Latest Adventures
Canal de Roanne s Digoin – Artaix to Digoin
Wednesday 13th June Artaix to Digoin We had arranged a lockie for 0930 at the first lock, so got going about 09.10. The weather was perfect for boating – Not too hot and not raining. The first three locks were close together and operated by a young female...
Canal de Roanne a Digoin – Roanne to Briennon
Monday 11th June Roanne to Briennon Our departure day. Raining. Karen returned the ablution keys to the Capitainerie while I disconnected the shore power. Lowered our awning and radar arch in preparation for the low bridges. We left at about 10.45 and did a short...
Roanne 2018
Wednesday 30th May And at last I am back aboard Shangri La in Roanne! It is always a bit of a trek to get back on board, but this time it was exacerbated by the French rail strike. I had booked my flight from London to Lyon some time ago for Monday 28th ,...
Vegan Barging in France
Regular readers might be aware that Karen and I follow a plant-based diet, which can be tricky at times, but possibly more so while vegan barging in France. It has become easier over time, and we eat very well on board! Shangri-La has a wonderfully equipped galley and...
Plans for 2018
Planning for 2018 – This is quite a traumatic post to write! Originally our thoughts were to continue along the Canal Lateral a la Loire, join into the River Seine and head to Paris. Someone said to me one absolutely has to cruise through Paris on one’s own...
Roanne – preparing to winter
Wednesday 9th to Tuesday 15th August Roanne The marina at Roanne turned out to be surprisingly large, and with also then surprisingly little to offer in the way of marine supplies and services! There is a large community of live-aboard boaters moored here, with a bit...
Canal de Roanne a Digoin
Sunday 6th to Tuesday 8th August 2017 Briennon to Roanne We were getting very close to the end of our trip so the pressure to get moving was less. And we only had a short way to go to Roanne so decided to spend the morning here in Briennon and head off after lunch. I...
Canal de Roanne a Digoin
Friday 4th to Saturday 5th August 2017. Digoin to Bourg-le-Compte (Wild Stop) Another lovely but hot day on the Canal de Roanne a Digoin. Yesterday, while visiting the aquaduct, we had spoken to the lockie at the next lock, which it seemed was manned all the...
Canal du Centre – Digoin
Tuesday 1st to Thursday 3rd August Paray to Digoin This part of the trip along the Canal du Centre was an easy boating day - 11 kms and 3 locks (vertical drop of 7 metres). We had arranged a 1000 start with Alain the VNF lockie, so all the locks were set for us...
Canal du Centre – Paray-le-Monial
Saturday 29 to Monday 31 July Genelard to Paray-le-Monial Another early start. We got going about 08.45, to be at the first lock at 09.00. We traveled together with a New Zealand boat all the way to Paray. Made it quite easy as they were ahead and entered to locks...