Down the 71 locks on the Marne side

of the Canal Entre Champagne et Bourgogne

12th to 29th May 2024

[It took more than 3 times as long to go down the Marne side of this canal as going up the Saône side. Consequently this blog post is rather long and you might want to read it in chunks rather than all at one; your choice.]

Over the previous 5 days Calliope and crew had ‘climbed’ the 43 locks from the river Saône to Heuilley-Cotton; if you are interested in that part of our journey it is in the previous blog post. Then it was tunnel time at the top.

We went into the Tunnel de Balesmere on the Saône side of the canal and came out on the Marne side. The source of the Marne is in the hills above the tunnel. At this stage it is quite a small river, but it will grow and grow over its 513 kms to its junction with the Seine just upstream from Paris.

Everything was going smoothly and we began our descent to Langres, where we would moor up for a couple of nights – and hopefully arrive in time to get some fresh bread for lunch – the first in six days! Its was just a 4km run, and as it was Sunday we needed to be there before the shops shut at 1230.

The landscape was a little different to the ‘other side’, but still gentle hillsides and cattle grazing.

And then came to lock 2.

Where we stopped for a while!

The lock dropped us down smoothly enough, but then the doors did not open to let us continue.

We only had to wait about half an. hour, and during that time I wandered around taking photos.

The wild irises are stating to show their yellow faces; the underside of some of the old bridges are interesting brickwork; a cappuccino finish to some swirling water, and a mix of cattle breeds taking it easy.

Langres

It took seconds for the lock to be back in action and the doors swung open to allow us on to Langres.

We were too late to get our fresh bread, but there was a good long space for us to join other boats on the quay. Most of them were empty and looking as if they were still packed up from the winter before. In fact the whole port had a slightly deserted look.

Although the bournes were supplying water all the time they only supplied electricity for 3 x 2 hour time slots per day. The Capitainerie was closed up, so maybe we were just too early in the season. Previous visits have felt livelier.

Anyway we were able to tuck into a good lunch on board, using wraps for the store cupboard; we did not go hungry.

I got back as storm clouds were gathering ….

And sure enough we were treated to a lightning and thunder show, followed by heavy rain. We always enjoy the feeling of snugness and dryness sitting in Calliope’s wheelhouse hearing the rain drops on the roof.

The following day had been earmarked as a re-provisioning day. We knew it involved walking up a steep hill to the nearest supermarket – indeed the nearest shop of any kind!

It was time to try out my birthday present in earnest – a shopping trolley! But not a tartan trolley like my grandmother might have used – a modern bright purple folding trolley that anyone would be proud to roll with.

After a much enjoyed lunch with our first fresh baguette for 7 days we set about two watery tasks – topping up the fresh water tank and trying out the new high pressure pump to wash grime from the locks off Calliope.

Using the fresh water taps at ports for washing your boat is frowned on – in fact it is forbidden at many ports. Our pump is able to take water from the canal instead, so we knew we were within the rules.

A pleasant day ended with a very different sky to the night before and a quiet calm evening in the port.

Rolampont

This lock overlooks the little village of Jorquenay and is swiftly followed by a pont levée, or lift bridge, which also was operated by our remote control.

As we went through Jorquenay I noticed that someone with a sense of humour had placed an old tractor seat at the end of the bridge, presumably to give people a chance of a rest as they moved around the village – the top left photo.

The other photo attempts to show how the Marne is running alongside the canal – the water bottom left is the canal, and the gleam of water more in the centre is the river.

The river was our constant companion for miles – often within sight and never further than a field away.

This lock confused us at first. As you approach a lock there is almost always a red light. Then, when you press the telecommand button, a green light apprears as well; this shows that the lock is in preparation mode.

We decided to go into the lock and if it didn’t respond to the next telecommand command we would call for help. In fact it operated perfectly and we concluded that it was simply a case ofd the green light bulb needing to be replaced.

But the next lock truly was inoperable! We could see no lights were showing and a VNF van – plus smoke rising from a welder at work. One of the VNF guys walked along the bank to explain that we would have to wait 5 minutes. Fine by us.

Soon we were through and waving goodbye to the working team. We did not have much further to go to reach the overnight stopping place.

