Upstream to Moret-sur-Loing

7/7/2013

Today, as we left the Arsenal we had to say goodbye to Paris and our friends Pam and Angus.

Last view of Nôtre Dame and some of the impressive old bridges, and off we went up the haute Seine.

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It didn't take our new shipmate, Jane, long to learn the ropes, and we mastered the river locks quite well.

Progress upstream against a 2km/h current was decidedly slower than downstream had been, giving us plenty of time to relax and take turns on the wheel and having little naps in our deck chairs.

We stopped on the quay at Melun - maybe not the most romantic spot - but the last place we could make it to before lock closures.

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The in our book recommended restaurant, like many better places here in France, only catered for people with reservations and so we moved on to a side street and where "La Fingale" offered a decent menu and seating outside.

Austin ordered escargot and Jane had her first try of a snail and liked it.

8/7/2013

I got up early and walked into town to buy croissants and fresh bread for our Sunday breakfast. The air was still nice and fresh after the heat of the previous day, but we didn't have to wait long for the temperature to rise again.

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We arrived at Moret-sur-Loing just after lunch and a friendly German man, Dieter from Bonn, helped us moor at the last available spot. We had just tied up when a smaller boat arrived who had no choice but to moor alongside our boat. 

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Following suit with Dieter and his wife, Margrit, we plunged into the river Loing and had a shower on the back landing afterwards.

So refreshed we explored Moret entering through the ancient Porte de Bourgogne down the main street with view of the Porte de Samois on the other end of the street. Initially we didn't get further than the ice-cream shop with in-house made delights like White chocolate and pistachio, toblerone, fig & walnut and salted butter caramel. Our walk took us past sights of town, which the painter Alfred Sisley had immortalised, like the bridge over the Loing, the old mill house, the mairie and the house  where Napolean had stayed over night on the way to exile on Elba. At the weir below the bridge not only ducks, but also local children and adults were taking a dip to cool off from the July heat.

After dinner in town we got into conversation with an Aussie couple moored next to us who had done 400 km of the Jakob's Way. We had some late night entertainment from David, an Englishman living in NZ, playing "The way to Gundagai" on his mouthorgan.

9/7/2013

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The next day was as sunny and hot, and we made the mistake to walk the roughly 3km to Saint Mammès on the Seine, where we had previously moored on our way to Paris. Intending to buy a ball fender we arrived at the nautical shop just on lunch-time when every shop closes for an hour or two. Too hot to wait around, we made our way back and set off down the Canal de Loing. The night we spent on the outskirt of Nemours, a less attractive town.

10/7/2013

Had an early start - maybe too early! A few locks down one of our ropes got snagged, something every boaty has apparently experienced at least once. If the rope is not released in time it could tip the boat as the water in the lock rises.

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All boats there fore have a knife handy to cut the rope. Luckily, being the only boat in the lock, we were able to get the lock keeper to let the water down a little so we could loosen and free the rope! Phew! This requires another "safe arrival drink"  when we have arrived at Montargis tonight! Good bye "Dry July"!

  


© Austin Robinson 2019