Spring in France - roses at their peak - sorry no photos of roses

Marigny can be termed a pretty well unspoiled Burgundian village.  Yes, there are the inevitable concrete boxes on the outskirts and the crumbling ruins that, by rights, should be turned into houses in the village centre, but there is a little shop with cafe attached, a school, and very few holiday properties.  It seems to be quite well populated by French people who live there.  The cafe has made absolutely no concessions to the fact that there may be tourists or boaters who are expecting something a bit more stylish, and quite right too. Everything inside is circa 1950 because it has been there since 1950.

The other thing Marigny has is a castle.  Yes, a Castle as opposed to a Chateau.  The distinction is made on the map with a small reclangular box as opposed to the usual curvy chateau label.

It is not open to the public, does not appear to be lived in, and you can walk right up to the front door to see the moat and drawbridge.  It has also featured in a number of films.   So remains a rather beautiful enigma.

Another fascinating place that we cycled to is the Chateau of Sainte Columbe de Auxois.  It is an ongoing renovation project, arts centre and gite complex.  The website states English German and Dutch spoken. Certainly not while we were there, but we got by, enjoyed a tea and coffee sans lait (they didn't have any milk) for one euro each.  The exhibition 'Voyages bleus, du jean a' l'indigo'

Sign outside the chateau

Bike ride to St Thibualt from Port Royal

Sad to leave Pouilly as although the port is nothing to write home about, the town has good facilities and the surrounding countryside has so many marked cycle routes following little used roads.

St Thibualt

The church at St Thibualt less than a km from the canal is peaceful and unusual. We very much enjoyed the visit.

Chancel in St Thibulat

Everything about St Thibualt was long and thin.  It is impossible to take a portrait sized photo there.

Port Royal a picturesque old port

Bagettes and Croissants delivered to the door at 8am! The previous day we had seen a lot of small birds that flew like a duck but did not look like a duck.  Simon told us they were Common Sandpipers.  I was rather disappointed that they were 'commom' as I thought they looked like they should be un-common.

Near by Church as Clamery

Our walk this morning took us to the nearest village.  A beautiful Romanesque Church with unusual side chapel and a number of very ancient, but damaged stone sarcophogi in the church yard.

Julian taking an unusually keen interest in the sarcophogi 

Side chapel

Many tall buildings around port and a few old farms.

Electric, water and good views from the boat.  A group of bikers were staying in the chambres d'hotes.

Through the Pouilly Tunnel

Yesterday we left Vandenesse and headed for the Pouilly Tunnel.  It took an hour to go the 3km.  We removed the canopy.  I have got a neck ache as a result of supporting the canopy with my head! while Juilan unscrewed the fixings.

Cycle rides from Pouilly Basin

Chateaux Chailly

A 5km cycle ride from Pouilly Basin.  Beautiful evening.

Pouilly en Auxois is surrounded by beautiful rolling countryside with many marked cycle paths.

Vandenesse and Chateauneuf. Hotel Barges

Vandenesse Port

This morning watched two hotel barges with American guests on board descend the lock into the beautifully situated pound and mooring place at Vandenesse.  With Castleauneuf on the hill and the church to the south of the mooring and flowers, trees horses and sheep surrounding us we could not be in a more perfect spot.

Vandenesse

Lots of walking and cycling.  Gardens and flowers, at their absolute peak.

This evening I took a little walk along the canal, as I usually do.  Had my long thin stick which I like very much and after doing the circuit to the lock and back the other side I decided to go past the church and to the south.  A beautiful old farmhouse and barns which s also a chambre d'otes.  The heat of the day had soaked into the walls of the barns and they radiated on to me as I walked making that part of the walk much warmer.








A beautiful afternoon in Chateauneuf with lunch and a walk to a chapel.

Pont d'Ouche to Vandenesse.

View from the hill above Crugy

This stretch of the Canal between Dijon and Vandenesse is so beautiful. Chateauneuf is a constant presence along the canal from Pont d'Ouch to Vandenesse. Our elcusier was the most friendly man who helped both of us whith the mooring ropes both aft and stern.  We had two eclusiers for most of the way.  They are always complaining about how hard pressed they are, which makes us laugh as we only see one or two other boats on the canal each day - and that's on a busy day - so we can't understand why they feel over worked. I hope non of them read this!

