Loving Canal life

Thursday 17/05/2012 - Diane-Capelle to Mittersheim 

We woke this morning to lovely sunshine and not long after we were on our way.  This next section of the canal acts as a staircase with 12 lochs between .04 to .06 Kms apart going down the other side of the hill we had come up.  The lochs are so close you can see some of them from the one you are leaving and can walk between them which we did a couple of times.  They seem to be shallower than the ones coming up but perhaps that is just an optical illusion.

We stopped for lunch beside another lake just over the canal path and when we started to move again we were passed by three other boats so had a slower afternoon than the morning when we had a clear run though most of the lochs.

We stopped after loch no 13 in a little village called Mittersheim and moored at the local port.  Once tied up and secure Peter got the bikes out and we went in search of a supermarket or at the very least a boulangerie.  No luck was had with either so we had a ride around the local area before heading back to Matilda where we spent a very peaceful interlude before dinner.

The 17th of May is my birthday and I got a lovely surprise when I was told I had to change into something more suitable as I was being taken out to dinner soon. Bill, Marg and Peter had found the only open restaurant in Mittersheim and made a booking for 8.00pm. 

 A bottle of French bubbles before we went got us in the mood for a celebration dinner and after a short walk along the canal path we arrived at l'Escale where we had a superb meal and a lovely night.  I even tried one of Marg's Escargot and actually enjoyed it, though I was very happy with my fois gras and duck with salad.  It was yummy.  We forgot to take the camera so no pictures to prove I actually ate it.

We returned to Matilda for a hot chocolate and a nightcap before retiring for the night knowing that my birthday this year was one I will never forget.

Until tomorrow....

Friday 18/05/2011 - Mittersheim to Sarralbe 


This morning we took our time leaving Mittersheim, first riding up to the Boulangerie to get some fresh bread and milk while Peter did some mechanical things in the engine room.  Once on our way we had a lovely morning, blue sky and sunshine only enhancing our enjoyment of a quiet morning on the canals.  

The scenery we pass is constantly changing from woodlands to open pasture with cattle or sheep grazing, crops of canola or rape seed as it is known over here and many small villages along the way.

We stopped for an early lunch at Ecluse No 16 where there was a lovely picnic spot beside the canal.  This gave us the chance to have a walk along the forest path before setting off again for the afternoon.  Once on the move again we continued to loch no 20 where we stopped for the night just outside Sarralbe.  With no obvious port here we moored for the night outside a factory and had access to the main rd via a footbridge.  We were very comfortable and very quiet apart from a couple of passing fisherman, who if they thought it was a shock to see a large boat moored there, didn't seem to bat an eyelid as they passed us.

Once tied up securely we walked in the town and had a look around.  The old Church right next to the ancient City Gates was an impressive sight.  There were lots of lovely fountains and little sculptures which gave the city a quirky look and in the back streets we came across an old mill with a working water wheel.  

It was a very peaceful setting and a very old building dating back to the 13th century.  After our walk we returned to Matilda for another lovely evening onboard.

See you tomorrow....

Saturday 19/05/2012 - Sarralbe to Sarreguemines

This mornings aim was to get to Sarreguemines by mid afternoon so we could do some shopping and some sightseeing. We got off to a good start and travelled along at a good pace seeing only one other boat on the canals for the whole time.

At each loch we came to we seemed to attract a fair bit of attention from people passing by as they would stop and watch us come in and go out.  Matilda is a very large vessel and as all the other boats we have seen since coming onto this canal are fairly small I can understand the attraction.  We have had many photo's taken of us and lots of people chatting to us as we wait for the water to drop to the lower level.  It is a fun side to life on a barge.  

As we came through the loch at Sarreguemines we asked the eclusier how far to the dock and the shops.  He told us the shop was first and to moor just 300 m down and we could walk to the shop in a few minutes.  We did this and sure enough the supermarket was just up the road and so we all went up to assist Marg with the food and wine gathering.  Back on board again we had lunch before we untied and motored on for another km to the Port du Plaisance where we have settled in for 2 nights.  We have decided that a day in town is needed to see all this lovely village has to offer.

We all walked across the bridge and into town where we left Peter who went in search of a spanner.  Marg and I visited the hairdressers for some much needed attention to the locks and Bill had a wander in the city centre while he waited for us.  Once finished Marg went back to the boat and Bill and I continued to wander through the town until we found a coffee shop with  free wifi.  A hour later we were back on the boat for an evening of quiet reflection on the weeks adventures.  

Right beside the mooring is a park which remains very busy all evening with a variety of people doing all kinds of things.  Kids playing soccer, riding their bikes, playing on the flying fox playground equipment.  Lots of people walking their dogs and a large group of people playing Bocce.  Other people just come and sit by the canal and chat to each other and of course at every little bit of spare bank there is the fisherman, kitted out as usual in full camouflage gear.  Still haven't figured out who they are hiding from!  With all these people around I expected it to be a very noisy place but this was not the case and it wasn't long before we were all off to bed for a reasonably early night.

And tomorrow we shall explore.