Canal Lateral de la Loire and Canal Roanne

Plant sale at Arboretum Balaine, near Villeneuve sur Allier

When you leave the Nivernais you enter the Canal Lateral de la Loire at Decize and from the fully automatic lock at the new port head East or West.

We headed East towards the Canal du Centre, but before that we had a shortish stretch on the Canal Lateral de la Loire and we decided to take the short cruise down the Canal Roanne and back.

Before leaving Decize, as we had the car, we visited the absolutely beautiful Arboretum Balaine and were lucky enough to be there on a weekend when there was a heritage plant sale. Unfortunately it was overcast and drizzly.

Here are some highlights of the cruise from Decize to Digoine and the one to Paray le Monial taking in the canal Roanne on the way.

Romanesque Church on the hil at Iguerande

Iguerande Church Nave

Charolais cows drinking from canal Roanne

Bourbon Lancey - a town 10km from Canal Roanne.  We cycled there.

Church Bourbon Lancy.  Town Pretty deserted, many closed shops as always around here.

Another lovely cow looking at me on an evening walk from an attractive mooring at Lamenay-sur-Loire.

Industry and working barge in distance near Digoin

Canal bridge over River near Digoin.  But not the one over Loire at Digoine,

Cafe at Marcigny near Chambilly Canal Roanne.

Romanesque Church Chambilly