We knew the mooring from a few years before. It is just on the edge of Rolamapont next to a small park – a pleasant location, but just a 30m quay. So we were pleased to see it empty when we arrived and tied up comfortably, leaving 10m spare for any other boat that arrived.

It felt extra good to be moored up as we had a date for later that afternoon – watching the live streaming of one of our granddaughter’s MA graduation ceremony. As there was plenty of time before we settled down for that we took a short walk around the village.

It has a lavoir that was for the chateau on one side of the Marne, and a church, an old school, that is now a town hall and a few shops on the other. It is a pleasant place to stop; the local bar restaurant looked well worth visiting but we were already sorted for food that evening.

And after toasting our grand daughter’s success we settled down to a quiet evening; very pleasant.

Foulain

Leaving Rolampont at 0900 we looked back at the mooring, remembering how last time we were there we had moored one (overlapping) end of the boat to one go the granite boulders! Well it had worked, no problem.

Within twenty minutes we were at our first (of 7) lock of the day. Captain and crew looked happy to be out and about in the fresh morning air.

There were two little ‘features’ that I photographed at the lock. One was a small metal work boat, used for moving around the lock area to remove debris etc. Why don’t metal boats sink???? It’s lucky they don’t as Calliope is made of steel!

(I know it’s all about displacement, but still seems magical to me.)

And the other photo, up to the right of my smiling face, is another example of how ropes over the decades have rubbed grooves into the stone caps of the lock walls.

At Marnay lock I noticed a sign on the lock house advertising fresh eggs for sale. A man emerged form the house and as Calliope began to descend in the lock I quickly asked if we could buy some eggs.

He disappeared into his back garden and returned with a dozen. Stewart handed over €3 and the deal was done. When we came to eat them they were genuinely tasty.

With the canal following the Marne valley it meant that we had quite a meandering course at times! The map gives a better indication of this than my photos of Calliope going round bends – think I need a drone!

Then the gates opened and the bridges came fully into view.

(I’ve also just now noticed the up-turned shot glass protecting our jackstaff socket in the photo, which has been there for eight years now after a bit of an interesting manoeuvre on the river Somme in our first week in France lost the original flag pole to foliage ……)

There was just one more lock before the end off the day’s cruising.

And as luck would have it this one broke down when we got to the bottom! The bottom doors did not open to let us out; it happens at about 1 lock in 8 on this canal so we are used to it and happy enough waiting.

It was up the ladder for me – something I enjoy – a call to the VNF, and then wait in the wheelhouse for help to arrive. To be honest it is often possible to call the VNF from the bottom of the lock, but I so like the scramble le up the ladder that I pretend I need for mobile signal! Looks like the skipper’s catching up on the news – or doing a crossword…

A quarter of an hour later and we arrived in Foulain. Not only that, we could see that the two quays were empty and we had our choice of mooring place.

Foulain is another mooring we have stayed at before, and really love. It is so quiet and the scenery around is beautiful.

We did go for our customary walk in the afternoon. There is not a lot to see in the village nowadays, but there is a new small epicure, an old church set well up above the Marne flood levels, and evidence of past industry.

A Muscovy duck was plodding about, the wild irises were beginning to flower, and the Marne flowed on between the canal and the village; plenty to enjoy in a calm way.

Another barge arrived to take the second mooring place and Stewart went out, in the rain, to help them tie up as the bollards are set well back from the pontoon and surrounded by longish grass. This bit of help gained us some new friends – British this time – and we found we had many tales of places, people and boats in common.

That was us for the night, tucked up dry in Calliope.

Chaumont

We set off at 0900 with baguette and croissants on board brought to us by Christine on the other barge; she had been to the shop on the village on her bike and kindly brought us the goodies.

Just round the corner, under heavy grey skies, the Marne slipped under the canal as we glided above.

And a few hundred metres further we came to our first lock of the day. As usual I pressed Avalant and the lock doors opened.

As we got closer and were about to enter the lock the lights on the triangular ‘traffic signal’ suddenly turned to two reds! Oh no – this means the lock is en panne, or broken down.

How ones luck can turn in just seconds. Before I could even pull my phone from my pocket to call Heuilley-Cotton centre we saw a VNF can driving up the towpath! As luck would have it on this occasion the VNF service man was coming along checking each lock and arrived to us at precisely the right moment.

