The Wait
25th August to 29th September 2024
Canal L’Aisne à La Marne
Berry-au-Bac
We arrived at Berry-au-Bac on Sunday 25th August after quite a long day’s pleasant cruise from the other side of the Canal L’Oise à L’Aisne summit. We were now on the Canal Lateral à L’Aisne, moored up just below the écluse (lock) that takes you up into the big Berry-au-Bac basin.
We planned to go through this lock the next day, turn hard to starboard, and go through another écluse that would start us on the Canal L’Aisne à La Marne.
Part one of the plan went to plan. But as we were in the écluse the éclusier asked us where we were going. When we told him we were turning south towards Reims we got a bit of a surprise – the canal beyond Reims was shut – for 5 weeks!
Step one was to moor up just beyond the lock – you can see us on the left.
Step two – a re-think was required. Somehow, amongst all the emails that I received daily from the VNF (French Waterways Authority), the information about this canal closure had not reached me a month earlier.
It seemed rather a nice place to be ‘holed up’ for a few weeks, and there was no obvious quicker route south.
So we decided to stay here for a while.
Although an unexpected stop it was ok for us as we are retired and have the time to spare. If we had needed to get back to UK sooner a different scheme would have been hatched – probably a different port for Calliope’s winter berth.
Now to decide what to do for the next few weeks. Maybe we could start to do some of the regular maintenance work on the boat that we do at the end of each season, starting with re-varnishing the wheelhouse and mast.
I went on line and found what we needed. The éclusier gave me the address of the lock house and a tin was ordered.
Then there was a chance to get ahead with the engine servicing. The internet helped out with that too; I found a company called Demolin based close by. Soon we had booked a visit from a mechanical engineer used to working on boats with diesel engines.
Within a few hours a Demolin van arrived and our new friend Damien stepped out.
He spent some time very thoroughly checking over the engine whilst sustained by coffee, biscuits and water at regular intervals.
We like Calliope to be as tip-top as possible and took the chance while we were marooned to have the injector pump fully serviced by Bosch (the makers), and while we were at it we ordered new injectors too. Thank you Damien – see you again soon when the pump is ready.
We now properly entered a period of waiting. We needed to get to know our new surroundings, neighbours, shops etc.
Berry-au-Bac is a big T-junction on the canal network, with the Canal Lateral à L’Aisne crossing East to West and the L’Aisne à La Marne leading off to the South. The large basin at the junction is testimony to the area’s importance in commercial barging history, with many more barges moored here in the past.
Because of the canal closure there was not as much traffic as usual going through. The two commercial barges shown above were moored up like us, and also using their time to spruce up their boats with new paint etc. We loved keeping company with them, although Calliope looked tiny next to them!
In keeping with tradition we began to walk around the area, leaving our (red-starred) mooring and first of all walking eastwards-ish.
The Aisne, split into two, runs along parallel to the canal by the basin before looping away, so there is plenty to see.
The area shows signs of its industrial past. On the southern bank just beyond the basin is a big quayside warehouse and silos, still with its weigh-bridge, some rail tracks and other buildings.
Turning north-ish we went through to where the Aisne splits and found a weir across the main channel. Much of the weir is still of the old ‘aiguille’ or needle type. The wooden ‘needles’ are leaned against a solid frame and are not intended to be water-tight. Individual needles can be added or removed by hand to constrict the flow of the river – a dangerous job in bad weather.
A few days later we went in a southerly direction down the Canal L’Aisne à La Marne to ‘see’ the remains of Sapigneul, a village that was obliterated during WW1. The 90 inhabitants moved to a nearby village and never returned because, initially, the are was still heavily mined.
There are various memorials and information boards, sad and interesting to see and read. One of the boards was about Alphonse Grandremy who had been the éclusier at one of the Sapigneuil locks. There is a photo full of charm and history showing him sitting outside his lock house with his family.
The evenings were as enjoyable as our days in Berry-au-Bac.
Sunlit hours on the back deck, under the parasol when necessary, drinking Aude rosé and rouge bought, bizarrely, from the boulangerie at €4 a bottle – and quite nice to drink.
