Canal du Centre -Paray Le Monial/Blanzy/St Ledger sur Dheune/Santenay/Fragnes

Tuesday 18^th April

40.5km/8 hours/16 locks (no stop for lunch)

Paray le Monial PK 102 to Blanzy PK 61.5

We had an epic day today, a really long, tiring day but we were pleased to find a space for us at Blanzy.  The boulangerie we normally go to at Blanzy had closed down but there was another one over the bridge.  We bought a baguette, plus some chocolate mousse cakes, and they were delicious.

I'm pleased I had a warm hat and gloves to wear, it was freezing!

I love the Herons that we see along the way

Wednesday 19^th April

Blanzy PK 61.5 to St Ledger-sur-Dheune PK33

32km/26 locks/7.5hrs (no stop for lunch)

When we woke up this morning there was ice on the the roof.  It was a lovely sunny day again but there was a very strong, cold wind that persisted throughout the day.

It was a lot of locks to do in one day, we had a lock keeper with us for some of them.  We had 7 locks going up and then 19 locks going down.  Some of the down locks are deep ones, 5m, but are easy as they have floating bollards.

We were really tired when we got to St Ledger but we were pleased to find mooring near the hire boat centre, a very nice mooring.

Thursday 20^th April 

St Ledger PK 33 to Santenay PK25.5

8km/4 locks/2hrs

It was quite noisy when we were in bed during the night with the shlip shlopping of the water against the bow of Rangali, due to the wind whipping up the water.

It was another very cold day, and really windy which made getting into the locks a bit tricky and really cold.  So we were really pleased to be having a short days travel, as it was way too cold.

We really like the mooring at Santenay, so we stayed two nights.

Our view from the galley window...perfect!

We walked into Santenay for lunch at Le Terroir, highly recommended 

So many wine growers in Santenay

Still one of our favourite moorings even though we can't get a tv signal

Santenay

Saturday 22^nd April

SantenayPK25.3 to Fragnes PK8

27km/11 locks/4hrs 20mins

We left our mooring at 8.20am and got to the first lock just after 9am.  As we were in the shade, and it got cold again last night, the wheelhouse was freezing first thing.  Luckily it soon warmed up once we got going.

Remigny a small town between Santenay and Chagnuy
it over looks all the vineyards on the hill, a really beautiful spot

There was a small cruiser already in the first lock and it was going down but the lock keeper must have told them that they would have to share the rest of the locks with us because they were waiting for us at the next lock.  Our lock keeper took us al the way to Fragnes, he was so helpful with the ropes, pulling the blue cord to activate the lock, etc.  He was so smiley too, which makes such a difference.

We felt sorry for this cruiser as it had to wait for us at each lock

Floating bollads - One of these caught me out a few days ago.  Just when the lock had almost finished emptying, my rope got caught, by mistake, on the t piece on my centre bollard and as the floating bollards float pretty high at the bottom of the lock we had to cut the rope to free it up, luckily Kev could cut it right near the end, so the rope is still useable 

Rully Chateau in the distance

There was lots of space at Fragnes and we decided to stay for two nights.  Unfortunately the restaurant was closed until 2nd May.  It was closed two years ago in August when were last here, we're not very lucky.

Fragnes, a very nice mooring with a very friendly Captainaire