Le Guetin and time with barge ‘Rachel’ to Decize
Posted by contentedsouls on 14/08/2016
We moored as planned, for once, at Le Guetin where Malcolm and Annette caught us up. En route, this little beauty passed us – just look at the way the cabin lines echo the hull. Stunning and we hovered mid- channel for long enough to admire each others’ taste and take photos. It always comes down to the same thing though; if it’s your home, do you want to stand outside and admire it, or live in it? Still gorgeous.
It being a Saturday, and therefore no ‘plat du jour’ available, I managed to (easily) persuade everybody to try la/le Grenouille for lunch – a place I spotted when we came through before and sited out of town on the old canal. There were frogs everywhere (including legs), but none on our inclusive menus. We sat out in the sun for a beer first and the food was colourful and good. I’d definitely go there again.
Now what I haven’t mentioned is that Charlie and Misty also reside on Rachel, so they moored with a couple of boats between to give the three cats some space. I couldn’t get good photos but they are gorgeous.
The Loire is almost a puddle now, compared to when we came through before – there’s still one hell of a current on it though. I saw my first ever Bee Eaters there.
There was a ‘do’ on outside the moorings in the evening, which we wandered down to, but we couldn’t enjoy it as we were being eaten alive by mossies, so we gave it up.
We set off up the deep staircase locks and across the aqueduct first and then I jumped off and ran back across to take pictures of Rachel coming up and across
This was lovely to see too – one of the old Loire boats
When we arrived at Decize there was a free weekend music festival on – couldn’t turn that one down
Sadly for us, this was the parting of the ways as they continued along the Lateral a la Loire whilst we stayed for G to drive to Paris to fetch his sister and brother-in-law from Australia. Then we would hang a left across the Loire and then a right, up the Nivernais canal.
contentedsouls 
brina said
I have been admiring lots of lovely old Dutch boats over here through London and on the Lee
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Kevin TOO said
I’m glad to see that you’re not having to minimise your living standards unlike some of us poor folks here in the UK… LOL
Keep up the good work and keep the excellent photos coming, goodness knows I really do need some cheering up!! 😉
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contentedsouls said
That’s confused me – I thought I had only just this second managed to publish it! Had terrible wifi problems
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paula said
Hopefully see you on the Nivernais.
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contentedsouls said
What is your route Paula? Where are you and which way are you going?
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paula said
We are currently at Chitry les Mines . Then slow time to Decize and then full steam to Roanne for Winter.
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contentedsouls said
Currently in Chatillon en Bazois and have to stay here tomorrow to drive dog back to vet in Decize for 4.00pm appointment (Wednesday). Heading for Baye on Thursday – let’s make sure we meet. What is the name/type of your boat?
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paula said
We are a wide beam blue and cream called Den Within Willows. In this hot weather we keep driving up to Baye for a picnic, if we do in the next few days and we see you around we’ll give you a shout and say hello. Have fun. My blog is The other side of Den Within Willows.
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andywindy said
I dunno,Kevin TOO, I really don’t think their living standards are that high at present. LOOK they’re reduced to eating off roofing slates, they can’t afford to go to anywhere that uses real plates!
That boat looks really nice Jill, though I suspect that the headroom in the centre would be quite low?
I do like that last pic Jill, though it must be the smallest Lighthouse I’ve seen for Years!!
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contentedsouls said
Joking apart, the fall in the exchange rate is hurting!
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andywindy said
I’ve noticed the drop, we had €1.21 to £1 begining of June and €1.13 to 1.14 today!
At this rate it’ll be eating off cardboard for you then! It’ll go back up in a while, probably as soon as the Brexit terms have been finalised and people like me realise it may not be as bad as we thought financially. Still think we’d be better off in but willing to be proved wrong by time. Easy for me to say, I’m not having to live with the consequences over there like you are.
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