The boulangerie is the only shop in the village and its bread, quiches and wine were quite important to our sojourn there.
Of course we needed more than boulangerie faire. Looking on Google Maps our closest supermarket was in Cormicy, 4 kms away through the fields.
Out came the trusty bikes and this became a familiar route over the next three weeks.
Cormicy has been a champagne village, like much of the region, for decades, probably centuries; each time we cycled there we passed a big old grape press that served as a reminder.
One time as we passed through we went up into the main square to have a look round. The old Postes, or post office, is now an Italian restaurant, cannily called Il Postino!
The flags were up around the square and preparations were evidently being made for an event. It turned out to be the 80th anniversary of the village being liberated by the Americans. A party with 1940s swing band music, vintage US army vehicles, and a champagne bar were all on the programme, amongst other things.
But Stu and I didn’t have the energy to cycle back that evening, in the rain, to join in.
Apart from that evening the weather was mainly hot and sunny.
The wheelhouse temperature was over 30C on several days – very pleasant.
We were still awaiting the arrival of the ordered varnish, but Stu was able to get going with the preparation.
In the end DPD took so long to deliver the new varnish that Stu used some varnish we already had on board; Calliope was looking smart.
Being in Berry-au-Bac for so long led us to explore the (limited) local food and drink. There was one restaurant that looked good, but somehow we never made it there.
Instead we tried out the Just Queen pizza kiosk we had been cycling past. It was amazingly good! I felt very modern, ordering from the app on my phone and cycling over to collect hot crisp freshly cooked tasty pizza!
We also went to the local bar a couple of times. The locals weren’t quite sure what we were there, but made us welcome. It is also the local PMU or ‘bookies’, with entry forms ready on every table.
The sun was still rising early and setting late even though it was August. We saw so many beautiful skies that I felt I should include a few. It was so lovely waking up to these view.
Then the things we were waiting for began to `arrive, starting with Damien and our injector pump.
He soon had all fixed back together, and after running the engine a few times, tweaking the settings, and explaining what he was doing we had our usual sweetly purring engine.
Now we could start to think about where to spend the rest of our time while we waited for the canal to re-open.
Also we could now top our water tank from the tap in the lock.
Stewart reversed into the lock with great skill . (We went in backwards because we needed to be facing the right way t when we came back out, ready to carry on with our journey).
Once we had the hose tucked in we could look, from a different angle, towards our berth of the past two and a half weeks, just around the corner on the left.
It takes a while to fill up 1000L. We had checked with the éclusier that he was not expecting any boats to come along, and knew we were not going to be in anyone’s way.
A day or so later, having agreed with DPD that I would go into their depot in Reims to collect the package, (their drivers were having difficulty locating us), my phone rang.
It was a man from DPD, driving his own car, and bringing us the varnish! We were delighted to have it at last. To be honest it was only about 4 days late.
Earlier in the season we had had great success having packaged delivered to Amazon lockers. A courier delivery was obviously a bit more difficult when you are on the water!
Before we leave Berry-au-Bac a few other minor happenings. We had some visitors – green ones! The grasshopper was a large one, sitting happily on the path and going nowhere until his photo was taken.
The moth was just brilliant colours. I have not managed to identify it – any help appreciated.
They both visited while we still had good weather. Finally the weather changed. It was needed – it had been hot and dry almost continuously for weeks, apart from the day of Cormicy’s celebrations a week before.
The clouds were a wondrous swirling black, and it wasn’t; long until the rain began to fall – that welcome big splots of summer rain.
As the sun emerged behind us a lovely light shown across onto the trees on the hill opposite – Cote 108.
Cote 108 is another of the WW1 sites in the area. Much of the Battle of the Aidsne and of the Chemin des Dames was fought in this area.
Behind the trees is the reason for the infamy of Cote 108.
Much of the area had been tunnelled to reach under enemy lines and then blown up.
Here at Cote 108 there was a huge explosion, leaving this vast crater, now overgrown and out of bounds.
That sad note does not reflect our overall time in Berry-au-Bac. We needed to get on with our journey and although the canal was still closed about 20kms ahead we thought it would be nice to get a bit closer to Reims.
