Passenger boats are bullies!

Notching up the kilometres as we head downstream at a steady 10km/hour, but two young boys need to rack up a similar mileage as well. Stopped for lunch at Trevoux and moored up under the footbridge and within sight of a playpark. The boys raced off to explore whilst we tidied the ropes, marvelled at the size of passing ships and made lunch.

However, our plan to stay and explore was thwarted by the arrival of a passenger boat which had priority on that mooring and we had to make a hasty departure.

As we approached the city of Lyon the frequency of potential moorings increased and we chose a splendid spot at St Germain au Mont D’Or where the boys could play happily.

Egrets?

The River Saone is wide and peaceful and surrounded by gentle green countryside which is a haven for a wealth of wildlife.  We spotted many birds of prey, heron, egrets and the unusual bright flashes of bee-eater birds.

Reached Tournus and noticed subtle differences in our surroundings : pitched roofs with flat tiles had now become gently sloping roofs with the rounded Roman tiles of the south. Motored through Macon and glimpsed the vines on the distant hills.

Boat traffic is relatively quiet but absolutely enormous : gleaming polished cruise ships 110 metres long and 11 metres wide slide past us whilst similar sized cargo vessels thunder by.

Today's the day

Today’s the day. Breakfast. Life jacket practice. Motorbike loaded. Kids onboard. Engine started and then we waved farewell to our maritime neighbours through the haze we had created and once the worst of the resulting blue fog had lifted we set off down the River Saone.

It was good to be back on the river and moving again and the smiles on our faces said it all.

Everything was going well until we were manoeuvring into the lock at Seurre and lost the use of the bow thruster thanks to a cooling problem with the generator. However, Andy kept Lobelia under control and efficiently changed the impeller as soon as we were through the lock. 

Ready Steady Cast off

School play : Dan the wolf who complained
about an unfair storyline

The last few weeks have been jammed full with barbecues, dogs who steal sausages, fireworks (both from Callum the bereft sausage owner after realising the theft had taken place and also Bastille Day in Auxonne), school plays, sports days, driving, catching up with friends and family in the UK, shopping (baked beans), and endless more driving.
But we now have Andy back with us (tempted by the baked beans perhaps) and the barge is ready to head south tomorrow...

Dan the boule champion of the Old Lock

Farewell gentle frogs of the Old Lock

Rugby Results

Sunday was long and lots of fun.
I felt that the hideously early start was recompensed rather quickly at the rendez-vous. Rather fit gentlemen in rugby kit would arrive and greet anyone they met with two kisses and a kind word. I soon realised that I had stood in a very good place!
The tournament at Besancon was enormous and there was an excellent turn-out of players and supporters alike. In Cal's age group (under 7s) there were 18 teams.
There was some bemusement about the minefield and mine disposal team which lay in the midst of the pitches, but the French do train quite hard and motivation can be found in the strangest of places.

Cal's team had a tough draw. They won their first two matches against Pontarlier and Besancon but then the big guns of age 7 rugby arrived. They lost to Beaune - whom Callum claimed were "awesome" and to Chalon. However, after a long lunch and time to regroup they went on to beat Mulhouse and Tournus.

Callum as Captain gets a try

Unfortunately the results were not good enough to get them into the semi-final and they ended up much lower down the table than expected. But Callum had a great time and we were really proud of him.

Callum is a little Tango

It will be a long day and a big day for Callum tomorrow. We have to leave home at 0630 and deliver Callum to his rugby club so that he can travel on the team bus to Besancon for the final rugby tournament of the season. 'Les Petits Tangos" (because they wear bright orange kit) are reigning champions and much rides on their performance tomorrow.
The bus trip will be entertaining. Click on the link below to hear one of the team songs...

http://ecolederugbyusg.blog4ever.com/blog/lire-article-302588-2314229-une_belle_chanson_pour_le_bus____.html

... I never thought I would be encouraging Callum to sing a Sacha Distel song.

http://ecolederugbyusg.blog4ever.com/blog/index-302588.html

Dan and I will travel in peace to the tournament and cheer from the sidelines. (note to self : research appropriate french phrases of encouragement)

Callum will be returned by bus to Genlis by 1930 and we will pick him up and carry him home - exhausted no doubt.

Brilliant Bilingual Soundbites

The little girl who lives on the boat next door is a sweetie. She is the same age as Callum. She is in Callum's class. She is Callum's great friend and sometimes his arch enemy. I take her to school most afternoons and I listen as she and Callum bicker like an old married couple. But this week he dropped the French momentarily and calmly turned to her and said in English, "If I was an Aztec then I would have sacrificed you by now!" Not your average comment from a 7 year old....