own. The canal is really quiet due to the canal closure before Auxerre. Opinions vary as to when it will be open again, and it could be as late as the end of May.
Què sera sera!

The trees in Villiers, which is over the canal bridge, have had a haircut, and look very French!

From the top end of the village, there is a splendid view over the valley of the river Yonne. Yes, the mown grass is in a private garden!

Going to the left at the canal bridge and crossing the river Yonne, we visited the hamlet of Sur Yonne, which has many attractive old houses.

The most famous structure here is the “Corps de Garde”, which is the only significant remains of the 16th century fortifications of Sur Yonne, when the hamlet was independent of Brèves.

16th - 24th April 2018. From Cercy-la-Tour, we continue along the Canal du Nivernais to Châtillon-en-Bazois, Mont et Marré, then on to L'Etang de Baye on the summit level.

Looking across the canal at Cercy-la-Tour, the statue of Notre Dame du Nivernais (directly above the cruiser), and the church, can be seen on the skyline.

The original statue was made in 1958, but was replaced in 2008 by this splendid stone statue, which was sculpted by Joël Dasvin of Chaulgnes.

From the statue, The Puzzler is a long way down below us on the river Aron, which has joined the canal du Nivernais here in Cercy.

Lovely blossom by the lock.

Continuing on along the canal du Nivernais, the plane trees are just starting to show a shimmer of green.

This part of the canal follows the meanders of the river below us, but this is not obvious until you look at the map!

Did we really change direction so much!!

Shannon likes to lie on the bows of The Puzzler and act as a figurehead! Here we are entering the stop gates of Cœuillon, where the canal joins the river for a short while, before the first lock at Châtillon-en-Bazois.

In Châtillon it is a lovely mooring, just in front of the chateau. We stayed here for a few days, sunbathing on the towpath as the temperature reached 40°.

Our next stop was at Mont et Marré, where this part of the village of Marré is separate from Mont, a smaller hamlet which lies over in the trees on the other side of the canal.

The laverie here has seen better days.

A misty morning, going up first a double, and then this triple lock. We go up, as in Ireland, with all the gates open. As each chamber is full, we move forward and the gates are closed behind us.

It is a good thing that no-one has to climb this risky lock ladder!

Nearly all the trees are green now.

This is the lowest bridge on thie Nivernais canal. If it is too low for your boat, then do not come this way!

On the summit level, we moored beside the Etang de Baye, and walked right round it. It was our longest walk for a long time!

This is from the other end of the lake, with the canal lying over to the left. The Puzzler is moored in a line across from the headland, at the far end of the lake.