Plaisanciers on the Haute Seine

Plaisanceirs sounds like quite a nice thing to be.  Being pleasant and having a pleasant time.  We have tried to remember this as we negotiated the locks and the lock keepers on the Haute Seine.  They talk fast (in French of course) on the VHF radio and we keep out ears pricked for the word 'plaisanciers'. Then we know that they are either talking to us, or about us. In this way we try to understand what they want us to do, as we have discovered that a green light does not always mean 'go ahead'.

HEre we share a lock with an absolute monster and a smaller commercial in front of us.

There are many commercial vessels on this waterway, far outnumbering the 'plaisanciers' like us, and we must give them priority in the locks.  Fine if you can see them, but sometimes we get the green light and think great, we can go in the lock, only to find that the green light was for a 180 foot super barge that is a km away behind us, round a bend, and it is he who is getting the green light.  We (I) try to speak our best and most polite French on the two way radio, and hope we have heard correctly.

When laden commercial barges look like they are about to sink!

We have arrived on Montereau-Fault-Yonne and this is not a particularly attractive mooring next to a grain silo, having said that even the official moorings don't look too inviting, perhaps it is the rain that makes everything look a bit unattractive.

 Also a little difficult to get on and off!

Montereau-Fault-Yonne.  Where the Yonne falls (fault) into the Seine.  Large pieces of brown moss.

We've had a good few days from the Marne to the Yonne.  The highlight was the town of Samois-sur-Seine, a perfect spot with old houses along the quays, a French and an Italian restaurant, (guess which one we went to?  I'm sure Julian said he had gone off Pizza! One of these days I will get a decent French supper cooked by someone who knows how to cook!) Our arrangement whereby we take turns in choosing eating places is backfiring on me at the moment as my choices have been big disappointments.

Anyhow, enough of me moaning about being on holiday cruising the waterways of Europe and eating out whenever we feel like it -

Here are some photos of our trip from Meaux on the Marne East of Paris, to our current stop over at the very end of the Yonne.

A lock on the Marne

This is the small canal Orqu that provides Paris with half its washing water (not drinking water)

Last lock on the Marne before entering the Seine

Meaux cathedral in the evening sun.

Me on the bridge with bike

Nearing Paris

Liva aboard barges and a boat yard on the Marne near Meaux

The Marne/Seine junction, we turned left (South) away from central Paris

 Here we are in Port Cerises near Draveil, quite expensive at 33 euros and we were moored next to a new Piper barge called Leander.

Me in the woods next to a little footbridge

Port Cerises

It was hovering around 35 degrees for weeks and we often found little inlets by the side of the river to dunk in.  At these temperatures we weren't all that fussy.

We swam here - lovely!

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We visited Fontainbleu.  Yes, we actually queued up and went inside (I almost bottled at the last minute even though it was my idea, but Julian reminded me we were here now and we might as well go ahead with it).  It was overwhelming.  We got to the first state room, throne room, bedchamber...... WOW.  After the 10th or 11th I was ready for a sit down and I was fed up with craning my neck to see the opulent ceilings and peering into semi darkness to see the furnishings with their plastic coverings!  I did not take photos - would not have known where to start. 

We then wandered around the lakes and gardens  (which are free to go in)and finally got back on our bikes to ride down the grand canal and through the town of Avon and back to the boat. A thoroughly enjoyable day. Unless you go on a French guided tour of the palace, you do not get to see Marie Antoinette's Turkish bedchamber! 

A Selfie in Fontainbleu Forest.

Italian and French restaurants.

The little bridge at Samois sur Seine.

La Ferte sous Jouarre nice mooring, plus other encounters!

Here we are all tucked in at La Ferte sous Jouarre, and what a pleasant spot especially with the fronds of willow shading us from the evening 32 degree heat!

We have just collected a package Poste Restaunte from La Poste in this town.  Having letters and packets sent this way is very handy.  Although also fraught with possible problems unless the package is addressed properly, and the person it is addressed too collects in person with confirmation details on email and passport.

Last night we attempted to moor at Chateau Thierry.  What a lovely name, what an unattractive port.  Although it was late, I just could not face it and longed for a quiet mooring, away from the heat and mooring next to children's play park.  (We did not actually go into CT so I can't really dis the whole town, but the port for me was unattractive) We plodded on and eventually moored near lock Azy-sur-Marne which was delightful and no one else there - even better - such a sociable soul aren't I!  Great views, occasional trains, the odd cyclist or family taking an evening stroll - just perfect.

The countryside near Azy is full of Champagne grape vines with forested hills and crops in the plain near the River Marne.

The hills bordering the River are great ampitheatres where the grapes are facing the full sun all day.  This does not come out very well in the photo.

Some late Wisteria.  We saw it in full bloom on Corfu in May.  Julian passed Debbie and Kevin on Rangalli today whilst on the Marne near La Ferte sous Jouanne.  He took some photos of Rangalli all but this one came out blank. 

At Dormans, we bumped into Sharon and Stan who we crewed for when they first bought Encore.  It was good to exchange news.  Dormans is a convenient place to stop.  You pay at the campsite 4.5 euros.  The town has shops and a chateau which is also the tourist information.  You can walk freely in the ground.

The mooring at Dormans.  Here is Sharon and Stan exchanging places with us as they arrive and we leave.

In the grounds of the chateau at Dorman's there is a great church which is a memorial to those who died in the Marne area and surrounds in the First World War.  This church that has been built as a memorial has a crypt that contains the remains of soldiers of all nationalities who died near here.  A very evocative site in a beautiful setting.

I quite often get on my bike and cycle while Julian cruises, and on my travels I spotted these raised beds made of willow.

Typical countryside of villages, vines and forests in the Marne Valley. Every village has many Champagne houses.