Barging around in France…the river

“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.”
~Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows

I’ve read about people who live, full or part time, on barges (houseboats to some) and travel on the European canals.  It sounds like something that would be wonderful, but with our lack of experience with boats, probably out of reach.  It is, however, on our dream list of things to do some day.  This trip to France gave us that chance to not only spend a short time on a barge, but to meet another online friend and fellow writer and her husband.

We were thrilled when Sandra said she and Neville would be near Dijon while we were in Melisey.  “Near” is in this case a relative term.  They were near compared to Chicago or England, but still about 2 1/2 hours from us.  We thought that trip might be longer when the river was so high that the mooring they’d planned to use was covered, but we set out in the morning with borrowed cell phone in purse (ours wouldn’t work properly in France, no matter what Verizon had told us) so that we could get in touch for the final arrangements.

A call, in Sandra’s lovely English tones, told us the water was down enough, which cut half an hour or so off our trip and we arrived a bit after noon.  The river was in full spate but lovely.

We spotted their boat and headed down to meet them.

The barge seemed amazingly spacious and my organizing heart loved the way every bit space was put to use.  There was room for a master bedroom, a large living room (below) and a compact kitchen below.  Up where we entered was the wheelhouse (if that’s the correct term) and a table with seating around the sides and back.  The center part of the table could be folded down and access gained to the guest room at the stern of the boat with it’s two single beds.  The outside of the barge was quite cheerful, especially with addition of pots of colorful flowers.

We had a lovely lunch, accompanied in my case by a bottle of Old Peculiar beer.  Bill had some Speckled Hen.  Of course, a photo was obligatory and since Neville had a timer, we were able to get a picture of all four of us.  Thanks, Sandra, for letting my use your photo.  We are, from left to right:  Neville, Sandra, Janet and Bill.

Then it was out onto the Saône River, a tributary of the better-known Rhone and our chance to barge around a tiny bit of France.  It was quiet and relaxing with plenty time to see the sights as we went slowly past.  The sun was finally out and the day warm but not too hot, perfect weather for relaxing on the river with new friends.

Sandra had some dried bread, so when we came across some swans, she tossed some out and they made their stately way over for a snack.

Tomorrow:  the canal.  To read more about Sandra’s and Neville’s barging adventures or to read Sandra’s excellent writing, click on the highlighted link.

“Take the adventure, heed the call, now ere the irrevocable moment passes! ‘Tis but a banging of the door behind you, a blithesome step forward, and you are out of your old life and into the new!”
~Kenneth Grahame