Staying the night
Each day we travel we need to plan ahead to decide where to spend the night, the eternal problem for nomads. Often there is a town or village which we are keen to visit. At other times it is more a matter of finding a safe and convenient mooring en route to a destination. Because it is necessary to give the eclusiers information about when and where we are stopping for the night, we need to plan ahead.
Many villages have provided a "Halte Nautique" with bollards and a grassy bank, sometimes with electricity and water provided. These are very pleasant places to spend the night in a rural setting and are a perfect place to spend a night. In larger towns the moorings are often more controlled and it is more common to charge for the night's stay. The price so far has varied from about 8 euros to 20 euros. Often electricity and water are an additional expense. In some towns one can choose to stay free without extras or pay to have them. We are fairly self- sufficient for electricity and have large water tanks so we do not need to seek the paid stops. On average we have paid for one night each week.
The canal guide typically shows where there are bollards, quays and "ports de plaisance" (marinas) as well as features of the town or village close by. We have not found any area to be so full that we could not fit in. No doubt as the summer progresses we will experience this problem.
At times no proper stopping place is available but it is possible to find an isolated bollard or simply a grassy bank that we can put stakes into. The stakes need to be hammered in very hard if there is much traffic expected. Last year we found ourselves pulled off the bank by a hotel barge becaseu the water is sucked out as a heavy barge progresses. This year we have stronger stakes (about 8 times the holding strength), put them in with more vigour and where possible choose a spot where there is a tree or stump we can tie to as well.
David always prefers to be near a village where there is a boulangerie so that he can get his morning fix of baguette. Failing that we have to plan our lunchtime stop with care so that he can get the bread then. Fortunately the canal guide indicates which villages have boulangeries. It is up to David to follow his nose and the trail of 7am shoppers to find the actual premises. He often brings the bread back still warm from the oven. What a delight.
Attached are a few pictures of stopping places. The best so far was Santanay, with a panoramic view to a 500m hill covered in prestige grape vines.
Best Regards,
Penny and Dave
