Time to leave

Now it is time to head up river and leave Le Arsenal’ behind and let the future adventures begin. With a book on the French lock system in hand and a large cumbersome map of France, we reach a consensus that upon exiting the lock of the le Arsenal and entering the Seine we should turn. …left.

The locks of the Seine are large and manned by mostly unseen personnel stationed in towers at each lock. We share the locks with large river barge traffic (some are 100 meters in length), always trying to give them a wide berth and the right of way that they earn due to their size. But we must share and we do. We radio the towers speaking the only words we really have mastered in the French language, Je nais le parle pas francais. I do not speak French. They usually respond they don’t speak English, but we always managed somehow. Forward and upriver we go.

Upper Seine with Paris behind at our back

First night up river

Severance all decked out for locks

I believe I have not mentioned the number of locks to the Med. Well if you guessed 300 you win.

We hang a right at St. Mammes off the Seine unto the Canaux du Loing and the Canaux de Briare. 103 km and 50 locks lie ahead in this section of the crossing. Doing the calculus in your head one quickly figures, slow going and going slow.

Posted by Jim