Alsace & Lorraine 5th day Xouaxange

After an early start at 7am we really had something to look forward to today, We would be met by a nurse at Garrebourg who would carry out our Covid PCR tests in readiness for our return to the UK. On the way we met this rather unusual craft as well as passing under a magnificent brick bridge with spans over the canal, river and road.

Our mooring at Garrebourg was right at the bottom of the incline plane but that would be later. Following a visit from the nurse who took all the samples we went ashore to visit Cristal Lehrer Bruno to see a demonstration of crystal glass work.

The owner of the factory demonstrating glass engraving. He gave the finished glass to the shortest lady in the group.

Glass blowing and making figurines, just a small demonstration team with kilns

 

We returned to the boat and waited our turn to ascend, several hire boats came down while we waited. There is only one caisson which travels up and down on rails counterbalanced by concrete/iron weights.. If you want to know more about the incline plane then please follow this LINK The plane bypassed a a long flight of locks

                       This old barge is sitting on a plot of land as a static dry display.  

The canal section above the plane is relatively new and was dug at the same time the incline plane was built and in several places concrete is used to support the banks of the cutting. Thankfully this section is quite straight as it is only just  wide enough for 2 boats of this size to pass and its where we met the sister ship to MV Madeleine.

 

		The lady captain

She is a bit unusual having a Female boat crew both captain and deck hand. Once we had passed our deck hand had to shout and wave instructions to the oncoming boats as we approached the bend, sitting and waiting for us to pass on the bend was not an option. The big boats are in radio contact but private  and hire boats aren’t.

From here it was not far to  the Arzviller Tunnel,  on the way we passed a rotary stop lock that can be closed if the canal suffered a breach. The  old line of the canal with all the locks that bypass the incline plane joins the new section of canal just before the tunnel entrance. 

The tunnel is one way operation we had a bit of a wait to enter. Traffic is controlled by a traffic light system the same as used to control the entry into locks. Inside the tunnel the railway lines are still in place along the tow path, the full length of the tunnel is illuminated by small amber LED lights. I would expect these to be quite new and there was quite a high failure rate.

 

 

This tunnel is followed by a second shorter one Niderviller Tunnel and then on to Xouaxange where we moored for the night right in front of some motorhomes who had parked up canal side. This was one of the few times we needed to use the gangplank.
Here we had a bit of a game of Boules, I tried it but the others were getting a bit too serious and competitive for my liking so we left them to it.

 

After diner we were treated to a lovely sunset.