So finally we left our mooring behind, and took that turn to starboard that we had planned about three weeks prior.
We set off slowly as we knew we could not go far – just 9 kilometres and 5 locks to Loivre.
It was lovely to be on the move again along almost emerald waters.
We passed Sapigneuil again, looking for the old lock house we had read about.
It was a gentle couple of hours. We were going upward in the locks once more, and discovering the idiosyncrasies of the locks on this canal.
On the Canal L’Oise à L’Aisne we had found the blue control levers at each end of the lock – right at each end. They were obviously designed with the 38m Freycinet working barge in mind. For them the levers would be perfectly positioned by their wheelhouse, whether going up or down.
Here they were at one end only, and out of reach for our 19.8m boat! So crew quickly secured to a bollard, then clambered up the ladder to activate the lock before a quick descent to the boat and manage the bow rope.
It’s all safe if you take care on the ladder, checking each rung for slipperiness – and something that I really enjoy doing.
Most of the trip is so peaceful and quiet; maybe a tractor in a field or a bird singing. But now and then the noise of a road intrudes. In this case the canal passes under the main A26 highway from Calais to Troyes and known as the ‘Autoroute des Anglais’.
Looking back at the bridge it is about 3 hours by car to the left to our boating destination St Jean de Lone and 3 hours to the right to Calais. We’ll be heading that way in a few weeks time, but for now are very much enjoying life in the slow lane …
Our 9 kilometre day was soon over and we had moored up ay Loivre. Although we had spotted this mooring before we had never stopped there and had been wondering what we would find.
The first thing we found was two perfectly placed bollards – perfect for Calliope anyway! Excellent – and just time to get to the boulangerie for our lunch. The boulangerie in Loivre is very good, not only making bread, cakes and quiches as you would expect, but also occasional takeaway meals such as paella, lasagne, salmon croque (like a croque monsieur, but full of fresh salmon and on delicious brown bread.
Loivre is a small village with character. The church , despite looking old, was rebuilt in the earl;y 20th century. I think the Mairie (town hall) is a similar age and houses the local post office and, on the left, the elementary school, as well as the offices for the local administration. It was all very welcoming and friendly.
Captain Stu is seen here striding past the Mairie on his way to the one other shop in the village – a small and very useful Proxi supermarket!
We arrived on a Friday. The customers and staff in the Proxi were keen to tell us about a market in Courcy, a local village, the next day – close enough for us to cycle to.
So we did. It was a nice cycle along the canal path, and then up into town itself. The market is very small – a boucherie (butcher) van, a green grocer and a cheese stall. All had very good produce, and were obviously popular with people from all around.
Recycled back with our bags of fresh produce, enough for several good meals.
That set us up for the day and we relaxed into our new surroundings with a beautiful sunset.
As we began to explore around the mooring we discovered that the ‘ditch; running alongside the canal next to us is in fact the start of the Loivre river, after which the village is named.
This clear free running stream, called La Loivre, grows as it flows eventually joining the Aisne at Berry au Bac.
One of the reasons for moving from Berry-au-Bac was to make it easier to go into Reims. Loivre has a station about a 15 minute walk from the mooring, and is then just a 10 minute ride into central Reims, and we had a mission to accomplish there.
We wanted some ‘non-slip pearls; to add to our deck paint, recommended by Simon Piper who built Calliope. Despite diligent searching on line we could not find them in the France, so devised a plan. We bought them online in UK, had them sent to our daughter who then posted them on to a Poste Restante address at a Reims post office. All we had to do was track the package and pick it up.
The station at Loivre is simple nowadays. It its just two platforms and a small shelter. The original station house is now a private home.
Mostly it is used by students going to and from school, college etc – and some commuters. We were more unusual passengers, out for a day’s shopping and sightseeing!
Here are a few of the many sights to be seen, The old and new fountains in the centre of the city; the Porte de Mars (one of the old gateways into the city); Les Halles, the colourful infdoor market; the famous cathedral, seen along the tramlines; the outside of the old Opera House, now a Mango fashion store.
