We left Sens on the 26th of June, as the town recorded its highest temperature of the current heat wave. As the gauge nudged 40, we navigated to Moret sur Loing, 60kms and 9 locks away. Not only did we suffer from the unrelenting heat, but our engine room temperature rose to 49, adding extra heat to the boat and concern for the state of our lithium batteries

After 6 hours of travelling through a heat that would rival hades we arrived in Moret sur Loing. I quickly slipped into my bathers and joined the rest of the population enjoying the cool running water

After such a challenging journey we rested in Moret sur Loing for 3 nights before we tackled the next leg of our journey north to Paris. There were severe storms across some areas of France and Belgium that marked the end of the heat wave on the 29th June, and although the skies around us were threatening this did not result in an challenging weather situation.

Leaving Moret sur Loing we cruised to Samos, only 13kms and 1 lock away. We had been to this small village in 2023, the home town of famous French jazz player Django Reinhardt. At that time the dock was so full we were rafted up 3 abreast. This year, despite been the day after the annual jazz festival the dock was vacant.

With the weather a little cooler it was time for a hike through the Fountainbleau forest to the Tour Denecourt. Built in 1853 by Claude Francois Denecourt, a former Napoleonic soldier, the tower commands wide views over the surrounding forest and nearby towns. Denecourt is known as the father of hiking in France as his blue marked trails were among the first signposted walking routes in the world.

I walked back along the old riverside quarter known as the Platreries which contains a succession of elegant houses. One of the houses sheltered the secret romance between Victor Hugo and Juliette Drouet (who was an actress and writer but more famously a lifelong companion of Victor Hugo.)

Another short hop down the river we returned to Melun. Peter was hoping for a delicious Indian meal at the Nepalese restaurant, but alas was disappointed. The restaurant that we had enjoyed in 2023 was closed and its replacement was not up to scratch

The last push of 6 locks and 59kms and we were back in Paris to enjoy a few days of summer weather until the onset of the next heat wave. With the hot weather I thought the best plan of attack was to organise to go out and about early before the heat climbed to unbearable temperatures in the afternoon and to choose some indoor destinations. Of course with the sales on what better indoor destination could you choose, but a bit of shopping.

10 days in Paris

Aside from the shopping we revisited the Carnavalet Museum to trace the history of Paris and enjoy lunch in their courtyard

Our next day trip was to catch the train out to Port de Clignancourt to the antique market, but after lunch the heat chased us back to the boat and our air conditioning

Click on the video to start

One of the joys of travelling along the inland waterways are the new friends you make along the way. In the port in Paris we meet up with a couple from Brisbane who convinced us to join them for a night out at a seedy Irish Pub, The Green Linnet (Victoria Ave). The floors and walls were grimy with brown stains (don’t ask me)and the cliental looked decidedly questionable. But the Django Reinhardt style jazz music was wonderful.

I always say you will never see all of Paris, no matter how many times you visit. On a mission to find a supermarket open in the early morning I came across Rue Cremieux which I have now discovered is one of Paris’s most distinctive little streets. Famous for its rows of pastel coloured houses it is more like a tiny village than a street in central Paris.

Then of course trips to the market in Bastille (open Thursday and Sunday)

We were even treated to a fly over as the French Air Force prepared for Bastille Day celebrations

How quickly 10 days pass, especially when you are in Paris. All to soon we welcomed our next lot of guests, Viv and Geoff Knight and cruised down the Seine to Rouen.