Returning down the Yonne and the Seine to Paris

We could have taken the Nivenais canal and continued our trip south, but our schedule includes a booking for the boat pulled out on the 2nd October, to have the bottom repainted at Diksmuide in Belgium.It had taken almost 3 months to make out way to Auxerre so we turned around and retraced our steps, heading back north leaving an adventure further south for another day.

Leaving Auxerre. We departed by boat, Helen Ward continued her travels by train and plane to Germany, struggling along with a huge bag

Our first stop was Gurgy, a small village offering a lovely haulte nautique. All facilities (power and water) and huts along the wharf offering cooked food and bottles of Chablis. Dinner done! Not only famous for Chablis, this region has the reputation for fine escargots that are raised in the adjacent farms. And no I couldn’t see them grazing in the fields as we cruised along the canal. But I did consume a fair few!

We had crossed the fly ridden town of Migennes off the list but there is a ship yard on the waterway and with generator problems we were forced to way anchor and make the dash to Evans Marine and hopefully a solution. The solution didn’t eventuate, and we were left with just muddy footprints on our decking. Thankfully James got to work on it and with Peters moral support removed the blockage and we were back in action again.

Market day in Joigny and no we didn’t buy cuts of horse, ass or goat. But we did purchase escargots encased in pastry shells.

Villeneuve sur Yonne was our next stop. The Grosse tower was completed in 1212. Seperate from the ramparts, this impregnable tower has been deserted since the 17th century and local tradition has it as the haunt of witches and gargoyles

Fields of sunflowers accompanied our cruise down the river

One of the loveliest towns on the Yonne is Sens. It certainly deserved another look. Unfortunately the weather turned and although we had planned to enjoy an outdoor music festival at a bar on the bank of the river the heavens opened up and despite our best efforts huddling under umbrellas we were finally chased back to the boat for an early night.

Pont sur Yonne was a town we bypassed on the way up the Yonne. We decided it deserved a visit on the way down. So named due to the impressive bridge with 9 arches, that spanned the river for centuries causing havoc to all who attempted to pass, it was destroyed during WWII leaving only a viewing platform as a reminder.

We also caught up with some of our new friends PJ and Dieter, from the rally for an enjoyable barbecue

It was party night the following night at Montereau, Richard and Julia, from the UK also own a 60 ft Piperboat that they cruise on during the summer. Having lived the cruising life in Europe for a number of years, they were a wealth of knowledge.

We bid the Yonne goodbye,vowing to return again one day and turned left onto the Seine. We were now back in the land of big barges and big locks.

Yep that’s a lock on the Seine!

Along one of the locks I spied a fish ladder. What is that you may ask. It is a weir that allows the fish to swim upstream to spawn. Sorry no fish were climbing the ladder today.

We had left our boat at Moret sur Loing when we departed for our 5 day Paris sojourn, returning with Helen in tow. This occasion we stayed for 3 days, while James visited family in the UK and we waited for Jo to join us. This a a lovely medieval town, with defensive walls and gates still in tact. And there was a music festival in town.

An Uber ride from Moret sur Loing is the Royal place of Fountainbleau,

Originally built as a hunting lodge the Chateau de Fountainbleau is surrounded by 3 gardens and an ancient forest. It has been the home to French Kings for 8 centuries, with each one leaving his mark. The chateau took its name from one of the many springs found in the forest, fountain de Bilaud, which is now part of the English garden. The chapel was concentrated in 1169 by Thomas Becket. The modifications in the 15th century introduced the Renaissance style to France. In the 16th century the gardens were substantially increased in size and a 1200 meter long canal was built. The chateau was not substantially damaged during the French Revolution, though all the furniture was sold. Napoleon spent the last days of his reign in Fountainbleau, before abdicating. It was occupied by the Prussian army during 1870 and by the Germans during the Second World War.

From Moret sur Loing to Samos then Melun, the weather changed with sleeting rain and 40 knot wind gusts. But our Joie de Vivre rode out the storm and we were gently rocked to sleep.