Monday 11th April 2011 Champagne – Cusey. 24kms 14 locks

From a bygone era, a tow rope pulley.

Clear blue sky, hazy high clouds later, warm and sunny with just a light breeze. Set off at 9.10 a.m. The VNF cement mixer car had gone past on the towpath around 8.30 a.m. This morning the warblers were very loud. It was only about 1km to lock 35 Beaumont (2.90m) The zapper worked and no need to lift the blue rod, back to armchair boating. A lovely cherry tree was in full bloom next to the (inhabited) lock house. 800m to lock 34 Dampierre (2.90m). The village of the same name was spread out along a ridge to left of the canal. The first house martins of the year appeared. Up the lock without a hitch. 2.6kms to the next. Above lock 34 the canal went through a short, shallow, stone-lined cutting. As we passed through the village, Licey-sur-Vingeanne, there were stacked timbers on both banks of the canal next to a sawmill. 

An old lock cabin, lock 32 Fontenelle

The lock of the same name followed, lock 33 Licey (3.40m). The VNF lady with the cement mixer car was looking at a run off weir below lock 33, she got in her noisy car and went off back down the towpath, waving as she went past us. An old man with a long grey beard and wearing shorts, came on to the lockside as we went into the chamber of 33. We could see a boat moored above the lock and thought he was waiting to come down. No, he lived on the boat (and in the lockhouse, which was being renovated) he said, a small DB called La Bricole with a Belgian flag. 2.2kms to Fontenelle lock 32 (2.90m). This one had been automated a long time ago, so no sophisticated zapping (yet). I lifted the blue rod. The lock house was lived in and had the shell of a new lock cabin alongside it. 2.2kms to lock 31 Fontaine-Française (2.90m) which was linked to the previous lock so it was ready for us.

Former engine shed for diesel tractors used many years ago
 for towing dumb barges

 Up the lock no problems after I lifted the blue rod. The lock house was empty and, again, a shell of a new lock cabin stood next to the house. There was a strong smell of onions. A short pound of 900m lead to lock 30 Lalau (3.40m). There were a dozen or more large dead fish floating, wonder what killed so many fish? Past a double headlamp radar (one for up and one for down). There were dozens more little fish dead in the lock chamber. I lifted the pole. A short distance to lock 29 St Seine (3.40m) and we could see it had two red lights – en panne – out of order, with a LeBoat sitting in the full chamber, so I rang the top lock. A woman answered and said she would send someone. First boat we’d seen all day and the lock has broken down! We left lock 30 so that didn’t go en panne too and sat alongside the towpath to wait. 

Restaurant by lock 26 St Maurice

A van pulled up by the lock but it wasn’t VNF (electricians). Ten minutes later the lady with the cement mixer car arrived and sorted the hire boat’s lock. We lost about twenty minutes altogether. The hireboat was the LeBoat with a Swiss flag that we saw going uphill the day before. There were three men on it, one videoing as they passed us. Mike asked how long they had been waiting but got blank looks as they didn’t speak English. Our lady keeper worked the lock for us. As we were leaving I asked what the hirers did. Unbelievably, by mistake, they had lifted the red rod - the emergency stop! It was 12.15 p.m. We wished her bon appetit. The lockhouse was lived in and well used by a family. 2.7kms to lock 28 Pouilly (3.50m). I made lunch. The lock was zapper operated so we were back to armchair boating. The lockhouse at 28 was empty. On through another shallow cutting with a fragrant field of flowering colza on our left on the start of a 3.9kms pound leading to lock 27 Villeneuve (3.60m). Again the lockhouse looked empty, although there were still curtains at the upstairs windows. 1.2kms to lock 26 St Maurice (3.60m) again zapper operated. 

Welcome to Champagne-Ardennes

There was a little restaurant (Le p’tit fringale) in a long shed alongside the lockhouse with lots of chairs and tables under a shady awning. It was 1.55 p.m. so lunch must have been over as there was no one around. 1.4kms to lock 25 Romagne (3.40m) the zapper worked everything. Lockhouse lived in. 2.1kms to lock 24 Bec (3.0m) armchair boating. We passed two VNF workmen (one to work and one to watch) cutting a branch with a chainshaw as we started along a lovely section that had trees along both banks, reminiscent of the Midi. The lockhouse at Bec was a really nice modernised one with two cars outside. We left the top at 3.45 p.m. with 1km to go to our chosen mooring spot at Cusey. 

Welcome to Haute-Marne

Another big field of perfumed colza on our left. We moored next to a piled edge by the towpath/cycle path at 4.10 p.m. with a gap in the trees for the satellite. Mike lifted the solar panel to face the sun. I gave him a hand to unload the moped off the roof and, after setting the TV up, he went to move the car from Champagne to Langres. It was 4.55 p.m. He paused on the road opposite and said there was a new mooring on the apex of the bend with taps and electric posts. The water wasn’t turned on, so probably no electric either. I wasn’t going to move anyway! Empty péniche Wacho came past heading uphill with his wheelhouse down at 5.20 p.m.