One man (and his wife and dog) went to Meaux

Chateau Thierry to Meaux

70 km

6 lock

30 hours

After leaving the large town of Chateau Thierry, it was back to bobbing through small villages and grape vines. We caught our first glimpse of grape pickers. With their bright coloured clothing against the green fields, they looked like a living abacus, moving slowly up the rows.

You can just about make out the grape pickers from this picture which was taken some distance away

By afternoon, we were moored up at Nogent L’Artaud, a small village and, with it being a Sunday, all shops were closed. 

Fantastic selection of shops at Nogent L'artaud - all closed on a Sunday

Genie's Wish was way too big for the mooring and we had to put a plank out for a terrified Oddjob to jump on and off 

The moorings were at the end of a park and as it was hot and sunny it was full of families out enjoying themselves.  By the time we had tied the boat up and put the kettle on there were half a dozen people with their faces pressed up against the windows. Neither of us felt very sociable that day so we closed the kitchen blinds and ignored them.

An early morning visit from a guy wielding a petrol strimmer got us out of bed and on our way.

Next stop was Nanteuil-sur-Marne, too small to be called a village, there were no shops only one small hotel. After tea, we had a wander over to share a bottle of Chateau La Monge, as recommended by the waitress who included home grown cherry tomatoes with gougier cheese puffs fresh from the oven.

Our mooring at Nanteuil-sur-Marne

Our next stop was La Ferte Sous Jouarre.  We had noticed as we were progressing downstream, the river was starting to move more quickly, even at our usual speed it appeared to us as though we were travelling at ramming speed.  The town moorings were located down a side arm and there were a number of buoys indicating which route to take to avoid the rapids.  Holding our breath, we set off through the kayak slalom and somehow managed to avoid being swept away. Breathing again, we moored up and ventured into the town for supplies.

Entrance to the moorings at La Ferte Sous Jouarre. The buoys show the route through the current

The town was really photogenic

Even the street signs were beautiful

And we couldn't resist buying a cake for tea

There was an English barge on the moorings and the chap popped across to see us later that night.  Apparently, he had heard from a friend of a friend that a lock on the Seine had been damaged and the Seine would be closed until the end of the month.  We would be able to get into the marina in Paris but we may have to alter our plans for our journey.

Onwards to Saint Jean-Les Deux Jumeaux.  The weather was absolutely glorious and after lunch it was a change into shorts and t-shirts and out on to the staging to sun bathe. 

Our mooring at Saint Jean-Les Deux Jumeaux

The first place to offer pump out facilities. All free as long as you have your own equipment

Fishing is a serious pastime over here and they make things as comfortable as possible. Whilst meandering along we came across what looked like floating garden sheds, each more cosy than the last. Fishing huts are one thing, but we could not believe our eyes at the old three story slide and diving board we passed. It was sadly out of use now as the plastic chute was missing, but I imagined back in the 60s or 70s it would have been fantastic.

 

I would have loved to have a go on this in its heyday

By mid-afternoon we arrived at Meaux.  Once again the river proved treacherous to our narrowboat and misjudging the current we crash landed onto the pontoon, luckily no damage was done to either the boat or the staging.  Our Danish neighbour hadn’t been so lucky and had split his own pontoon in two.

Can you see the sign showing the way to avoid the weir?

Can you see it now?

Exiting a lock is like being on the log-flume at Blackpool Pleasure Beach

The small sign gives the direction to the moorings, we didn't see it from the boat and had to ask for directions

Our mooring in Meaux

Moorings in Nogent L’Artaud

Cost: Free

Facilities: None

Location: Local shops five minutes walk away. Train station with direct route to Paris five minutes walk away

Moorings in Nanteuil-sur-Marne

Cost: Free

Facilities: Water and electricity both free

Location: One hotel two minutes walk away

Moorings in La Ferte Sous Jouarre

Cost: Free

Facilities: Water and electricity both free

Location: Town centre with a very good selection of shops, bars and restaurants five minutes walk away

Moorings in Saint Jean-Les Deux Jumeaux

Cost: Free

Facilities: Water and electricity both free

Location: Small village with a few shops including a boulangarie five minutes walk away

Moorings in Meaux

Cost: €4 per night payable at tourist information, as we arrived after 5pm and left at 8am it was free for us.

Facilities: Water and electricity both included in the €4 charge (but available)

Location: Large town with a good selection of shops, bars and restaurants

Dormans Reuil OK

Cumieres to Chateau Thierry

46 km

4 locks
12 hours

After setting off from Cumieres in the early morning, it was a leisurely cruise before we reached Reuil for lunch, a cute little place without a shop to its name. The free moorings were charming too, but you would need a ferris wheel of cable to reach the electrical box and a fireman’s hose for the water tap. Luckily, we didn’t need either. We had lunch and moved on.

