Sunday 1 June 2014

17 days in Roanne!


Sunday 1st June
Roanne Marina

We have spent a very pleasant 17 days at Roanne Marina.  The town isn’t especially pretty but it has everything you need within walking distance.  The marina is great and the long term barge residents have been so friendly and have made us feel very welcome.  To date we have joined in with 3 Thursday evening drinks get togethers at L'Authentique a bar at the port, a Chinese buffet lunch at a local restaurant, and a Sunday boules match.

Kev and I took a day trip by train to Lyon and had a great day.  1 hour 20 minutes on the slow train from Roanne to Lyon, (and 1 hour on the fast train for the return journey).  At Lyon we used the tramway to get us near to Vieux Lyon and we then walked across the bridges that go over The Rhône and the River Saône.  It was a very windy day and it looked like it wouldn’t have been much fun on the rivers that day. 

Marcia and Charlie drove from Nevers one day to come and see us and we went back to the Chinese in Mably for lunch, because it was so good and great value.

Glynwen and Roger onboard Etholle (a Piper Barge) arrived in Roanne a couple of days after us, and we have had a really great time getting to know them, sharing a few bottles of wine/beer/coffee/tea, and they have very kindly taken us out on a few trips in their car.  The countryside around Roanne is beautiful, we will certainly enjoy having our car here next time we come to Roanne.  We are hoping they will have room for us at the marina for winter 2015.

We are setting off tomorrow (Monday) back along the Canal de Roanne à Digoin and towards Chalon-sur-Soane.  We will take it slowly to stop longer in some of the towns along the canal de Roanne to explore the area on our bikes.  We’ve really enjoyed our extended stay here but are now looking forward to moving again.


A Sunday Boules match, our third time ever playing
We were in a team of 6 (mixed nationalities) against 6 Belgiums
The French speaking Belgiums did such a great job coaching us we beat them!

Lyon
The river Sôane


Lyon City

It was very, very windy during our first week in Roanne.
We wouldn't have moved anywhere during that time
so we were glad to be safely moored in the Port.


Chateau de la Roche on the river Loire



The same Chateau before The Loire was dammed
Glynwen and Roger from Etholle (another Piper Barge)
They kindly drove us there, too far to ride on our bikes

A bit of exercise for us one day
cycling to Villerest



Villerest Barrage on the River Loire
the picture is from the internet
We cycled there from Roanne about a 10 mile round trip

Villerest



A sunny evening at Roanne

A Porsche gathering at Roanne Port
This car park has also been used by a Circus and a Motor Stunt Show
Next week there is an Aquarium show arriving with performing Seals!
The Circus had elephants and a Tiger among other various animals,
very sad to see this is still happening in France
We didn't go and see the show

Cycle race at Roanne Port

Just before the cyclists set off



No comments:

Post a Comment