Clamecy

Top of Roches de Basseville near Clamecy with rock climber almost at the top on left.  Fortified farm below in valley beyond canal.

Clamecy one of the backwater canals and sluice

Clamecy is another of those medium sized French towns that thrived in a previous era, grew to a substantial size and then it's population began to contract.  That said if you squint and look at some of the bridges and waterways that surround and bisect the town (and ignore the dead flower troughs, dilapidated houses and plastic bottles and beer cans in the water), you could almost be in Venice on a quiet day - very quiet.

Quercy right, Luciole left

We are arrived here yesterday (Saturday) and found 3 lovely hotel barges, Luciole, Elizabeth II and Randle awaiting guests.  They don't hang around for long, even though this is the most substantial and historic town for a good many miles and certainly until you get to Auxerre. Elizabeth looked splendid as she departed this morning with their 6 American guests (all guests on hotel barges are American)  They arrived from Paris around 6pm yesterday, when after a sunny week it unfortunately decided to rain.  Not good when you have paid over $???? dollars per person for a 6 day cruise.  Anyhow they soon cracked out the champers and stood around chatting with the crew Peter and Sheena and their helpers under the graceful awning that Elizabeth has instead of a wheelhouse. A bit later we saw 4 guests brave a walk around Clamecy.  It was they only chance they would have to see it as at 8.30am this morning Elizabeth slipped her moorings and they were off.  At about the same time I noticed the owner of Randle arrive with a large bunch of flowers which were soon arranged in his wheelhouse - that was the clue that he had passengers this week too.  By the time we returned from our bike ride today Randle had disappeared.

Clamecy lock and swing bridge with Quercy in background

That left just Luciole whose crew had a night off last night and the boat to themselves (although I'm sure they had had a busy day preparing for their guests).  We can now see the 12 guests seated around the dining table and they will no doubt be keeping the 6 crew busy.  All the hotel barges, except Randle, will be headed north up towards Auxerre - only Randle is small enough to cruise further down the Nivernais canal (where we are headed) the locks become smaller and narrower and the bridges lower.

Quercy provided an attractive backdrop as the only other traditional 'barge' shaped boat in the slightly shabby (not chic) port area, surrounded by the ultra modern sleek plastic 'le boat' rental cruisers who were either moored beside us, or who toed and froed through the lock and swing bridge, with varying degrees of driving accuracy (I can talk!)

We have had a delightful cycle ride today back along the stretch of canal we passed through yesterday which is very attractive.  We walked up to Les Roches de Basseville from where there are spectacular views over the valley to the wooded hills beyond and to the canal beside which is a beautiful and impressive fortified farm near Pousseaux.

Fortified Farm Pousseaux

The cliffs themselves where extremely interesting shapes. A man and a bird.

Roches de Basseville

Roches de Basseville