Within a few minutes we were on our way.

An hour later we had reached the beautiful Pont Levis de Luzy.

The journey down to Chaumont follows the Marne valley, often right alongside the river. Later in the blog I have included a series of photos of the Marne as she grows in width and flow.

We were getting close to Chaumont by now, and began to follow the canal round the base of the hill that has Chaumont at the top.

The Marne spread and divided between a mill race for the Chamarandes Moulin and a long spectacular weir.

As we have got older and wiser we have chosen to cruise at a slower pace and generally aim to reach our next mooring by about midday, tie up and have lunch.

We came down the last two locks and along the narrow channel into Chaumont just after 12, so were happily tied up and eating our lunch close to 1230.

After a stroll around the town, taking in some of the old buildings and varied shops, but not finding one that sold the ship’s clock that the Captain was after, we decided to return to the port.

Here we are, moored up in Port de la Maladiere, the port of Chaumont.

and as so often on our travels we settled down to a gentle evening on Calliope which ended with rather a splendid sunset sky.

Bologne

There were a couple off minor nature moments as we left Chaumont.

A rather beautiful and, to me, unusual moth joined us on the cabin roof and a heron almost forgot to fly away as we arrived at the first lock.

I have ben trying to find the name of the moth – its species, not its ‘name’ 🤣 – but so far no luck. It may be a ‘map-winged’ or a ‘green arches’.Please let me know if you find it.

In less than an hour we had reached the Condes Complex – my name for the combination of lift bridge, post canal over the Marne (again), tunnel and lock – all within just over half a kilometre.

In 2016 when we were going the other way we emerged from the tunnel, and the bridge remained steadfastly down! We gently drifted on the pond canal with good views of the river below waiting until an éclusier arrived to get the bridge lifting.

This time we got stuck at the lock instead! But before that we came through the tunnel and just for fun I did a time lapse video which speeds up out kph by about 10 times I would think!

We came happily out of the short Condes tunnel, into the lock, and descended to the bottom uneventfully. Then the gates did not open again. Stu climbed up and tried jiggling the gates -that has sometimes worked in the past. Not this time, so I called up for help and they were soon there.

It is all the weed in the canal that tends to cause the problem and although we constantly see the VNF teams raking and dredging to keep things clear it is not enough. The canal needs more boats, especially large ones, to use the canal and keep the channels free of algae.

Just a couple more locks before we stopped for the day and at one of them the Marne came right up close to us, breaking up into pretty ‘riverlets’ in order to provide a mill stream for Brethenay mill.

We were surprised to pass another boat and also a cliff – maybe a quarry in the past. They are very different things to report, but both were unusual on this trip.

The boat had on board a WOB (Women on Barges) with whom I had been communicating. It was a shame that we were passing midstream and not able to have a cup of tea together, but at least we exchanged quick greetings and photos!

Here is her photo of us cruising past, with her dog helping at the side! We love getting photos that others have taken of Calliope – it allows us to see her with us on board.

The mooring is a low metal edged quay, with a timber edge at water level to protect the boats. It is always good to see your planned mooring with plenty of space as you approach.

I was looking through the binoculars for bollards and seeing none, but a quick check on the DBA (Dutch Barge Association) mooring guide told me to look for rings instead! And there they were, half hidden in grass and weeds, but totally usable and secure.

Whereas I, for my daily exercise, went for a walk in the opposite direction, hoping to end up on the banks of the Marne.

Instead of which I found myself at the gates of a big aero industry site, hidden away down a dead end lane! So I turned back and took photos of local wild flora.

Froncles

The good May weather was still with us next day and we were underway soon after 9am. One of the first things the canal gave us was yet another bridge over the meandering Marne.

The views over the river and the canal were particularly good on this day; everything was calm and smooth, reflecting the blue of the sky.

Then we were into a lock, and it was one with a few things going on – and not going on.

The inhabitant of the lock house was selling truffles – of the fungi variety I presume, not chocolate. The surface of the lock looked a similar truffley colour, but was of course water weed.

This managed to clog up the door opening again, so we were paused again waiting for the VNF; this seems a great opportunity to mop down the roof using the dew still collected there.

Then we were off, past silos magnificently reflected, past a wayside iron cross, a fisherman, and a new lift bridge with shiny new hydraulic mechanism.

