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.
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