Canal and river cruising.

Back from a week of canal and river cruising on a houseboat in the Burgundy area, on the “Canal du Centre” and on the Saône River. You can see the approximate itinerary on the map below. We were on the canal between Saint-Léger-sur-Dheune and Chalon-sur-Saône, including 11 locks, and then on the river (with one lock).

We, including blogger friend Alain and one of his friends, could have chosen another week weather-wise, the spring feeling would probably have been better felt a week later, it was a bit chilly and grey. One advantage was that we were among the first cruisers of the year with no waiting time for locking etc..

Here are first some pictures from the canal part, which means a bit of exercise, jumping on the quays for berthing etc., but also a lot of time to admire the surrounding landscape.  Being in a wine area, we stopped for some tasting here and there and spent a first night at Chagny (with a three-star restaurant – “Lameloise” – which we just admired from the outside).

At Chalon-sur-Saône you reach the River Saône, much wider than the canal, with some commercial traffic. You meet some barges and some large cruising ships…

… but the surrounding banks still offer nice views…

… including a lot of birds.

The overnight stops can be made in medium-sized, nice towns like Chalon-sur-Saône, Tournus and finally at our destination, Mâcon, all with a long history and many landmarks, of course including churches and cathedrals, some dating from the 11^th or 12^th centuries. Among other photos here below, you may note some from the “Hôtel Dieu” at Tournus, a 17th century hospital which now also houses a museum dedicated to the painter Greuze, born at Tournus.

Fortunately, there were some good signs of the approaching spring.

Here are some sights from the boat, early mornings or evenings.

Alain, who is an experienced skipper, let me manoeuver from time to time, which could be made outside or – more often - inside.