Autumn

Otherwise known as the Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne

Am writing this as we cruise up the River Saone having left the Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne this morning. The river here sweeps through forests and although the trees are mostly still in full leaf they are beginning to hint at what is sure to be a gorgeous display of autumn colour in a few weeks time. Unfortunately, we won't be here to witness it as, exactly 2 weeks from now, we need to be in Paris ready to fly home to Australia. Summer has slipped into autumn and the days have not only become shorter but they seem to be whizzing past at an ever increasing pace. Time is very nearly up.
Autumn activities are in full swing here now. The crops are mostly harvested and the fields are ploughed ready for whatever winter crops they grow; squirrels (beautiful red ones - haven't seen any greys) are busy collecting nuts as are the local French people - and me. There are walnuts and hazel nuts all along the canal banks. Fruit trees are laden but unlike the nuts no-one seems to be collecting the fallen fruit which seems a bit of a shame. And yesterday was the beginning of La Chasse - the hunting season. So lots of banging off of shotguns in the surrounding forests. We were out on our bikes yesterday when we came across this notice.

Moments later we heard bells ringing and out from the woodland wandered some very muddy dogs (the bells were around their necks) followed by hunters with shotguns. Fortunately, for us at least, no rushing wild boar in evidence.
I have noticed the fishermen are less in numbers recently. Perhaps that season is over. Here's a picture of one very happy one from last week - that is the fisherman was happy, I suspect the fish less so. The fish weighed in at 9 kilos and after weighing and measuring they let it go, packed up and went home or, perhaps, to the pub.

As mentioned we are now back on the River Saone after completeing our return trip down the Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne (and I'm glad I don't have to keep typing that any more). The trip back was just as enjoyable as seeing it for the first time. The countryside looked, and in fact was, changed due to the harvest and anyway everything always takes on a different appearance depending on the weather and the colour of the sky. We stopped in different places wherever possible and, of course, we met lots of different people.
The automated lock system worked - mostly - and when it didn't the mobile eclusiers were unfailingly helpful and friendly. They keep a reassuring eye on  everyone  and whilst you might have moored for the night out in the middle of nowhere and think yourself all alone a tiny white van driven by a man or woman from the VNF (the waterways authority) will drive past on the tow path last thing in the evening and first thing in the morning and note will be taken of where you are.
Here are photos of the 'instructions' of how to enter/leave the canal. When we arrived a few weeks ago the notice had only the diagram and no written instructions. Obviously confusion reigned and so someone realised that sometimes we need words as well as pictures.
If you want to enlarge you'll need to click on the pics.

Telecommander - Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne

The canal was very quiet. Some days we would meet only one other boat. A few commercials use it  - maybe one every couple of days -which means it stays open all winter. A lock keeper told us that it gets down to -20c in winter and the canal gets 8 cm of ice which they break using an ice breaking boat. If the ice is more than 8cm they close the canal. He also told us that Langres, where he lives, is the coldest place in France - but I think we've heard that claim several times before.
Langres was a place that merited a second visit even if it does take a heart attack making climb of 3 km to reach the city. It makes the somewhat modest claim to be one of the 50 most beautiful cities in France and whilst the town has some lovely streetscapes what really makes the place are the intact ramparts which you can walk right around.. The views from there are quite breathtaking always assuming you've still got some breath to take after the climb. The walls incorporate gateways into the city which date from Roman times. Should you ever visit we can recommend the tower museum which has some great audio visual displays and is an absolute bargain at 3 euros for an audio guide.

Langres

A tourist brochure we picked up in Langres mentioned a 'petrified waterfall' in Rolampont but gave no further details so, intrigued, we made a stop there to discover what that was about. Many of the mooring places along the canal have some sort of information board of varying usefulness and range from the basic and most important- how many kilometres to the nearest baker or hairdresser (the two shops perhaps still to survive in a French village) to ones with maps, recommended walks, historical sites etc. The board at Rolampont devoted on whole side to the waterfall location which turned out to be at a site called La Tuffière. So, after waiting in vain for the rain to go off, we donned our waterproofs and set off to cycle the 5 or so km.
Cycling in this part of rural France is, despite the hills, a real pleasure. The roads are practically deserted  apart from the occasional scarily large agricutural machine) and the scenery is lovely - farmland stretching for miles over the hills, small villages each clustered around a church and many beautiful woodlands. The road and then track that we wanted led into one of these and whether it was all the rain or the watery sunshine filtering through the trees it was one of the most amazingly green places (outside of Ireland) you could imagine and could have been lifted straight from a fairy tale. (My camera I'm afraid couldn't begin to do it justice - I'm resolved to buy a new one.) We were the only people there which added to the atmosphere.

La Tuffière, Rolampont

Without going into a long explanation of what's going on there (what's Google for after all?) it's a kind of magical turning of moss into rock over thousands of years and the formation of a very beautiful pooling cascade of water. The waterfall is the process still in action but the whole area of woodland has rock formations which were quarried in the past but have now been reclaimed by the forest. Anyway, it was lovely.

Now, we're off to sample the 15 euro menu in the local restaurant. Will report back later and hopefully upload some photos if the internet connection still works.
Hmmm. We were the only customers. The wine was good.....
An observation. Traditional cuisine seems to mean either 'entrecote et frites' (steak and chips) or pizza.