Towpath with Chateuneuf on the distant hill

I feel I must take back my sweeping statement yesterday about the dullness of French towns.  Vandenesse - although just a large village - has several cafes including an English Tea Room with gifts called Charolly, we look forward to going there tomorrow. The port with backdrop of church one way and chateau the other with hotel barges and flowers really could not be nicer.

Today, Sunday, we travelled through about 11 locks arriving about 2pm.  A perfect day, we decided to cycle up the hill to Chateauneuf.  We have been in the castle before so parked out bikes and wandered round the town.  A few gift shops, potters and brocante were open.  Then had the joy of freewheeling down the hill, past the reservoir and back to the village.

I have been struggling with french ever since we decided to get a barge, and feel I have had a break through today.  Simply writing down all the phrases that I want or need to say to the eclusier and learning them is really helping with vocab, verbs and tenses.  Hopefully I can build on this.

First day Saturday - having a day off before we start cruising

From the stone hut circles of windswept Dartmoor

To the pastoral landscapes of Burgundy

As I often think when we get to Burgundy, it's no good looking in town centres for a but of life and interest.  They are all dead for the most part, except for the odd dreary looking cafe.  Head for the hills! That's what we have been doing.  Such a day was today.  Warm sun as we climbed higher looking down on the rooftops the town looked its best from here, the abundance of May and the leafy lanes and paths that wind up and down the hillsides.

I haven't yet managed to find a map of footpaths in France, apart from the 'Grande Routes' marked on the  road maps.  However, in many towns, Bligny sur Ouche and the whole area around the Ouch valley there are many paths so stumble on.  You can identify them as they will have a yellow way marker.

The cross means no entry

10km cycle ride this afternoon from Pont D'Ouche up to Colombiers, down to Crugey and back to Pont D'Ouche.  This morning we drove to Blighny sur Ouche and did a short walk past the church and cemetry upinto the hills on the most delightful path and back down again to the town.  As soon as you leave the centre, it becomes magical.

The line means you are on the right track.

Back to Quercy - Tigger in good hands at home in Moretonhampstead.

Tigger left behind with flowers from the garden.

It was hard to leave Dartmoor in the middle of May.  Everything in the garden was developing by the day. The basil had germinated and I had some little seedlings of pink Cow Parsley in the greenhouse that I have had to leave in the care of our housesitters, - who are delightful.  As we have only been in Moretonhampstead for 8 months, we have not seen the garden in all seasons, I wonder what I am missing.

The Ferry from Newhaven to Dieppe is a harder crossing than the Brittany Ferries Portsmouth routes.  Ferry leaves at 11pm and arrives at 5am, so we arrived too early to go to Monet's garden in Giverny on the way. The town of Vernon, near Giverny was in a lovely situation on the River Seine.  Arrived at 7am in thick mist, but after a cup of tea avec lait froid in a cafe/tabac the sun had had a chance to burn through and we were in a lovely forested valley.  Three Viking River cruisers were moored under the bridge and 'petit dejuner' was in full swing.

Evening views at Pont d'Ouche

The Bistrot from our boat.

View towards hills and lock.

A man on a pony and trap can be seen through the window.

Gorge-ous

Roches du Chatelet

Today, our last day here until May, we headed south on our bikes towards the Abbaye St Marguerite. Stopping off first at Aubaine.  A small unspoiled little village near Pont d'Ouche

Farm as you enter Aubaine

The other side of the farm at Aubaine

Aubaine wash house

Outside Aubaine wash house

We headed up through the woods, climbing for quite a few miles (pushing our bikes of course!) reaching Crepey by lunch time.  Most of these little villages have a picnic bench, rubbish bin and sometimes a map with suggested walking routes.  There was no mention of the Abbey in the village but we asked a lady who was sitting outside her house and she gave us directions.

On the way to the Abbey

We eventually found the Abbaye and work was clearly being done to attract visitors.  Unfortunately almost nothing could be seen from the road.  http://www.abbayestemarguerite.fr/en/AbbayeSteMargueriteEn/Welcome.html

We decided to carry on to Bouilland, and were glad we did as we passed magnificent limestone cliffs. Bouilland was unusual for a small French village.  It had a bar and a restaurant, mind you, the lady at the bar did look rather surprised to see us.

The square in Bouilland

Blossom tree.  On the way back.  But still uphill!

The valley where Pont d'Ouche is situated - after a relaxing 5 km downhill.