For one weekend every April Saint Jean de Losne in France becomes the lively home of Salon Flauvial, a major French inland waterways boat show. We knew about it for years before we finally managed to be there at the right time. The trick for us is to winter in Saint Jean de Losne – or in Saint Usage, next door, to be precise. Then we are definitely close enough in April to join in the Salon Fluvial fun.
This year the Salon was moved from the end of April to the first weekend. Accordingly we came out to France on 19 March, to give us plenty of time to put an extra shine on Calliope.
The journey to the ferry was a bit eventful with more hold-ups than normal – so we were pleased to see Dover!
And once on the ferry it was not too long before we could see France as well.
We made an overnight detour to Kortrijk (Courtrai) to see good friends on their barge, and to bring them some crumpets from England!
We booked into a rather marvellous studio apartment with roof top views – Homely – in case you need a place to stay in Kortrijk. Then a great start to the evening aboard Pavot with our great friends, out to their choice of a good fritteur, and a walk home with the UNESCO World heritage Site Broel towers lit up just for us (not!).
And we were not allowed to escape next morning without a Full Belgian breakfast send off!
Five and a half hours later we were in Saint Usage, next to the better know Saint-Jean-de-Losne, stepping back aboard Calliope and enjoying some unexpectedly warm weather – 22C on March 20th.
The warm weather lasted into the following day, making the first cleanup so much more enjoyable. It was not long before we had the major accumulation of winter dust and grime removed and our lovely barge began to look ship-shape.
In addition to some Spring cleaning inside and out we had shopping to do and friends to meet.
I think we deserved that first glass of rosé on the back deck!
Another blue sky day and the opportunity for the second clean up – getting into a few more of the nooks and crannies!
She scrubs up well. 😁
By the time we got to Sunday the wind had changed and suddenly it was ten degrees colder – and more like the expected temperature for March! I got on with oiling all the wood in the wheelhouse – it’s well worth the effort. Then we cooked a Sunday treat – good British Roast Beef Dinner, complete with Yorkshire puds. Yum yum.
Despite the drop in temperature it was not raining, so some polishing of the hull took place.
You can see the difference between sections I have and have not polished!
We like Calliope to look smart for Salon Fluvial. She may not be the newest boat in the Piper fleet, but she can show potential customers how well a Piper boat lasts.
Later I went to watch the lock up from the Saône River fill to allow a boat down, and then Piper boat Songbird came up to join us.
I took the opportunity to walk right round the basin and get a photo of Calliope from the far side – and a photo of some nice pale pink Spring flowers that were growing at the edge of the water. To be honest I don’t know what they are!
Stewart had borrowed a guitar and wanted to get a capo to use with it. There is nothing like that in Saint Usage so we planned a drive to Dole, where we could also look at new cushions for the wheelhouse.
Dole is a lovely old town (city?) and these few photos do not show it anywhere near its best. But the day was a bit cold and we were not in the most ancient characterful parts, so this will have to do. But if you get the chance to visit, do!
Louis Pasteur is from Dole; there are quite a few references to him in the old town.
We returned home to Calliope with a capo, but no cushions. Ah well plenty of time to find them elsewhere.
Before we left the boat the previous Autumn we had promised (threatened?) some of our international boating friends a British tapas/aperos experience. Now it was time!
They were treated to Hula Hoops and twiglets, followed by Devils on Horseback.
And then home made Scotch Eggs, Mini toad in the Hole, scones with clotted cream and jam, and English cheeses with good old Branston Pickle!
Amazingly (to me) it all turned out quite tasty.
Now back to enjoying all the French food again!
As we got closer to the dates for Salon Fluvial the weather turned in another direction. We had lots and lots of heavy rain, apparently blown in from the Sahara and bringing with it deposits of sand on all our cleaned up boats!
Ah well, that washes off easily enough.
But the floods were more of a problem. We were expecting another six Piper boats to arrive along the Saône and up through the lock into the Saint Usage basin. The floods had two negative affects.
The boats wanting to come up the river from the Seurre direction felt it would not be safe to push against the current whilst avoiding the large logs and fallen trees that were floating downstream.
Meanwhile the boats that came down from Auxonne found the lock closed for two days and had to moor up in the H2O marina nearby.
The lock was closed to traffic as it was being used to help manage the water levels in the Canal de Bourgogne, allowing water to escape at a great rate from the canal into the river, night and day.
But this is all part of life on the water. Everyone was safe, and one day before Salon Fluvial the lock opened to allow 5 more boats to join us and gradually take their place in the Master Mooring Plan.
12 Piper boats were expected to be in place and await the visitors, although of the two coming from a Southerly direction, Tammoc II decided not to risk the strong flow, and Solar came a day later. So 10 of us in the photo below.
We had one brand new boat amongst us – the sleek and shiny and very beautiful 65foot Abbey.
Abbey is an ideal party boat, with an extra large wheelhouse table and open doors onto the back deck. The new owners were keen to try it out and, knowing no better, invited us all on board.
I even tried out the resilience of the wooden deck by spilling red wine on it. It cleaned up perfectly. Phew!
As darkness arrived and we all returned to our barges we felt almost ready for Salon Fluvial.
On Calliope we still had some new bits to add. Our new seat cushions for the wheelhouse arrived!
We also had smart new sun shields for the dog box and windows, and some blinds on order for the wheelhouse; a good refurb!
Over the next two days Saint Jean de Losne and Saint Usage were taken over by the boating fraternity and marine industry.
A row of small marquees along the grassy edge of the H2O basin was filled with companies offering all kinds of things of interest to boaters.
We were at number 31, our boats all in the basin at the start of the Canal de Bourgogne.
We did not get to see much of the other exhibitors this year as we were on board Calliope, ready to show round potential Piper customers.
It’s a very pleasant occupation, gentle and friendly. Stewart and I love to show our beloved Calliope to people. She still looks good after 9 years and it gives buyers confidence that buying a Piper boat is a lasting investment.
So the days might be slightly business like …… but the evenings are pure social.
There were parties at the Piper house two evenings running! Its a time to socialise with other matelots, with some of the great Piper team and other local friends.
For one of them we boat owners brought the food. What a selection, from sushi to chilli, quiche to piri piri chicken, salads galore and desserts to die for.
I won’t dwell on the fun we all had. Suffice it to say that Simon and Andrea Piper are the most wonderful of hosts.
All too soon the two days of Salon Fluvial were over and everyone was planning their next move. For us it was a return to UK for a couple of weeks, waiting for our French visa to kick in.
We had a good day with Piper guys on board giving the engine a thorough service, changing a crucial Volvo Penta seal, and generally giving Calliope the once over.
Our favourite new bit of kit is the ‘silent’ DAB pump! Now when water is pumped to the basins, the sink, the showers, washing machine or toilets, you can hardly hear it; wonderful!
Then we were packing up and back on the road to UK, spending a night at Wambrechies, just North of Lille and an hour and a half form Calais.
That meant we could visit again our good friends Martrin and Sally, and be treated to another great meal!
This time Sally was chef supremo, dishing up some very fancy tasty food.
And we managed to contribute with some bubbly and a slightly decadent Armagnac and chocolate dessert!
We stayed at a delightful off the track B&B, and were stuffed with very fresh croissants, baguette, home made jams and fruit before we left in the morning.
The roads to Calais were good and the weather was just right for a crossing.
It was such a lovely day that seals were basking in the sunshine on the beech next to the port.
And that’s it really. The build up to and excitement of Salon Fluvial were behind us for another year. A few hours after reaching Calais we were back home and unpacking, but already mentally re-packing for our return to Calliope quite soon.
goodshipcalliope 