Tuesday 21^st July

After enjoying 3 nights with air-conditioning we moved downstream to Dole and moored in the same place as last time, close to the end of the reserved section of the quay. A large barge arrived after us and moored in the middle of the reserved section.  The lady at the hire boat kiosk said it would be are ok tonight but tomorrow a trip boat would be arriving from St Jean de Losne. The trip boat arrived at 7pm! After much to juggling around the trip boat moored on the quay. We had to move the most even though we are not occupying the reserved section. The crew on the trip boat are very grateful we thought a bottle of wine would have been a nice gesture.

 

Trying to keep cool with the widescreen down

Church on the Doubs

New electric boats at Dole

Trip boat leaves 

Sunset in Dole

VNF weed catcher

Thursday 23^rd July

We spent yesterday in Dole making several trips to the supermarket. On the second trip D. found a small electric fan for sale (just the one), it had not been there before. Fans have been impossible to find during this heat wave so we bought it and expect the temperature will now plummet.

Today we moved towards the end of the canal and moored at Abergemont. A quiet mooring with a bit of welcome shade over our bow in the evening.

Friday 24^th July

We travelled down the last 3 locks on the Rhone au Rhin canal and handed back the enormous controller. We arrived at St Jean de Losne at 10.40 and moored up next to Russell and Maxine, who we had last seen in Toul. Their barge now has new water tanks and a new kitchen. We had lunch at a restaurant on the quay and then walked to Blankard’s chandlery, always worth a visit. We met Frank and Jill who are just finishing winterising their boat before they return home then head off to the states to spend 3 months in their camper van and go hot air ballooning. I hope we are as active in our mid 70's.

 

Last seen in Reading. Now heading up the Doubs

St Jean de Losne

Fishing contest at St Jean

Sunday 26^th July

The weather is cooing down at last. We stayed in St Jean yesterday and had dinner with Frank and Gill at l’Amiral. Very jolly but we have had better food. Today have cruised to Verdun sur Doubs, 33km down the Saone. We had booked a space as there is only one barge mooring at it is a popular stop. An artisans market with live band was in progress in the town square next to the marina and we have an excellent lunch at the capitainerie restaurant. We are told another boat will come in this evening and moor diagonal to us! At 9pm a pusher with 2 very large barges came upstream - much too big to moor near us. Then behind it came Jeanine, a 34m hotel barge, it does moor next to us. They had been bumped from Chalon sur Soane and had to find alternative mooring at the last minute. Even hotel barges have a pecking order. We had met Jeanine several times before and they have always been considerate and polite. D. helped them moor up, in the rain. They are very grateful but still no bottle of wine.

 

Market at Verdun sur Doubs

Petite Doubs at Verdun

Large pusher arrives at 9pm

D helps Jeanine moor

At least the pusher did not try to moor next to us. 

Verdun sur Doubs

Tuesday 28^th July

Monday was a laundry and cleaning day. Today we travelled 26km downstream to Chalon sur Saone. The marina here will not take boats our size and we moor on the shallow, rocky bank of Ile St. Laurent opposite the main town. D spends some time sorting out mooring lines, using pins, wooden spacers and gangplank. Eventually he is happy but in the evening the wind gets up and he adds extra lines, including 2  on to a stone bollard on the high bank. It will take us so long to remove all the lines we will need to stay a few days to make it worth the effort.

 

Arriving at Chalon sur Saone. The boats are just getting bigger.

Mooring at Chalon. Lots of ropes

Thursday 30^th July

Yesterday it was cold and wet. D spent most of the day sorting out the grey water tank that is emptying every 15 minutes. D changed the switch again but L said it must be something else as changing the switch last time made no difference. Eventually we find it is backflow from the exit pipe that keeps refilling the tank and setting off the pump. Presuming the valve in the exit pipe is blocked D dismantled it to clean it only to find there is no valve! Fortunately we have a spare and once it is fitted the problem is solved for the moment. Today we did the tourist bit of Chalon and had lunch out. Our 2003 Michelin book said there was a guided tour of the Hopital on Thursday afternoons but we were disappointed to find it closed up and looking rather derelict.

Evening view at Chalon sur Saone

At least its not trying to moor alongside 

Cathedral St Vincent

The Saone at Chalon sur Saone