Right then, France.

Bonjour reader.

Fresh back from our trip of some hot boating.

The holiday was to south west France, where we all picked the boat up from Le Mas-d' Agenais, which is about 63 miles south east of Bordeaux.

This trip you might remember is a repeat of the trip eight of us took six years ago to the Burgundy region.

So for anyone thinking of doing something similar I would say that firstly you have to be good friends, secondly although eight people is a lot but also recommended as that makes plenty of hands on deck for duties and thirdly it helps to be a bit deaf, as the walls of the boat, well walls is putting it a bit strong, partitions on the boat are made of the same material as a fag packet, all sorts of noises.....

But we were all good friends and I am pleased to report that we all still are.

We set off on the canal which runs parallel to the River Garonne and was in spate after recent heavy rain.  We went south east towards the town of Agen.  

The first few days were overcast and I borrowed a down jacket, but this didn't last and soon the sun came out and by golly didn't we know about it then.

Avenues of plane trees.

So below is our bedroom, a double, big enough for one.  I am actually standing with my back against the cabin (cell) opposite, we had a tiny window that opened and a small rackedy fan.  Really a good idea to stay on good terms with your spouse

Our cabin, marginally bigger than the bed.

An odd pose but here David was hanging onto Lesley to make sure she stayed upright and dry.

The crew from L to R Joe, Andy, Lesley, David Lewis (ex Boat Sharer), Amanda and our superb captain Sarah.  All of us NB owners. 

This was the first day the sun came out, I think it was 32C, I was happy to walk between these spaced out locks under the trees.

Aqueduct over the Garonne river and into Agen. 

Nice shady trees.

Pretty rolling hills somewhere in SE France.

Another of the Garonne river, wide and fast flowing.

Lisa & Amanda sporting our new hats and by golly we were glad of them.

The Boat, David Lewis on the stern rope duty position.

A tricky manoeuvre to raise the fenders before we went into much narrower locks. 

After reaching Valance, we all went to the market to buy cheese and veg.  Cheese and wine played a large part of this holiday... Later from Valance we retraced our steps in the sweltering heat for the next couple of days and reached Buzet-sur Baise, that is Buzet on the river Baise.  Here there is a staircase flight manned by a lock keeper, down onto the river Baise.

First town we came to was Vianne.  Anyone interested in French-English C13th history might be interested to read

 HERE

that it was built by the English when we ruled much of France, the town flag has three lions on it still.  You can stand in the centre and see the four gates and the fortified wall all around.   

The church was locked by the time I got there and I would have loved a poke about in there but no.

Approaching Vianne on the river, the lock is on the left and the free visitor moorings in the background with water, rubbish and leckkie. 

One of the gateways and the town wall superbly preserved.

David Lewis, David and Joe.

Too hot to sit up on deck for lunch so we cuddled up inside.

We had one coat between us, it was his turn to wear it.  He's being naughty standing on the seat.

Messing about on the river...

Our final town to visit was Nerac.  Anyone read Chocolat by Jane Harris?

HERE

Well she visited Nerac as a child and wrote book later, its another ancient town with the old centre pretty much unchanged.  

Out of shot is a high modern bridge over the river.  We four cuddled together to do a selfie including the boat behind and David's arm tipped Amanda's new hat over and it fluttered down onto the river, narrowly missing landing on a departing trip boat that was heading for Toulouse!  We all ran down and down to the river where all available hands jumped into action untying the ropes and pushing the boat out to rescue it before it sank. 

The splendid hat.  It survived.

That's our boat down there in full sun, I was waiting for David in the shade of the nearby restaurant but I felt my toes burning in the sun

Nerac Castle built in 1555 I think

Pack bridge and the lock beyond.

Nerac felt a bit like a film set in that you could imagine some big drama being filmed there.

All in all a big fun filled holiday with lovely friends, great food as supplied by Amanda and Lesley who created some wonderful dishes, the boat admirably helmed by Sarah, the entire holiday planned by Sarah.

  This was taken just before we all departed and suddenly the largest boat in the fleet looks a bit on the small size....

 

   

Leicester.... Don't stop there for gods sake

We left the moorings and toddled off alone today.  Lots of double locks today without a buddy to share with.

Again most of them we had to turn first, much cooler today thank goodness.

Kings Lock and the charming tea rooms here, but not open today.

Last section before Leicester.  Two non English speaking guys here were kind enough to close the gates for me.

The last lock coming into view.

We dropped down from the last lock on the river aiming for the city centre we spied a gap on the "Long Straight" as I call the city moorings.

Now Reader perhaps you have been to Leicester by narrowboat but if not it carries a reputation of trouble.

 

We pulled into the moorings and David went to ask the chap on the boat in front if it was alright here.  The chap replied that he had only stopped for lunch and that it is not good to stop here overnight and with that they undid their ropes and chugged away.  This left a widebeam moored in front of us at a distance and a shorter NB behind us which was bedecked with flowers.

So obviously we stayed,  I was whacked and laid down, David brought me a reviving coffee and sandwich.   

Later we walked into town, a stones throw from where we were and went to the Newarke Houses Museum 

HERE

A charming place with Leicester through the ages, I liked the individual shops and the history of the knitting industry here.

 for trouble

I have Camp Coffee on the shelf in my larder!

Much harder to photograph due to the lighting but this is a replica of a First World War trench.

Magazine Gateway also called Newarke Gateway, finished about the year 1400, it's thought that the dead King Richard was returned to Leicester through this gateway.

HERE

It was grey and damp when we came out and the end of the afternoon.  We walked in what we thought was a generally southerly direction looking for a pub to rest in but we didn't see one with comfy seats to rest my weary bones.  None to be had so we went into a hotel and waited for our favourite restaurant in Leicester Kayal to open.  Pineapple Boli and Salmon Mappas later and we waddled back to the boat for an early night.

 

The National Gallery in London has decided to lend some of it's most well known paintings to other cities and for Leicester it's Umbrellas by Renoir.  

Such a treat.

Not Renoir but I'm always drawn to paintings of barges.

Many apologies for it being blurred, can't believe I did that.

A Bronze by Degas.

Leicester knitting industry in the making.

Oh what an even bigger treat ceramics by Picassio.

Photos of Picasso making.

We of course went to the King Richard 3rd Exhibition and its so brilliant.  The building itself, the displays, the wonderful volunteers and the in-depth explanation of the discovery and the actual hole in which the King was found.

Absolutely fascinating and well worth a visit.

It was pouring at the end of the day, we almost went back to Kayal restaurant again but in the end we went to M&S food hall, stocked up and enjoyed prawn salad onboard WaL. 

Leicester Cathedral's Peregrine Falcons

HERE      The parents successfully raised three young this spring, they fledged later in the month.  

Below is the actual spot that King Richard was found, spookily right beneath one letter R in CAR PARK.

He was to the left.

A replica of his crown

His resting place in Leicester Cathedral

From the bridge over the river close to us you could just make out the mooring pontoons of Castle Gardens, when we arrived they were full, when we walked into town this am there was a space, I asked David if he wanted to move WaL onto the secure pontoons, luckily he said no he couldn't be bothered which was just as well as I had no intention of helping.  When we back past there this evening it was full again. 

Another good nights sleep was had that night, we are moving off tomorrow.