As we got closer to Froncle the topography began to change.

We remembered from our previous stays that the canal and river swept round the bottom of a tall wooded curving hill here, and that hill was more and more apparent on our starboard bow.

Stu and I felt very hopeful about the mooring at Froncles, knowing it to be a long quay, and that there are few boats on this canal so far this season, although plenty of weed!

We arrived to see a space just the right size at the end off the quay, and although there were potential spaces further along we prefer the end of a quay. That was we can sit on our back deck looking out along the canal ……

We like Froncles – not just the name, but also the place. It has been a busy working town with industry down between the canal and river during the last two centuries. It still has a thriving ‘forge’ business.

These photos include an electrivcity generating plant, fuelled, I think, by burning wood, one of the metal working mills, a big administrative building (blue) and probably the owner’s grand house (white – well ok, more like cream).

We were having rather mixed weather; sometimes it was warm and sunny, and an housr later is could be raining with thunder in the background. When the sun was out the colours were amazing. Although we do not like to see quite such a bright lime green surface to the water. That means lots of loose weed to clog up locks and propellors.

Strangely it was particularly this ‘beef’ or stretch of water that had this much weed.

My first walk into town indicated a Sunday morning market, so we planned a visit. It was somewhat disappointing having just two stalls, one of which was clothes. However the other was a rotisserie chicken van! And that sorted our Sunday lunch for us.

I had a lie down after my good lunch and was awoken from my gentle but deep siesta by a Captain wanting to more to a quieter mooring. The Capitainerie at Froinlces also has a couple of small apartments for hire and the latest occupants of one arrived just after us and got straight down to enjoying some rather noisy beery fishy fun, right next to our barge. They turned out to be six Italian lads in their 30’s out for a weekend jolly, and though very friendly, but we gracefully declined their offer to join them for the party and slipped our ropes at about 4pm for quieter mooring.

Villiers-sur-Marne

We were definitely heading out into the country. I took the photo below and realised afterwards that in one picture it holds many of the messages of this canal.

– trees, weeds and hills …..

While I had been asleep Stewart had looked at the map and found a mooring near by that was out in the country. My note in the map book said “September 2018 nice’. And checking out the photos from 2018 it certainly was very peaceful.

Here it is.

It looked a nice area for a bit of a stroll. I set off in the direction of the village about a kilometre away, anticipating that I would get to see a bit more of the river that was so oftyenm the other side of a hedge or field.

At the first bend in the road, beside a bend in the river and down a grassy bank, I saw a familiar shape building.

Then back to find Calliope and supper.

This mooring is at PK 78.4. The mid point of the 155 kms this side off the canal is obviously 77.5, so only just round the corner. But I didn’t take a photo to record the fact – the next one is at about 76.3! Next time I’ll be sure to get it.

Donjeux

Here is the 76.3 kms photo, showing our approach to Gudmont Écluse and the bridge in front of it being raised for us. By then, 1030, all the mist had cleared and we had another glorious day in front of us.

One bank of the canal along here has been completely renewed recently, giving a smooth concrete to starboard and unruly grass to port.

We did not wait too long and by 1200 we saw the church of Donjeux on the horizon as we crossed over the Marne once more and into our last lock of the day.

The mooring is just within the Donjeux boundary, but on the Rouvray-sur-Marne side of the canal. These two villages lie almost opposite one another with the canal and river in-between.

We remembered being on this mooring before, in 2016, and on almost the same date! The photo on the left is the 2015 version, when we stopped for lunch and made use of the quite new picnic table. Stu sat back at a somewhat older table this time, in 2024, with Calliope facing the opposite direction.

We started out towards Rouvray for a walk, but decided it did not look too interesting (sorry Rouvray) so walked back past the boat and over the bridge to Donjeux.

Then I got a close up of the church we had seen earlier, and the old mill that had kept Donjeux busy in days long gone, making nails.

An otherwise calm evening was broken by a short thunderstorm, and a strong gust of wind that covered Calliope with leaves and blossom; very pretty, bit more work for the cleaning section of the crew!

Joinville

The journey to Joinville was pleasant and generally uneventful. Half an hour before we planned to start there was a knock at the door and a VNF man asked when we were going. He had come to take out the ‘weed dredging’ work boat that had been moored along side us since we arrived.

