Canal de la Marne au Rhin (Est): Lutzelbourg to Saverne

8 & 9 May 2017

10 kilometers, 3 hours, 30 minutes (including 30 minutes total waiting for VNF). 9 locks.

Cool (8C) and misty conditions envelop us as we see the lock lights change from double red to single red at 08h30 – can they be starting early? Surely not but we pull in lines and scuttle up to the lock praying that one of the many ‘interestingly’ skippered hire-boats do not decide to join us as, in most cases, that adds quite a bit of time (and sometimes damage) to one’s journey. At the lock the light stays stubbornly red so we tie up again and wait patiently until 09h00 when we see the upstream lights go green, three boats enter, the gates close and their light goes red. Ten minutes later the ubiquitous VNF van comes past and parks, the lady lockie hops out, enters the little structure and waves us in and we are on our way.

Country home.

Five locks later we zip in, I grab the blue pole to activate the lock, lose my balance and grab the nearest object to steady myself – unfortunately the ‘object’ was the red emergency pole and it was duly activated stopping any further lock activity. Lynn called the VNF on the intercom and there we waited like muggles for twenty five minutes. Much ‘desoles’ (sorrys) later the lockie started the mechanism and we were on our way through pretty scenery but in cool and misty weather, arriving at Saverne at 12h30. Unless you can get one of the wall places mooring can be interesting, especially in a rising cross breeze. It was a case of reversing between two rows of boats and doing a ninety degree turn and then trying to tie up to a miniscule finger which just had to be upwind. Ahead, astern, bowthrust to avoid being blown into an adjacent Linsson, and more of the same until Lynn had managed to secure two lines and while struggling to fix a spring to stop our bows creating chaos, the port captain arrived and said we could breast up to the Linsson. Gratefully we allowed the wind to blow us onto their starboard side where we made fast!

Glued together!

Note tiny finger on our right.

And our view across the water is majestic!

The view from the saloon window - Rohan Palace.

We pay €30 for two nights including ablutions, water and electricity,

stroll around the nearby funfair

and retreat back to Elle to continue with chores. Despite being a public holiday (VE Day) there are no celebrations at all – maybe it is a sensitive issue with this being an area having a strong German background? Tomorrow we explore Saverne.

Housekeeping: Lynn has been beavering away fitting our new cushion covers, hanging two dozen new curtains which she had made at home and which look great (but which has entailed unhooking and then re-hooking about a million curtain hooks)

Out with the old...

... and in with the new. curtains and covers.

scrubbing grime and algae out of the scuppers, cooking and cleaning – and all this on top of her admiral/deckhand duties. What a gal! We have also replaced one new ceiling light and have two more to do in the galley area but need to buy some brass screws, replaced nine incandescent ceiling light globes with LED’s (100 watts replaced by 7.5 watts) and four to go. The kitchen neon, over-cooker light has been replaced with a bright white/yellow/red LED bar, the ancient cassette recorder has been removed leaving a gaping hole which will be filled temporarily until I can find a piece of teak veneer with which to cover the gap properly,

the Weber braai now has a temperature gauge,

the new depth sounder has been fitted, and the ladder gangplank has a new cover to protect the wooden walkway (which needs re-varnishing already). Lots more yet to do but at least a start has been made.

Tuesday 9 May 2017.

The morning starts off with an early rain shower and temps around 7C but soon clears into a wonderful day. Not being able to offload the bikes without great difficulty, we trundle down the canal path keeping the magnificent pink sandstone facade of the Chateau des Rohan (which strongly reminds me of the Presidential Palace in Buenos Aires) on our left, take a first left and then a left again and we are in Grande Rue with the spacious and gracious Square of the Unicorn just ahead on our left.

Square of the Unicorn

Front entrance to Rohan Palace.

The street is lined with quaint shops, cafes and restaurants interspersed with some real gems like the courtyard of the Mairie (Town Hall)

The entrance to the Mairie is on the right.

This is what is through the arch.

And this.

And this.

and the 12^th Century pink sandstone church.

Shopping entails collecting some wine and pastis from the small Carrefour, some smoked sausage, smoked ham and beef mice (minced right in front of us) from the boucherie

How would you like your meat minced?

before the need for coffee becomes all important. Strolling past flower boxes filled with spring flowers including a variety of magnificent tulips

we select a café and go inside, find a table and enjoy a delicious café lait with fresh croissants. Then 

it is back onto the Grand Rue and over the crest of the hill the demographic changes with chic giving way to pizza outlets, schwama joints, some middle eastern food outlets and recruitment agencies, insurance company shopfronts, and the cinema.

The other side of town.

Crossing the bridge on the southern side of town we are soon back at Elle and Lynn takes a load of washing to the laundromat, and then another, while I set up the Weber and thread elasticated ripcord through our gangplank cover hem.

Wondering where Lynn has gone to I go on deck to hear her in conversation with the inhabitants on the boat behind us, Gewa , a boat we have seen quite a few times but whose owners we have never met. In no time we are introduced to New Zealanders Jon and Terry McMillan and spend quite some time chatting before they set of for Lutzelbourg and an appointment with their sanding machine.

After cuisse Carter we stroll off to a small farmers market being held at the station and come away with some veggies, farm butter, half a loaf of stunning bread and two homemade pork pies for lunch tomorrow. A leisurely beer at the beer garden in the marina, cheese and biscuits for supper and it’s off to bed with a book and an early night. We have a long way to go tomorrow.