Cruise Summer 1992
To the Mediterranean through the rivers and canals
of France
Having bought "Essex Girl" a Dutch built 36ft steel cruiser with this cruise in mind, and others in the future, we planned our first expedition with some relish, and in early June, Helen and myself, accompanied by my good friend Paul, we set off for a night passage to Calais. We were blessed with good weather, and after catching up on our sleep on a vistor mooring in the outer harbour, as soon as the sea lock opened we headed inland. At this point lady luck decided to deal a bad hand, when we learned that a bridge further up the Calais canal was broken and there was only 2m chearance. So with heavy hearts we put to sea again and trundled in a rather lollopy sea to Gravlines where we bade farewell to Paul, and stayed overnight at the club before entering the river Aa (surely the shortest river name in the world!). Next day we were up bright and early and headed south and east towards Paris. We didn't really know how long it would take, commercial traffic taking priority over pleasure boats in the locks. As it happened it took about 10 days at a fairly leisurely pace.
 
                                                       
                                                                                                               Yachtharbour Gravlines           Boat lift Fontinettes                  St Quentin Tunnel                     Statue of Liberty




We stayed for 10 days in  Paris, at the Arsenal Marina close to the Place de la Bastille. We were able to renew our acquaintance with my old school penfrien Jean and his family.  The we were off again up the Haut Seine towards Burgundy.

                                           
                                                                                                          Paris Arsenal                   Eiffel Tower                  Place du Tertre        Sloping locks R Yonne  Buddied with a barge  First small lock Bourgogne

 The locks in the rivr Yonne were a shock, the walls slope at 45 deg angle - difficult to handle, so we plied a barge skipper with beer, and laid alongside him in the locks.
The Bougogne canal was a scenic treasure. The tunnel at the watershed at  Pouilly en Auxois was vaulted and rather low, but due to the low water level we passed through with ease, then it was downhill all the way to Dijon.

                                                       
                                                                                                                          Skipper makes a plan              Cooling off                       Tunnel cut                   Can we make it?              Charming Dijon

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