We agreed that he should go immediately and we would catch him up at the first lock. Which we did. Before the lock was a redundant lift bridge, now permanently and rustily pointing skywards, constantly open for boats to pass.

We made sure we enjoyed the landscape, knowing that within a few days we would be down into more heavily populated, industrial, flat land!

Just outside Joinville we came to, and under, a beautifully arched bridge that spanned both the canal and the adjacent river. It carried the main Joinville bypass, N67, across the waterways and water meadows.

As we dropped down the final 3.41m into the town at lock 44 we took another look back at the hill country we were leaving. The lock house here, built in 1878, pre-dates by 3 years the one at Lock number 1, the first after the tunnel at the top.

We reached Joinville around midday, to find a completely empty 50m quay waiting for us. Split for choice we chose to moor at the end furthest from the town, and out off the way of the 4 happy anglers!

A quick 10 minute walk to a boulangerie provided a sandwich lunch – our favourite tuna and egg salad bagnet (not quite the famous Nice version, but filling and delicious.

Later that day we went for a walk round Joinville with the intention of having an early beer and a pizza. The town, though rather tired in places, is very interesting. The river Marne splits at Joinville with the main part running round the outside of the town (first photo) and a smaller arm running through the town (last photo).

However the only bar open was a PMU (betting shop with bar) that had no outside tables so we wandered back to our lovely boat and enjoyed an evening on board instead.

Joinville was one of our two night stops; we enjoy a rest day or two, and time to do things on board when we are not underway.

This time we filled up with water and Stewart manfully took apart the sink trap for its annual Spring clean. No problems there, and it went back together without leaking; result!

 Our second evening in Joinville was one of two halves weather-wise. It began with blue skies sunshine, and white wine with chataigne (chestnut liqueur) on the back deck. It was so peaceful sitting there my herbs (the chives beginning to pass over), whilst Stewart cooked supper.

After supper things began to change! The wind suddenly roared along the canal and purple grey clouds were gathering.

And we had a calm last night sleeping in the little port

Bayard

We had arranged set off in the morning at 9 am. Two French people in a camper-van had come along the evening before and show an interest in the boat. Stewart invited them on board next morning just for a half hour trip through the first two locks and then they could walk back along the canal path.

They were so pleased that they brought us a bottle of champagne!

They were soon happily moving to the front of the boat and sitting on the fore-deck to watch the countryside go by.

I though that we had left the big hills behind but suddenly found we were cruising through another deep sided wooded valley.

It was rather beautiful.

Our next lock had a real waterfall pouring in at the back and splashing on the step. I always find this rather splendid site.

It turned out to be another of ther multi-bridge days.

And later this beauty! We were so lucky that the sky had cleared a bit and the reflections were at their best.

It is near Rachecourt-sur-Marne and appears to be another disused railway bridge. Somehow, for me, it holds so much rusty rustic presence.

A couple of other lock photos – just bringing to life what happens as you move along these canals.

We were now nearing Bayard, our overnight stop.

Immediately before the final lock we crossed an arm of the Marne once more.

There was a confluence of waters, a separation of flow through weirs and tributaries that we could not quite get the hang of. It looked like this from above, with water flowing underneath us as well.

There were a whole series of sluice gates to allow changes in the flow from the main Marne into this arm that would carry on through Saint Dizier and meet up the the river again further down.

Lock 51 turned out to be ‘en panne’, or out of order, so we had a short stop by all the rushing water while we waited for help to arrive. It is strange how often it is the first or last lock of the day that breaks down!

We have stopped here before – twice!

And co-incidentally it was exactly the same day – May 23 – in 2016.

It is a very peaceful mooring …..

Although when we arrived we were accompanied led by the VNF grass cutting team. It is good news to see the canal moorings kept clear like this; it does lead to quite a lot of grass cuttings on the deck too. But they wash off with a bucket or two of water sluiced down the sides.

There is a good small Intermarche supermarket within a 10 minute walk, and just beyond the old village of Laneuville-a-Bayard.

Before shopping we walked over the bridge, looked underneath, took a photo of the old church which is undergoing restoration, and walked back! Behind the church, within the graveyard, are 6 graves that form a Commonwealth War Grave site.

