St-Dizier, Vitry le Francois, Joinville, Rolampont: Le Canal Entre Champagne et Borgogne

City Gates to Vitry-le-Francois

Many doorways are adorned with these types of stone designs.

The church walls are covered with plaques.  When a person's prayers are answered a donation is made to the church giving thanks.  

Joinville was a pleasant surprise and unexpected treat.  The Qual de Peceaux is called "the little Venice."

Strolling down the alleys of Joinville with medieval houses.

Exploring more of Joinville

Fete de Musique takes place on June 21^st every year for Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year.  Throughout France people play their music as loudly as they wish and no one can complain. Bands set up and play in the squares, street corner, sidewalks, wherever they can find space.  People of all ages come out to eat, drink, dance, socialize, and listen to the music.  It’s a big party.  One band had shirtless men (not a pretty sight) banging on drums and screaming into their microphone.  Other groups were a little better.  I understand that later in the evening the large bandstand in the center of town had decent performers.

We are currently traveling on Le Canal Entre Champagne et Bourgogne.  This area sees almost no barge traffic.  They get one large barge (our size) a month and maybe two small boats a week.  Since there is so little traffic the moss has grown long and thick, trailing along the surface of the water.  It is like sailing thru quicksand.

How would you like to sail thru that?

It is cherry season.  You wonder why I would mention such an obvious fact.  What we didn’t know was that cherry trees grow wild here along the canal.  Julian has been picking cherries (which are beautiful but very tart) and introduced us to the French dessert Clafouti.  Delicious.

We discovered Joinville where we stopped for an evening.  Whenever we enter a new town we go directly to the tourism office to get information about the area.  They were surprised to learn we were from America as they never get tourists from there.  Joinville was an unexpected treat situated where the Champagne region meets Lorraine on the Marne.  .  They have 5000 inhabitants.  We explored the narrow elegant alleys with medieval houses.  After wandering around the old town, visiting the church and listening to the organist practice, we went to the Chateau du Grand Jardin, which is one of only three renaissance gardens in France.  Legend has it that Claude de Lorraine (1496-1550) was a naughty husband.  In order to beg forgiveness from his wife Antoinette de Bourbon for his infidelity, he built this chateau. 

Château du Grand Jardin was built by Claude de Lorraine (1496-1550) to obtain forgiveness of his wife, Antoinette de Bourbon, for his infidelity.

Artwork in the gardens of the Chateau Du Grand Jardin, Joinville

A sculpture we found in the garden.

A beauty roaming around the Chateau.

We took a nice walk in Rolampont where we discovered the remains of an old Roman bridge.  Leaving the next morning (after picking up our mandatory baguettes) we entered the first lock of the day…and got stuck!  We couldn’t move!  At all!  The lock keeper finally allowed some water to flow into the lock.  Whatever our bow was jammed on finally loosened  up and we continue our journey.

French countryside

More beautiful countryside

X-rated gnomes in a garden.  Oh my!

We have been putting in very long days.  Tom and Julian drive the boat 10 hours a day non-stop!  It is a lot of work going in and out of the locks, handling heavy lines and navigating the windy canals.  It takes intense concentration for the person steering, while the line handler must control Rabelo once in the lock so we don’t hit the lock doors front or back.  What do I do?  I cook, clean, laundry, write, review and edit photos, read, paint, and occasionally just relax.  Relaxing is allowed.

Tom and I had a rough hike from Rabello to the boulangerie and back.

It's always fun hearing from friends and family back home.  Writing to me via the blog doesn't work.  I don't get those messages.  Please send me an email directly.  When I have wifi I WILL answer you.