On our first trip we went of course to the post office, but our package had not yet arrived. Tracking has told us that it had passed through customs two days before so we had been hopeful it would be there already.
Ah well, never mind. It was easy to come back into Reims next day.
In the meantime we could buy a new jigsaw to do during our enforced cruise slowdown. (In fact we bought two!)
And early for the train back to Loivre we stopped in at the bar at the station for a beer.
I came back into Reims early the next day, leaving Stewart aboard to start preparations for painting the cabin roof, while I checked in at the post office again.
I went in on an earlier train and therefore had an excuse to turn native and enjoy coffee with a pain au chocolate at a café bar we had noticed the day before.
I have to say it was very pleasant to sit there watching the Reims world go by.
But no package at the post office!
Meantime back on Calliope Stewart had decided to get a first coat of paint on, and then add the pearls to the second coat.
When I got back he was busy painting, and making good progress as you can see. Next to big commercial barges Calliope seems tiny, but come to wash, prepare and paint the roof and she seems to stretch out to her full 19.8m!
Most of the time we were moored at Loivre we were there alone, but one day another barge arrived and moored at the other end of the cut-out we were in.
We quickly got two know the crew aboard and had a lovely evening together in the sun on their deck.
Then it was time for them to carry on, towards Berry-au-Bac. They had popped down to Reims for a week to see the city, knowing that the canal beyond was closed. And now they were on their way back to their home port.
I mentioned above the friendliness of the Loivre people. One of them, Lise, walking past Calliope and stopping for a chat, told me that the next day there was an organised walk to an old fort that was normally closed to the public. Would I like to join them?
So I did. I was slightly daunted by the fact it was 10kms (I don’t do enough walking these days!), but went just the same. Lise and her two daughters took me to the start point in a village about 5 kms away where we met the rest of the group and set off.
Here are some pictures to give you an idea of the lovely walk through fields and forests plus a few of Fort de St Thierry itself, built between 1877 and 1880. It is one of a number of forts that were built around Reims after the Franco-Prussian war, to protect the city from future attack.
It is a fascinating place, built deep among the trees and tucked into a series of hollows. Although my French is not very good I could manage to understand enough from the helpful people and the signs to get an idea of the history.
I got home knowing I had walked 15,745 steps!
Before we finally leave Lolivre, just a little more of the village. It may lack cafés and restaurants, but two evenings a week different food trucks arrive in the Place de la Republic. The pizza one was particularly good and worth waiting for, especially with the low golden sun lighting up the buildings.
I also was told about local walnut trees that I could collect nuts from (Lise again!) so went out with my bucket to take part on what is definitely a rural French tradition.
The day after walnut day we were off to Courcy. The canal was due to open two days later so we got even closer to Reims ready for the off. Also our son Ashley was arriving the following day to give us a hand with a few long days traveling, and Courcy was easier to reach.
The voyage began backwards. In order to operate the lock in front of us we had to turn the pole that was behind us!
This was accomplished successfully and off South we went, just for four locks and 3 kms. You. might recall that we had cycled to Courcy two weeks before to go to the Saturday market. Once tied up my bike was dropped ashore and I whizzed up to the village for more fresh fruit, veg, meat and bread.
It’s another lovely mooring, and made even lovelier at this time of year by the colours of the water and the trees.
The colours changed and softened as the day wore on.
The following evening Ashley arrived in a Uber from the TGV station outside Reims – a direct line into Charles de Gaulle airport. We fed him a good stew made with purchases from the market and cake from the boulangerie.
Then early to bed, because next day, after a 5 week wait, is the first day the canal is open beyond Reims!! Though it was not quite as early as shown on the ships clock above!
Although this was an enforced and totally unexpected delay to our plans it has also been a delightful experience. So often we are moving through French villages without getting to know them. This time we have spent proper time in Berry-au-Bac and Loivre and it’s been great.
It was to take us just over 3 weeks to get back to our Hivernage (winter mooring) place at Saint Usage – a voyage that was to be just as adventurous we had hoped and imagined …..
goodshipcalliope 