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We spent May day weekend at Digoin with a pleasant Dutch couple moored in front of us. We were able to help each other accessing electricity and joining water hoses so that we could reach the water tap to fill the tank. It was a pleasant weekend and then time to explore the Canal de Roanne a Digoin which was a two day trip. It was on that canal that we faced our first deepest single lock (7,19metres) for this boating season. The lock keeper took us through expertly using ground paddles and we were able to move ropes stepping from hook to hook set into the lock wall as we climbed. The next lock did not have ground paddles. The lock keeper opened the paddles on the correct side but too fast and the water gushed in, it was like being on the sea! He came and chatted as we reached the top of the lock and was surprised to learn that the boat weighs 15 tonnes and so holding it into the lock side is not always easy.

A phone call to the Capitannerie (harbour master) at Roanne on the morning of our arrival day meant that he knew exactly where he wanted us to moor in the very spacious port. We were well placed near the town and the indoor market. We had a good few days in the port and enjoyed exploring the town. It was in Roanne that we met an American couple, Bill and Nancy, who also have a web site (Living on a converted barge in France) that we read whilst planning our French adventure. We made acquaintance with Jeff and Jane on a boat called Aquarius and we had further contact with them when we moved on. The day that we intended to move it poured with rain. Taking advantage of not having fixed plans we stayed put and treated ourselves to lunch in a restaurant near the port. In better weather we set off the next day and locked with Jeff and Jane. We were all heading for Digoin. Having already cruised the canal we had identified an ideal overnight mooring at Artaix. There were two other boats that had also moved from Roanne, one of the boats belonging to a whistling Dutch man. We did not recognise any of the tunes but we are sure that he did.

Locking again the next day with Jeff and Jane we arrived at Digoin late afternoon in the rain. Jeff and Jane tried to moor up in the same area but the draught on their boat prohibited that so they moved on to pontoons. Unfortunately Jeff and Jane had a broken satellite dish and as a consequence was without television. With the cup final the next day this was serious! Problem solved, they came and watched it on Idling By. We were fortunate to moor up in exactly the same spot as before so we were able to be nostalgic once again. (see April news page) Leaving Digoin we moved onto the Canal du Centre which does not have closing times for lunch. That gives us a bit more scope to moor when we are ready to moor and to seek out ideal spots. Our first port of call on this canal was Paray le Monial, a lovely mooring well appointed with water and electricity. There were one or two problems with electricity disappearing from time to time but this was the fault of a couple of boats including the boat of the whistling Dutch man who accepted that there was a problem but was unbelieving. The next day he tried to hook up again and once again the electricity was lost to the port. Mr Jacob, the service technician, was very patient and efficient always responding to the phone call and coming to the port to sort things out. He must have recognised Diane's voice by the end of our few days at Paray. At Paray we had daily visits from a family of ducks who had to compete with the cat fish for the bread. With one further overnight stay at Genelard we passed through locks, a swing bridge followed by a lift bridge, arriving at Montceau les Mines early afternoon..

Approaching a pontoon to moor up we could see that either end was very narrow and 'bouncy'. It did not feel very safe stepping off the boat on to the pontoon but because of our position we had no choice. It was a relief to secure the boat with the ropes and then use the centre hatch which gave access to a wider and more stable part of the pontoon. Once again we were guided by the weather and delayed our departure because of a rainy morning. We then discovered that the next day was market day which proved to be worth staying for. A big market with plenty of food stalls, opportunity to fill the fridge with tasty fresh goods.

The next day was not the best boating day that we have had whilst in France. Paul did a lot of humping with a 20 litre jerry can to fill the tank. Finding diesel is not always easy. The tank was low and so it took seven journeys to replenish it (over an hour). Topping up whenever possible is a must especially as we are approaching the river. All the locks were automatic setting things in motion by pulling a cord inside the lock. One problem,.... the bollards to rope up to were not in a suitable position to be able to reach the cord. In the first lock there was no ladder and so we had to reverse out of the lock for Diane to get off the boat. We were back to hooking the rope resting on top of the cratch, roping up and chasing back to the rope once having pulled the cord to operate the lock. As we were climbing it meant getting off the boat each time and not always in the best of circumstances. Nevertheless we arrived safe and sound in Montchannin and managed to find a mooring spot.

Getting ready to move the next morning there was a rap on the boat. A gentleman asked if we could help another boat that was stuck in the canal on top of a car which was underwater. We quickly set ourselves up and started to move down the canal. As we neared the boat we could see that there were police, fire brigade, and VNF personnel. They indicated to us to return to our mooring which we did. Diane later strolled down to see how things were progressing and discovered that it was Nancy and Bill. What a dreadful experience to have. Apparently a young woman had managed to escape from the car which had gone into the water the previous night but had not told anyone. Well, the car was craned out of the water and eventually the canal was open again. We stayed where we were because it was already late morning and there were 19 locks to our next destination. Later that day Jeff and Jane arrived and stayed overnight. They set off early the next day. A bit later we commenced the descent, always easier than climbing in locks. The floating bollards in the deeper locks were very useful. After 19 locks and 18 kms we arrived at St Leger sur Dheune but not without an 'adrenaline moment'. We had lunch at a lovely mooring in St Julien. We started cruising at the agreed time with the lock keeper but when we got to the lock it was against us and there was no sign of the lock keeper. With binoculars we spotted the VNF van and patiently waited. We did ground at one point but managed to float again fairly quickly. After 20 minutes we manoeuvred the boat and Diane got off to try and discover what was happening. As she approached the next lock the lock keeper jumped into the van and came towards our lock. Diane jogged back and was standing by the lock waiting for Idling By. Horror, the boat had listed badly port side and it looked as if the boat was going to keel over. Paul skilfully righted the boat but had also thought that we were going to loose it. The event happened as the lock keeper was filling the lock so it had to be something about the movement of the water forcing the boat onto ground. All is well that ends well and we have found a good little spot in the corner of the port at St Leger where we are staying for the weekend. Destination tomorrow will be Chagny and only four locks to do, very relaxing boating. Meanwhile we will enjoy the sunshine and hope that the good weather continues for our cruising.