Day 64 Orconte to St Dizier
We set our expectations a bit lower today with 16km and 8 locks, which despite going smoothly still took over 4 hours. We estimate that each lock takes at least 20mins from the first press on the remote control, wait…
Day 63 Vitry-le-François to Orconte
We had thought a 30km run with 14 locks might be possible, but after getting behind a very slow barge at the first lock (and also picking up a remote control, and canal guide in English) we persevered for 9…
Day 62 Pogny to Vitry-le-François
Wednesday 3rd July The final 9 miles of the canal lateral a la Marne today and 6 locks taking us up to 101m above sea level to the uninviting and fairly industrial town of Vitry-le-François, uninviting because although we rafted…
2 months in
Today marks the 2 month point, so what's it like living in a 36 foot (actually 37) floating caravan. Well we can both honestly say that we are greatly enjoying the experience. Jacana so far is working out as ideal…
Day 61 Conde sur Marne to Pogny
Tuesday 2 July Very long stretches of straight canals today and 5 locks (with only 80cm clearance either side, entering the lock had its challenge with turbulent water from a side-weir) taking us up another 12ish metres. (now 88m above…
Day 60 Épernay to Conde sur Marne
Monday 1 June The first lock of the day took us from the river Marne to the Canal Lateral a la Marne and its now canals until we reach the River Soane on 'the other side' (this is when we…
Day 59 A day in Épernay
Sunday 30th June A chance to visit the champagne capital and visit lots of caves, although we concluded that having visited one, the rest would be more of the same. So we just soaked up the town and explored the…
Day 58 Dormans to Épernay
Saturday 29th June Today should have been a leasurely 25km along the Marne River with 3 locks. However when we arrived at the first lock we pressed the remote control, watched the lock lights flash and finally settle on 2…
Day 57 Château-Thierry to Dormans
Friday 28 June Only a 25 km run today so continued to catch up with boat based things until noon, Ann cooking, and me stripping the shower drain pump to work out why it makes a healthy noise, but refuses…
Day 56 A day in Château-Thierry
The shady trees of the mooring together with the Pannier Champagne caves just over a km away were too much of a temptation to move on, plus a few odd jobs on the boat. Also with a petrol station less…