PARIS TO PARIS

We left Paris after an excellent 12 fun filled and sunny days with lots of friends. We originally had a permit, very hard to obtain, for 7 days. Apparently this is the maximum. After about 6 days we had an early morning knock at the door. We were told we could not moor where we were and had to leave. We were adjacent to a sign stating that boats were only allowed to moor there with authorisation. We had authorisation! It cannot be possible we were told by the 'Chef de l'Inspection de la Navigation de Paris'. We found the email quickly and all was sorted. Great apologies with the usual comments about 'mon collègue' and communication.  We asked if we could stay for the weekend festivities, well of course they were not to be missed. So 7 turned with approval into 10 days. It was agreed we would leave after the weekend. We did, it was 12 days. You have to know how to play the system and get the officials on your side. We broached the question of winter mooring where we were. The answer was no, but now he felt embarrassed about our authorisation so, well perhaps!! We should contact the person we got authorisation from with a request for winter mooring 'hivernage' and they would have to contact him and maybe? We do not know, however, we will vigourously persue the matter as we have been on the waiting list for another mooring in Paris for 3 years and all we get is '....très compliqué'.

Coming into Paris.

Leaving Paris via the Canal St Martin.

Along the Canal St Martin you come to a tunnel. This is approximately 2 kilometres long slipping under the heart of Paris. All a bit strange and slightly surreal. Not sure why they had to include a bend into a dark underground tunnel. All part of the experience I assume.

Entry to the souterrain, tunnel.

We left Paris to travel east towards Reims and Nancy. A day later we radioed an eclusier and asked as normal for the lock to be prepared for our transit. No reply. Tried again. No reply. After about 6 attempts we moored up to a dolphin and walked to the lock. There are random strikes at the moment and we assumed we had hit a strike day. It did seem very quiet and closed. Margaret tried various gates, doors I walked ahead. I called to Margaret that we would not be progressing at all!

The dry canal, a game changer.

It's one of those things in life, if you're in a boat and there is no water, well I assume you can guess the rest. Back to Soraya, onto the Internet to find out what is going on. The canal would not be filled for another 2 weeks. Out with the fluviacartes, maps, and try to find a plan B. Actually it's plan C as we had to change our plan in the summer due to the floods. So the new plan involves going back to Paris out the other side then heading north and east to get to Reims by a lot longer route! All good fun.