Saint Dizier

As it drew towards time to go on the morning we found ourselves looking fore and aft. Behind us Mother Duck was taking her 6 babes out for a swimming lesson. In front of its was a lock, just 250m away, with. no lights on it to indicate whether it was ready for its or not.

As we wondered what to do a VNF van came by, with waving and smiling occupants, and our two nice female éclusiers from the day before arrived at the lock to start not up for the day.

Overall it was an easy day down to Saint Dizier. We did need to call on éclusier help once, but I will come to that.

A few minutes later and we were going over a bridge, rather than under one. It was another off the pont canals – the little viaducts that take the canal over the river. And at this lock we already had a VNF man waiting for us.

He had been busy clearing weed from around the gates, thus helping the locks to operate correctly.

Cruising on into gradually less rural and more urban areas we passed a small square basin with huge silos at one end, no doubt a busy place in its day.

There were lock houses with old artefacts in the garden, and some being lived in, painted nice bright colours; a pleasant change from the sad deserted ones we had seen over the past two weeks.

There was also an interesting wiggly bit of canal, dropping down in a lock to a right angled left hand turn, through a narrow bridge, and out into a sharp right hand turn. At both turns the canal widened to aid navigation; the big photo above shows the narrow bridge in the background, and Calliope now turned round to continue her journey.

This is the outskirts of Saint Dizier and we were at our final mini-combo of hurdles – a lock, a lift bridge, and the passing of a redundant pint-rail swing bridge that is described as a hazard. This is due to some of its infrastructure at water level not being too visible from boat wheelhouses; we were prepared!

Within half an hour we were moored on the long quay at Saint Dizier, next to our friends on another Piper Boat, and opposite the swimming pool.

We met up with them later for an excellent pizza supper in town. It’s about time I had a photo of some food!

Later, back on Calliope, we watched the sun go down in a true blaze of glory.

Our friends were off first thing next morning, going upstream towards all the places we had been through on this blog.

We didn’t walk round Saint Dizier much this visit; I did go to Les Halles on market day, but regret no photos of that gastronomic excursion! I did come back with food for several days – good fresh free, veg, meat, fish, cheese and paté.

You don’t have to walk anywhere to see the MIKO tower – the landmark that says you have arrived at Saint Dizier. For those who do not know Miko, it is a brand of ice cream that initially started up in 1945 to supply the local cinema, and has grown to be a brand known throughout France and beyond, though now owned by Nestlé.

On the day before we left Stewart noticed a boat coming up in the lock at the end of the basin. Not only was it a boat, it was a Piper boat, the same brand as Calliope. And not only was it a Piper boat, but it was friends who we first met back on the Thames in 2015, and had not seen for about 5 years.

Affinity moored astern of us and came aboard for a cup of tea and a catch up. We discovered they were having to sell their lovely boat, and were on their way to the Piper Port in Saint Usage for her to be looked over before going on the market. It is a sad time for them, but necessary due to their circumstances.

Écriennes Lock

Overall we have aimed to take this trip relatively slowly and gently, aiming for around 15 kms a day maximum where possible, and sometimes far less. But a 2 day hold up for a pump out meant that we had two days to make up; we were booked into Chalons-en-Champagne port in a few days time.

We were into our first lock before 0900, leaving the Miko tower behind.

We had reached our third lock by around 0945, and were in for our own private Air Show, courtesy of the French Air Force. The Aérodrome de St Dizier-Robinson is home to squadrons flying the Rafele fighter aircraft and Écluse 60 Hoericourt is adjacent to the perimeter fence.

And 0945 was the signal for 8 of them to emerge from hangars and take to the sky. They were very fast and not very close, so all my photos are a bit blurry.

But my video might give an idea (hope I am not arrested for espionage! Wait for the plane – it is coming. And turn your sound up to discover why the Captain had his fingers in his ears most of the time through this lock!

Despite being a very straight canal through fairly unremarkable countryside there were still things that caught my attention.

Time and again grasses and weeds along the edge of the locks became spectacular floral pictures against the sky. And yet again there was a new bridge detail – this time the rounded railing at each end of the bridge. Saint Dizier was famous for its metal work, so no surprise to find this so close to the town.

