Barging on ANJA

On leaving Nancy we had intended to join the Canal des Vosges, otherwise known as the "Canal de l'Est Branche Sud" (East Canal, Southern Branch). We were already aware that we needed to make a detour to get onto it because the section near Nancy is closed until 2012. However by word of mouth, later checked with lock-keepers (there was no specific notice on the VNF web site) we discovered that the middle section of the canal is closed. This news of closure changes our plans as we had intended to do a circuit south down that canal and North up the "Canal from the Marne to the Saone". We were told that the canal embankement had collapsed and that work on it would not be finished until the end of August, which is too late for us.

Ironically, the collapse is at a town called "Charmes" which we had already noticed in the canal guide. It is described as being a town without notable charm, understandable when its history is discovered. In the 14th century its people suffered a plague and famine; it was burnt down in the 15th century, and most of its inhabitants killed during one of the regular wars in that part of the country; it was similarly affected during the 17th century and during the 1st and 2nd World Wars. Now it has a collapsed canal, probably the least of its many problems but nevertheless affecting the economy since a large number of boats would normally travel down that way and a proportion of them would stop to visit and buy provisions.

The good news for us personally is that we are at a crossroads of canals so can reorganise our plans to go to a different area. Perhaps we can get back here next year. The bad news is that David had organised some bolts to be sent "Poste Restante" to a post office along the route. We were trying to anticipate where we would be a week after ordering them. So today, having received an email from "La Poste" that they had been delivered, he caught two trains each way to the town of Epinal to collect them. As he had chosen a Post Office close to the canal not to the train station he had a fair way to walk to reach the right one. He located the PO all right but then they could not find the package as the PO was being renovated and they were squeezed into a small temporary location! All the staff at the Post Office were involved in searching high and low (filing cabinets, drawers, shelves....). At last it all came together for him to catch the two trains back and arrive at the barge four and a half hours later. Still, if we had travelled by barge it would have taken us a week.

We needed the bolts because strange noises from the engine room proved to be some damaged bolts connecting the gearbox to the drive shaft (which turns the propellor). A previous owner had stripped the bolts and they were very insecure. David made very temporary repairs while we were descending a lock and then we limped out and tied up to bollards nearby. Another 45minutes of grease filled labour saw us on our way again. We were able to order the American thread bolts from a French company and had them sent to the Post Office.

Pictures show:

Cathedral window Nancy

Old loom

Sled for sliding timber down hills to canals

NancyCathedral organ- over 4,000 pipes!

Nancy Gardens

Nancy buildings and town square& night time

Best Regards,

Penny and Dave