Saturday 12^th July

We left our mooring Dole at 7.45am but even at this early a couple of boats had left ahead of us. We were joined in the first lock by a very small Swiss boat; big enough to live on and small enough to go on a car trailer. We reached Rochefort-sur-Nenon at 9.25am. This is a popular spot so as the pontoon was free we moored up for the day. At lunchtime a hire boat with grandparents and 2 grandchildren and dog moored behind us Before they were tied up the dog (black Labrador) jumped onto the pontoon and then into the river for a swim. Getting back onto the pontoon was not so easy and the bank was too steep for him to climb out. The grandchildren were looking a bit anxious when mum and dad arrived by bike and dad managed to haul the dog back onto the pontoon. Five minutes later he was back in the water! After being hauled out a third time the dog was confined inside the boat.

 

Rochefort-sur-Nenon

The Dutch have to come to France to find a rock to climb

Monday 13^th July

We stayed at Rochefort yesterday enjoying the cool breeze on the river. The bank is a popular picnic spot and the rocks here are used for rock climbing.

At 06.20 this morning workmen arrived to erect a large marquee next to the boat for the Bastille Day party tomorrow night. We decided it was time to move on,13.5km later we were a Ranchot and in time for lunch. A three course meal with wine and coffee for 13 Euros each, excellent. We worked off lunch with a walk later in the afternoon, across the river and up the hill to where the town was having their Bastille fireworks tonight. The town band gathered near our moorings and set off at 22.30 to walk up the hill. We decided against joining them.

Ranchot

Tuesday 14^th July

Ranchot is one of the few mooring places with electricity on this waterway and we stayed a second night taking the opportunity to do some washing and charge up the batteries. The only worry was an odd noise it sounded like fish were nibbling our hull! We have been debating about going to Bresancon as we have had several reports of stones and bottles being thrown at boats on the main mooring However a couple who moored by us today told us where there was a safe pontoon.

Wednesday 15^th July

Today we moved to le barrage de Rivere mooring near le Maroc. A pleasant rural spot alongside a weir, all the pleasanter as we found Frank and Gill (Détente) moored there. It is still very hot.

Strimmer man on water

Le barrage de Rivere

Thursday 16^th July

We reached Besancon today. The first part of the journey took us through the tunnel de Thoraise. A Danish architect, Jeppe Hein, has converted it to a work of art. There is a waterfall at both entrances to the tunnel (which shut off as the boat passes) and a light and sound show inside.  Further interest on our journey to Besancon included a double lock and very shallow sections of canal where the water level was much lower than usual. If the heat wave continues this waterway is going to run out of water. We moored next to the tunnel entrance at Besancon. Our mooring is pleasant and safe but unfortunately is a suntrap and the deck thermometer on the sunny side of the boat recorded 54c. We decided we cannot stay another day in this heat and will leave tomorrow.

Tunnel de Thoraise

Arriving in Besancon

Nice mooring but 54c in the sun

Saturday 18^th July

On Friday we left Besancon before the sun reached our mooring and went back to le barrage de Rivere. We positioned the boat for maximum shade and wind to try and keep cool. Overnight thunderstorms arrived and the temperature dropped to a bearable level but not for long. Today we travelled back to Ranchot and were lucky to get a mooring back on the quay, helped in by the friendly Frenchman we met at Choisey. We have paid for 3 nights, which means air-conditioning for 3 nights. Yeah!

Back in Ranchot