The third photo shows some more of the work to renovate the banks – wooden boards hold in new earth covered in hessian and punctuated by new reed plants – which will hopefully take root and strengthen the edges of the canal.

At the next lock I made a phone call to the control centre. We were a few kilometres from what has become known as Bad Boys lock! In the past there were groups of youths who enjoyed throwing things at the barges that passed by, and in breaking what lock infrastructure they could.

This means that the tele commanders and traffic lights no longer work at this lock and it is necessary to ask an éclusier to come and operate the lock. Our éclusier arrived just before we did, saving a potentially long wait.

We went through the lock with no trouble, and no sign of any boys at all, bad or good!

For a change, and because of a slightly longer cruising day, the Captain had planned a stop for lunch at Orconte quay; just two more locks and 4 kms until we would be there – an hour and a half at our tranquil speed!

The last lock held a piece of history, a mooring lesson for me, and a surprise intruder into the lock.

The history was in the old lock house – built in 1864 according to the date carved into the window sill. Lock houses further up towards the tunnel were built in 1881, 1883, 1885 – some twenty years later. This reflects the building of the canal. initially open in 1870 from Vitry to Donjeux, and at the end of the century being extended up to the top and through the tunnel – to meet work on a canal coming up from the Saône side.

The mooring lesson was to crew from the Captain. These bollards, with their skinny projecting arms, can make it difficult to cast off from the bottom of a lock. The rope easily gets caught round one arm or the other! So I learnt that as I go down in the lock I should loop my rope above one of the arms, making it simply to flip it off later.

And the surprise intruder is, I think, obvious from the photo. A small tree floating in the canal had been swept forward into the path of the closing gates, and was caught there, projecting out about 4′ into mid air Ince the lock had emptied.

Phew – time for lunch.

As we approached Orconte we went through a ‘turning circle’. I have been trying to catch a good photographic representation of one of these circular widening in the canal, allowing space for barges to turn round.

This quay is just before a lock. As we were having lunch we were surprised to see the éclusier arrive in his van, and then realised that a boat was at the bottom of the lock.

Lunch over we proceeded at our own stately pace through the last two locks of the day to Écriennes and a small 20m place to moor, out in the country, and just right for a restful last night on the Canal Entre Champagne et Bourgogne for Calliope and crew.

Vitry-le-Francois

16 days before we were facing 71 locks down to Vitry; 21 days before we were facing the complete 114 up and down set of locks. Now we had just 4 to go, over 9kms. It actually felt quite sad to be leaving this canal, definitely one of our favourites.

It was a very wet grey day for this last day. We were off at 0900 as usual and into the lock at Écriennes, next to the previous night’s mooring. We had a nice colourful lock, even though it was raining hard.

Overall it was a calm journey with not much except rain to be seen. We didn’t pass any boats, cows, silos or lavoirs for me to mention!

The poor guys were soaking wet, working through the rain. They had removed a small mountain of weed as you can see, and were just packing up to go to the next lock in their programme so we did not have to wait.

Calliope was doing well through the final kilometres; we would soon be handing in the remote control that had seen us through 170 locks so far,

And then the industrial urban landscape of Vitry-le-Francois and Écluse 71, Desert, were in sight.

A green light welcomed us and a sign told us we were ‘quitting’ the Canal Entre Champagne et Bourgogne.

I did what I thought I was being told to do, following the red, green and blue arrows and popping the telecommand into the slot, where it fell with a satisfying clunk.

We waited less than half an hour; not bad at all given that we were at the very end of the stretch that the éclusier had to cover. We were soon going down the last 3.33m of the total 239m from the tunnel to here.

And then? Well of you looked at the map just above you might have noticed three bridges between the last lock and the end of the canal.

So I am able to add in a couple more bridge photos!

And that’s it. The end of our wonderful journey on one of our favourite canals.

Next up is the Canal Lateral à La Marne, so we will not be saying goodbye to that great river just yet.

A Marne Appendix

I mentioned that I would bring together a set of photos showing how the Marne changed in size and shape as we came down. By the end of this canal the Marne still had a lot of growing and flowing to do as she went onwards towards the Seine and Paris.

But here is a small collection from Langres to Vitry, and a final one taken a few miles further on at Chalons-en-Champagne, originally known as Chalons-sur-Marne, and part of the next blog edition.