ART and THE HUMAN FORM

Good news we've found some 3G internet in a small Spa town called Bains les Bains, complete with a Roman Bath, about 12km from Soraya. Additional good news the spare part for the bowthruster has arrival from Holland. The courier went to the pharmacie and was told where we were. All of a sudden a white van drove down the canal bank. The driver got out and said Monsieur Evans, Oui, J'ai une paquet pour vous. Superb! Now the job of fitting. Back to Art.

The Musée Départmental d'Art Ancien et Contemporain in Épinal is interesting in it's range of material. The usual collection of 'brown' art and portraits, a bit of historic artefacts, random furniture, good on Roman, and a surprisingly good Modern Art floor. 

Helmut Newton - Grand Nu No. III

We saw the original installation where there is a whole room lined with similar life sized photographs in a bar in Berlin. In some ways quite disturbing when your having a beer surrounded by naked women.

And a bit of Gilbert & George - Naked Faith, for balance.

SANS RESEAU

We are in deep middle of nowhere France, Canal des Vosges, at the moment and internet is, well it isn't. Life hasn't been helped by a very special double chain in the bowthruster breaking. A branch got into the bowthruster when entering a lock and 'snap!' I've been in contact with the Dutch manufacturer and a chain (actually 2) are being couriered to the local pharmacie. As we are sans address in the middle of nowhere it seemed a good plan. The pharmacist is very accommodating.

So we can't move on until the part arrives. As there is no internet here doing blog posts will not be happening, apart from this one. There is a very slow internet ie H+ or if you're lucky 2G, if we cycle up a hill with iPads and stand beside the road for ages all looking a bit stupid or at best dodgy, but that's it!

Trees in Les Vosges, there's not much more. Well there is a canal.

Les Vosges is beautifull and being here in spring is stunning. If you're looking for built environment, bars, restaurants, culture, people (we had a boat pass by today!!) don't come to the Canal des Vosges. I'd definitely come back again and the weather is amazing.

LAID BACK? ANOTHER LEVEL........

We arrived at Épinal at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Having moored up we went in search of the Capitaine to pay our fees. We saw La Capitainerie and headed for it. It looked very impressive with a big restaurant and bar which we thought was very enterprising of the Capitaine, and assumed his office was at the back or upstairs. 

La Captainerie Restaurant

No, he wasn't there at all but lived (and worked) on a boat on the other side of the canal.

The Capitaine's office/house

Off we went to find his boat. When we got there we were stopped by a woman sat outside saying 'No, he's having a siesta, he's asleep. You can't disturb him'

It was 3.30 in the afternoon. 'What time does he close......?'

'In half an hour.' 

'But we want to pay him.' 

'Oh, in that case.......Pierre........! Pierre.........! Pierre..........!' 

Eventually, he appeared and after inviting us in for an aperitif, he decided our boat couldn't be as long as we said it was, so he charged us 7€ for the night including electricity.....can't complain at that!

LOCKS, LOCKS AND MORE LOCKS

La Moselle is huge and its adjacent canal now called Canal des Vosges (it's had various names) rises continuously, with lock after lock after lock. We already had a virtual staircase of 19 locks on the first section from Nancy. Most of the locks are spaced 1 to 2 kilometres apart so progress is slow. Does it matter? No. However, we have been stuck in or in front of a few locks due to malfunction. There are no éclusiers, lock keepers, on this canal, we have a remote control. When a breakdown occurs, no problem, climb onto the lock side and press the communication button on the control pad and a short conversation later usually ends with 'Man arrive, au revoir'. Most problems are due to such mundane facts as a large branch is jammed behind the lock gate, so the gate will not open/close properly which effects the electronic sensors. I am now looking for a job in VNF as I usually clear the floating debris before the gates open to avoid problems!

We are now at Épinal which is lovely and have to notify VNF before we set off as we have another very close flight of 15 locks to go over the top! Well it is literally over the top as we will for the first time be going down to the Mediterranean. How exciting! All the time since arriving in France we have been under the influence and rising from the Atlantic or La Manche.

A well worn mooring in a lock. I don't think we were the first here.

The thought of the Mediterranean is hardly concealed.

GOOD SIZED BEERS

Geoff really liked this bar Le Zinc Bleu in Charmes (well, so did I). Not only did it have live music but the local beer came in a large size (2.5 litres) with a tap on it! So you could help yourself at your own table. Everyone was going for it! What a great idea, no queuing at the bar or waiting for the waiter to come and serve you. 

Sorry Paul, it beats the jug in The Star!

The barman bringing a beer to our table

CHARMES AND WIFE SWAPPING

What can I say but allegedly there is a lot of it about. Recently moored in Charmes on La Moselle and if you believe Jeremy Clarkson, up to 80% of carvaners are swingers. Well there are no caravans in Charmes but campers by the bus load. Are they the same breed?

Charmes on a 'good night'!

 

Perhaps judging by the number of satellite dishes they're watching repeats of Dallas or the French equivalent. Who knows?

In case you're thinking did we partake? No, we found Le Zinc Bleu bar with a live band bashing out all the old British and American favourites, to an excellent quality. Great fun till late.

A bit of Steppenwolf hitting our ears.

LA MOSELLE

What a fun bit of canal engineering having the canal running at a higher level than the river it is following and at some point going over the river.

Here we go over the 'Pont canal de Flavigny' aqueduct.

Yes that is Margaret in the wheelhouse. I was down on the riverbank fighting with nettles, brambles and very soggy ground trying to take photographs.

NAVIGATION 2015

We are back on Soraya and about to set off on our navigation for 2015. Our plans had to change before we even started. We were planning to go east to Strasbourg on the Canal de la Marne au Rhin via a northern detour to Luxembourg and southern Germany. Unfortunately the Arzviller Ascenseur is broken and will not be fixed until July at least! So we decided to follow the sun and head south towards Dijon down the, big breath it's quite a list, Embranchement de Nancy then the Canal de l'Est branche Sud commonly called the Canal des Vosges. If things go according to plan this will be followed by the Petite Saône then head north east along the Canal du Rhône an Rhin to Mulhouse, a quick excursion into Switzerland? Then down the Rhine (that's North) to Strasbourg. Depending on the number of side extensions we go on and the people and fun we have along the way we may stay in Strasbourg for the winter or go via Germamy, the Sarre, and Luxembourg, the Moselle, back to Nancy, if the Arzviller Ascenseur is fixed? If you look at the map at the bottom of the blog you can get an idea of the route and all these names will make more sense.

We do not really know where we will go and it's really inappropriate to talk about next winter when this one is still trying to hang on. Wherever we go it will be fun and full of experiences. We will keep you informed as we navigate.

Back in France - Snail and Frogs Leg Pasties. What happened to the Cornish?