First day cruise up the Bourgogne - not cruising weather!

After waiting a week for the canal to open Easter Saturday dawned, rainy and windy - what's new.  The French are keen fishermen and a large crowd, umbrellas up, lined the bank just upstream from us.

Think of Burgundy and you think of Chateaux, vineyards, quaint towns - Saint Jeane de Losne, the boating capital of France is not like that.  It's a workaday town with no pretensions what so ever.  Hence we were not surprised to find ourselves moored next to a factory that looked like a 1960's Soviet era nuclear power station that belched smoke 24/7 and smelt like burnt cardboard.

Rain stopped and so having no excuse not to leave we untied and made out way to first lock. We had decided that as we were going upstream and the locks were close together, that I would stay on the bike and get to each lock in advance ready for Julian to hand me the hook. I could then reach down and pick up the ropes from the deck.  If I had stayed on board with him I would have to leap onto and up the ladder in the lock to get onto the lockside ready to hold the rope  or be dropped off before each lock. (Eclusiers tend not to expect to give any help, their job is purely to open and close the lock for you).

So with the boat hook I would hook the back rope over the rear bollard and give the rope back to Julian who would keep the tension at the back near the wheelhouse, I then go to the front bollard, reach the ready prepared rope from the deck with my hook, wrap it round the front bollard and keep the tension at the front.

We had a very grumpy first lock keeper whose technique for closing the rear gates was to let rip the front sluices and use the force of water through the lock send the back ones crashing shut - and to hell with the boat which bounced around in the maelstrom of rushing water - charming!

Apart from sharp showers and blustery winds it was a pleasant ride alongside Quercy, and Julian was completely confident steering the boat in and out of the narrow locks in no time.  Masses of cowslips and violets lined the path.  Nearby woods were carpeted with anemonies and the blackthorn were bursting into flower.

We passed the beautiful Chateau Longecourt where we have previously stayed - the most beautiful Chateaux in the world! Here is me pretending it's mine.

Walking from terrace to garden. Our room is in the tower.

Rear terrace looking towards church

Rear terrace which is a bridge over the moat