It's mid September and a few trees are beginning to turn to their Autumn colours. The sun glows clear orange gold rather than the faded hazy yellows and scorched earth that we have been used to.
We have been travelling through the Nivernais where we saw many cyclists but not that many boats.
We then turned right and cruised a few miles up the Loire Canal before turning back and beginning our cruise along the Canal du Centre. The first time we did this route, we explored just about every side road, town and village that we came to. This time, we spent more time alongside the canal, and just revisited some of our favourite spots. The coutryside is beautiful in the remote area and there are plenty of small chateau, fortified manoires and ruined castles to see (if you are prepared to leave the canal!)
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| Cafe at Fleury sur Yonne |
The bridges on the Nivernais are a great topic of conversation amongst boaters, especially those whose air draft is borderline for going under some of these bridges. Quercy just squeezed through, and I noted that the bridges South of Chatillon en Bazios were the ones that cause the problem. These are beautiful stone structures built I think in the 1830's. To make things extra difficult, you have to go through them slightly off centre as the path runs along the inside of some of them.
After a while the arches on these same bridges have been removed and replaced with horizontal metal structures, keeping the stone sides. So although low, there is no problem in navigating under them if you have managed to get through the ones further North.
Very occasionally one comes across a lively cafe just near the canal and we found the best of places at Fleury sur Yonne, on the Nivernais. Popular with local and boaters is served good food from a limited menu in a former lock keepers cottage, the tables and chairs spilling out onto the tow path and a quirky marquee outside.
Other notable rural or unexpected cafe spots are Chitry Les Mines on the Nivernais, also worth a mention is the lock keepers bar/cafe at Marigny sure Yonne. Lovely mooring and cafe at Pont d'Ouch, pizzeria at Tanlay on the Bourgogne, and Samois-sur-Seine on the Haute Seine near Fontenbleau.
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| Martigny near Cercy la Tour |
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| Water meadows of the Loire near Decize |
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| Dipping my toes in La Loire on evening after cycling a few km down a fisherman's track near Avril sur Loire |
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| The Ruined Chateau of Luthenay-Uxeloup with a working farm inside the walls. |
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| Not open to the public unfortunately, not even to peek in through the archway. |
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| Outside the Chateau on our fold up bikes. Fine for going up to 10km on fairly flat. |
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