Lucy-sur-Yonne to Chevroches back to Lucy sur-Yonne

As expected last night we had a good storm, It was so bad all the goats in the field just along the canal got out. We walked down to see them before our excursion and boy, did they stink. Well so I am told as I can’t smell them . We had an uneventful ride to Vézelay. Parking the minibus at the bottom of the hill we were pleased we were doing the climb to the Abbey along the narrow streets in the morning rather after lunch, on  the way we passed a couple of water fountains, I didn’t try them.

Inside the Abbe we wandered round and were able to spot some Mason Marks in the stone. It is not until you are inside you realise just how big it is, one of the masons had a bit of fun creating some mice at the bottom of a pillar.

    At one point there is a rather battered cross attached to the wall. The story is below.

We went down into the Crypt with its rugged rock floor, just bare bedrock with no finish or covering, the ceiling is painted to look like bricks, most of the building would have been painted at one time,

The vault above which is behind a heavy metal grill contains relics of Mary Magdalen

We parted company with Mathew when we left the Abbey, he went down to collect the minibus and would meet us at a pre arranged time at the bus stop so not so far to walk, thankfully we had time to visit a café for a swift pint and a wee. On our way down we passed an old well, it is still in water and has a very faint inscription above it

  We were all down at the bus stop at the allotted time and Mathew soon came into view with the minibus to whisk us back to the barge for lunch.

  Then we had another change or plan, we couldn’t cruise to Chevroches  because of the hot weather and low water levels, so we would do another three locks to Coulanges-sur-Yonne where we could wind (turn round) ready for next weeks trip back to Auxerre and return back here to Lucy to moor at our last night on board. Coulanges-sur-Yonne we fond the Barge that was moored ahead of us earlier in the week moored up there, but still plenty of room for us to turn.

On our way we passed another stretch where the canal and river were only separated by a wall, as well as a mile stone and a small Lavoir or wash house, we also passed another newly installed  paddle and rymer weir. This is a very historic way to control water flow that the VNF have brought into the 21 century .

There was a rather well preserved Lavoir right beside where we were moored back in Lucy-sur-Yonne, it even has a fire place in it for winter time, it faces the river, not the canal.

After we were moored up we had a little time to explore Lucy before the Captain's Diner. Mathew was officially our Captain but Frank our piolet who steered the boat. Mathew acting as deck hand but running all activities of the week, so it was Mathew having dinner with us. We found a couple of village pumps and went inside the church, which was very plan inside with lots of rough stone work.

This really was the end of our holiday, bags all packed and ready to go.

Next morning after breakfast our at 9am our taxi turned up, this time all seats faced forwards, much better. In less than an hour we were back in Auxerre where our holiday started and on our way to Paris. Paris traffic wise was a nightmare with closed roads with no warning for some festival. Our Taxi finally arrived back at the Hotel Windsor to drop us and one of the other couples off, the third couple were off to the airport. We caught the Metro back to Gare de l'Est and then a very short walk (yes we went the right way) back to Gare de Nord.
The checking in process has changed and I think our passports were scanned 4 times before we could get to the departure lounge, It was hot at the station and we had an extra half hour wait for a Technical issue, at least we had a seat unlike the people with priority boarding standing on the bridge.

Next Stop London, click here

A couple of night in London

Merry-sur-Yonne to Lucy-sur-Yonne

Morning we spent cruising up to Lucy-sur-Yonne, The canal sections as well as being quite narrow are very shallow at the edged making meeting other boats slightly tricky, one hirer complained we didn’t pull over far enough but you cant boat within a couple of meters of the bank. Our skipper blew his horn as we approached this bridge but the cruiser kept coming until he saw us.

As we made our way along the canal we passed this large layby now being used as a marina complete with hire boats.

We also passed this property way in the distance, it looks almost like a small village or large Chateau  surrounded by fields. There were other Chateaus much closer.

We finally reached Lucy-sur-Yonne and moored for the night just prior to the road bridge, this carried very little traffic as the towpath side seemed to just consist of a park .

After lunch we went to visit Château de Bazoches in the minibus, the journey was quite bendy but not overly narrow, a lorry coming down thought it best to straighten the bends and forced us off the road with two wheels in the ditch and the side of the van against the bank. We all clambered out of the drivers door as the passenger door was completely blocked, Luckily  Alix was a 6’4” fittish American and between us pushing back and forth with Mathew driving we managed to get it out and continue our journey unscathed. At the Château we met up with another group from European Waterways to watch the birds of prey demonstration.

The Harris Hawk got the huff and went and sat in a tree but the Kestrel sat on everyone's knee and seemed to love performing, or getting treats. The Barn Owl is a spinster and has killed every mate she has been introduced to.

The Chateau was turned into a dwelling from a fortification by local lad made good, Vauban, The moot laid to gardens but the old drawbridge still exists. The original

fortification was was build around a pentagonal courtyard, but when it was made into a dwelling it was greatly extended. A TV series about Vauban was made here. the rooms contain their original furniture including two small cannons that were toys, these actually work.  

The present occupant and the latest adult member of the family is very interested in there family tree and coats of arms, to this end he has had miniature coats of arms made of all he can trace which spells out the family tree. Here Mathew is talking us through it

There are also models of some of Vauban greatest fortifications on display, well know for the angular walls to give greater fire coverage.

From the area we were in we could see  on another hill the location of tomorrows excursion and due to the afternoon heat it was felt better do do that in the morning rather than the afternoon. We returned to the barge without incident and after diner Diana and I walked over the bridge to the church, they have mounted lights in the windows behind the stained glass so at night it glows.

The sky said we were in for a storm and a visit out on deck before bed we could see lightening  all around. The storm didn’t hit us until we were a bed and asleep, they told us about it next morning.