L'Avenir - cruising Europe's inland waterways

Aigues Mortes Our intention was to spend just a day or so in Aigues Mortes but the medieval town within its huge and impressive walls captivated us to the extent that we stayed there a week. We spent a  night moored on a slightly rickety pontoon on the canal that bypasses the town happy to be saving the hefty mooring charges of the in town marina.It seemed a beautiful peaceful spot surrounded by marshland and close to the picturesque Tour Carbonniere built by Louis 1X to defend the road he constructed over the marshes to the town. And peaceful it was apart from the 2 large trip boats which swept by at speed several times a day with loud commentary. One of these boats morphed into a disco boat at night at which point it sashayed up the wide canal all flashing lights, loud music and dancers having a great time on the open top deck. Then it was back to starry skies and near silence - just the occasional plop as a fish jumped. Perfect. Then... In the middle of the night - ac...

Tour Carbonniere The Saint Gilles lock is one of those that performs that neat trick of transporting you, if not instantly then in the space of ten minutes or so, from one type of landscape to another which is completely different. (Very occasionally a lock may go one better and act almost like the Tardis. You might enter from a modern bustling river and exit onto the canals of a medieval town for example). On this occasion the top lock gates closed on the winding Petite Rhone -a river overhung with shady trees and whose banks are thick with rampant shrubbery -whereas the bottom gates opened onto the dead straight canal Rhone a Sete, the banks of which are neatly trimmed and lined with tall reeds whispering in the wind. Beyond the south canal bank, flat marshland stretches away toward the Mediterranean sea with the occasional etang (small lake) dotted with birds; possibly flamingoes but at this point they are too far away to tell. Small groups of the famous wild horses of the Cama...

Tarascon After a further promise from the courier to pick up the air conditioner wasn't kept we bundled the offending item unceremoniously into the spare cabin- repository of all junk when we don't have visitors- said our goodbyes to the friends we had made over the past fortnight and cast off for our final day on the Rhone. The wind which had been blowing strongly for a week had moderated but what was left of it was behind us so we made good progress. After passing through the Beaucaire lock the current picks up considerably and soon we were bowling along at 13kph (that's honestly quite fast for us) past the impressive castle at Tarascon and then onto the Petite Rhone just before Arles. Immediately the character of the river changes becoming shallower, more closed in and completely lacking in traffic. We didn't meet a single boat. The Petite Rhone runs right through to the Mediterranean but becomes very shallow in its lower reaches and navigable for only small b...

Avignon The Rhone has treated us fairly gently on the whole. The current was slight, a disappointment to one of us and a relief to the other whilst the weather remained almost continuously hot. The 'almost' being a sudden, major thunderstorm which caught us out in the middle of  a section of the river so wide it was like a lake. Seeing a huge electricity pylon light up like a Christmas tree when struck by lightning was spectacular but a minute later we were somewhat unnerved (to put it mildly) when it seemed like we might be next as there was a flash and an almighty crash right over us causing our instrument panel to crackle alarmingly. As I write there is another thunderstorm going on but this time we are safely tied up and there are other, taller boats around us. I have to say, however, that I'm not enjoying the spectacle quite as much as I used to. There are power generation facilities all along the Rhone. Hydro, wind,solar and nuclear. Here's how to give y...

We were undecided until the last minute as to which way we should turn on leaving Confluence port in Lyon. Left and down the Rhone to the unknown south or the safe option, right, and back up the benign Saone. 'Let's just go for it,' declared the skipper. So, although we have no winter mooring organised (not for want of trying) we turned left, past the adventurous architecture of the confluence riverfront and joined the Rhone; France's 'mightiest river' according to the information book handed to us in the first lock which didn't make me feel any happier. Confluence of the Saone and Rhone The Rhone locks are huge and are controlled remotely. The procedure is that you call up on VHF (or phone) to announce yourself and then follow instructions. It's the second part of that which inevitably causes confusion -for me anyway - you have to respond to what the lock keeper says to you. What they ask you at the first lock is, what's the name o...

Arriving in Lyon Decision made. We leave Lyon tomorrow morning. Stay tuned for the direction. In the meantime a few photos from this great city. Place de Bellecour, Lyon La Vaporetto View over Old Lyon from the Basillica Notre Dame de Fourviere Confluence Port. Our home in Lyon The Weight of Oneself by Michael Elmgreen & Ingar Dragset Fountain Bartholdi - Place des Terreaux, Lyon From the restaurant at Basilica Notre Dame de Fourviere Jousting contest in the port, Lyon Our internet connection isn't the best so will edit this post when I can.