Oddjob Reuil's OK (sulking after his bath)

Utilities a very long way from the staging

Our mooring in Reuil

It was late afternoon by the time we arrived at Dormans. Mooring behind an English couple, the chap walked over and asked why we were flying a French flag. Tracy explained that it was a courtesy flag. At this, I took the opportunity to ask why his ensign was blue and not red like mine.

“Blue is Royal Navy and can only be flown by those who have been in its service. Red is Merchant Navy and is for the rest of you” he said.

“You need to read a book on flags to save you looking like an idiot” he added.

A bit strong, I thought, for someone who didn’t know what a courtesy flag was. Only the English could be elitist about flags.

A short walk across a large bridge took you straight into the heart of the town. We grabbed a loaf and headed back quick in case Mr Flagsnob decided to untie us. Then to the first three bars of three blind mice ringing out repeatedly every fifteen minutes and a freight train every thirty, we cooked tea and settled down for the evening.

Our mooring at Dormans

Dormans town just across the river

The following morning, the fog on the river looked like a steam bath. Once more we took a trip into the town, this time for phone and wifi (pronounced weefee here) credit. Activating this is a job in itself when you don’t speak the language. I find the best way to do this is to make sure you have French folk close by, then put your phone on loud speak before you begin. When the automated service begins, you get a whole load of people unable to resist barking out the buttons to press.

All's not what it seems!

When we returned, the fog had almost cleared and we were on our way once more.

Mid-afternoon we headed into Chateau Thierry.  This was a shock to the system as we had been bobbing along through genteel champagne villages and then without warning were suddenly in the midst of a large multi-cultural town.

Our first mooring in Chateau Thierry, we moved later that same day as the wall was too high for Oddjob to negotiate

Our Oddjob friendly mooring in Chateau Thierry (including steps)

A spider's web and I'm caught in the middle

Eventually defeating the spider

As all the amenities were close by, it was a good excuse to top up with fuel and hunt down someone who sold coal as the nights were starting to get a little chilly.

As there are very few places along the canals and rivers to get fuel, a bike and a jerry can are vital

We had met a couple of French chaps, Robert and Patrick, a few kilometers back. They had hired a boat and were novices in operating a lock.  We helped them with their ropes and as Robert had studied in Bath a few years ago he could speak perfect English and so we had a good old chinwag too.

We were really pleased to wake up to find Robert and Patrick had moored behind us and after walking us to the launderette we asked Robert if he knew where we were likely to get coal. 

I will find out he said and the next day his Landrover was waiting on the mooring to take me to a local coal yard, what a lovely chap (thanks Robert and Patrick).

Robert (the French George Clooney) and Patrick

At the coalyard. Don't let the outward frailness fool you, the lady sat at the desk hauled 25kg like it was a bag of sugar

Robert also shared some of his knowledge of French wine with us as we haven’t a clue about these things (we hope it wasn’t a comment on the couple of bottles of red we gave him as thanks!). For those who are interested we have included this information at the bottom.

We spent a few days in Chateau Thierry and whilst there had a walk up to the medieval chateau.  The chateau was set immediately above the city and the vista was wonderful, especially after all the steps we had climbed.

Views from the top

 

Oddjob keeping guard at the Chateau

We noticed across the valley an unusual monument and so in the mood for a good long walk set off.  Up, up and up we climbed seemingly forever before eventually arriving at the monument which was built by the Americans after the First World War and which commemorates a number of US army divisions who liberated and held various villages in Aisne and Marne.

The monument was truly enormous and incorporated the stars and stripes in the design.  We thought we were alone and were enjoying wandering about in this beautiful secluded spot when high up in the monument itself we came across a couple getting very amorous.  We made our apologies and slowly backed away not wanting to alarm them.

We had a lovely picnic washed down with a bottle of red wine before making our descent back into Chateau Thierry.

Robert’s advice on French wine

2005 – a really good year but may not be available in supermarkets

2009 – a good year and should be readily available

Distinguishing quality:

Grand Cru Classe – Top quality wines and is the first press of the grapes.

Cru bourgeois – Taken from the second press of the grapes

Appelation Controle – Third press of the grapes and is readily available and affordable.

Vin de Table – Fourth press and the cheapest and lowest quality wines.

Moorings in Reuil

Cost: Free

Facilities: Water and electricity both free but a long distance from the staging

Location: Beautiful rural location but no shops in the village.  One bar but was closed when we were there.

Moorings in Dormans

Cost: €2 per day

Facilities: Water and electricity both €3.10 per day (or bundle for €7.20 per day included mooring, water and electricity)

Location: Short walk across the bridge into the town where there was a large supermarket and a good selection of other shops available.

Moorings in Chateau Thierry

Cost: Free

Facilities: None

Location: Supermarket and launderette 5 minutes walk.  Town centre with variety of shops (and hairdressers where Tracy had a haircut) 15 minute walk. Cinema also in town centre but all films are dubbed into French.