Moored up in France for the winter

In our last post we "dismasted" Let Bateau and we're motoring South in Belgium up the Mass/Meuse River.
It is so nice to get to a bridge or tunnel and know we don't have to wait for an "opening".

One of the more impressive opening bridges

And now straight under a low bridge

Then on South through Belgium to the lovely old town of Namur on the confluence of the Mass and Sambre rivers.

Namur with it's medieval fort above the town bridge

As we motored up the river we came across a lot of fisherman who were almost exclusively catch and release. They at times had a huge amount of paraphernalia. And some of the boats were just like a truck tube, but with an electric outboard and a depth sounder/fishfinder.

Yes, his feet are out the bottom!

On the Meuse River in France

We wound up the Meuse Valley between steep green hills often with rocky outcrops. It was so different to to the Dutch countryside. Along the way we would come to villages and towns comprising mainly old traditional houses,a church or two and a range of shops which were often closed. The shops that survived were the boulangerie/bakery, the charcuterie/butcher,deli and of course a bar or cafe.

A public tie up above an ecluse (lock)

Same spot in the morning mist

Going up in a French ecluse

Getting deisel at a fuel barge

Going past a nuclear power station

On part of the Meuse River cycle way

An interesting difference is a lot of the French locks (ecluses) are automatic. We were given a "garage door remote control" at the French border and a simple press of the button activates the system. Sensors detect you going in or exiting and there is one lever to push in the lock. A very neat system.

The "remote control box" for the automatic ecluse

Jane opening the automatic ecluse

Chooks coming to visit at a lock tie up

In Sedan is the largest (by enclosed area i think) castle in Europe. We did a night tour and it was impressive. Walls many metres thick, narrow winding staircases (clockwise up so a right handed swordsman is limited), and all of us with a flaming torch. The guide tried hard for us with poor English but better than our French!

The castle at Sedan (biggest in Europe they said)

On the night tour with a real flambe (torch)

Lovely stopping spot but still very hot

Tunnel coming up in 300 metres

 An interesting part of the French canals are the tunnels. The first one we encountered looked small and dark. But once inside it felt fine. We know next year there will be a couple of much longer and potentially a bit trickier.

We went through 3 tunnels this year. A bit daunting first up.

And out into the daylight

Leaving the boat for the winter needs to be out of the water, or somewhere flood free. We found a small boat yard at Pont A Bar on the Canal des Ardennes. Friendly people, they assured us a spot with little chance of theft (none in 30 years ) and as it is a canal above river level it cannot flood. So Le Bateau was winterised, packed up neatly with clear decks and all being well will be okay until next May.
 Next European summer should see us motoring right through France, down the Rhone almost to the Med and up the Canal du Midi to La Rochelle on the Atlantic coast. Then we can start sailing home to Australia. A plan, but plans can change!

After we left the boat in Pont A Bar we went to Ghent (Belgium) for a couple of nights. Very different to the Netherlands or France but an interesting mix of both. Lots of walking,museums, the biggest car boot sale we had ever seen (maybe 300 stalls) in a big suburban square and then a Welsh male choir in a cathedral. Pure chance we met up with them before they performed, and Jane found one the ladies traveling with them shops at a cousin's shop in Laughne, Wales. All the more reason to visit Jane's childhood spots and find a few relatives on the way to Cardiff airport.

The male choir from South Wales

The Welsh support crew in traditional dress

A Trappist Belgium beer in a strangely unstable glass

Trying out a Belgium pissoir

The beautiful Canal des Ardennes

The Chunnel Tunnel was quite an experience as our doudle decker bus drove into a train, then right through the opening carriages. Sitting in a bus, in a train, in a tunnel! Not for claustrophobic people I think.

Our double decker bus driving into Chunnel train

Ready to drive in on French side

And we drove right through the train

And we drove off the train in England

We then went to Devon to spend time with Jane's family. On the edge of Dartmoor is the little village of Lustleigh and we spent a couple of weeks with sister Terri and her husband Steve and visiting Jane's mum in the nursing home. Numerous walks on Dartmoor, picking abundant blackberries, and just hanging out.

Jane talking to Jan and RAF about her Jaguar (Boomaroo 22)

Moorings off of Exmouth

On a walk near Exmouth we came across this mobile home, caravan park. It is hard to imagine on a busy holiday weekend with most of the 1800 vans full. The little beach nearby would be fairly busy I think!

1800 mobile homes on the Devon coast! Not my idea of a holuday

A walk near Lustleigh where we got a little lost. Steve and Terri to the right 

The four of us on Dartmoor

Jaffa the dog not very good with photos

On Dartmoor

Perfect day for a walk

On the highest point of North Dartmoor

A Devon longhouse on a very narrow lane

Now off to Wales for three days before flying Cardiff to Adelaide and then back to Kangaroo Island. It will be great to see family, friends and our house after a few months.