The Seine to the Marne: Paris – Lagny-sur-Marne – Meaux.

Tuesday 29 May to Wednesday 6 June 2018.

67 kilometers (including the Seine cruise), 8 locks, 2 tunnels.

As mentioned previously, the primary reason for our visit to Paris was so that Lynn and Durban friends, Dave and Joelle Bates, could spend a couple of days at Roland Garos enjoying some tennis which they duly did watching the likes of Kevin Anderson, Del Potro, Serena Williams, Simona Halep and Dominic Thiem amongst others.

Kevin Anderson of South Africa.

Before the Bates arrived we took a stroll down to the Cathedral of Notre Dame and, seeing the hordes queuing up to gain entrance, we decided to take in a coffee and do some people watching followed by a saunter down the artists-made-famous Boulevard St Germain; compensation for missing out on the interior of the famous Notre Dame was made in some way by the lovely interior of one of Paris’ oldest churches, the Église de Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

The queue.

The Église de Saint-Germain-des-Prés

The hot and humid weather drove us back to the comfort of Elle to be entertained by the many small groups of citizens who make the Gardens of the Arsenal their lunchtime gathering place.

The view from the saloon window.

Even the suits enjoy a lunch break.

Absolutely no comment!

While the tennis trio did what tennis trios do there was housekeeping (bills have to be paid) and maintenance to be done and the sultry weather was not an inducement to sight-seeing – the one day on which I did take a long walk I forgot to take the camera along! But I did get to see Parisians exercising their right of free speech - these groups were pro-immigrants and the speeches were in French (for African immigrants) and Arabic...

A large police presence.

Some random pics...

Nice little garden.

Quite a lawn.

We are sunking?

This pic would not rotate left - plaques indicating the various flood levels in the Arsenal.
The top one was the flood of 1910.

This name had us floored until Joelle explained that
a Phoque is a seal in French.

Sunday 3 June – Paris to Lagny-sur-Marne. 50 kilometers, 5 locks, 1 tunnel, 6 hours 55 minutes.

One way to experience Paris is by boat on the Seine which we duly did quite early on the most beautiful morning imaginable and at a time when the tour boats (‘bateaux mouches’) were not yet about to torment us on our downstream journey – but they made up for it on our return upstream!

Pont Neuf - the oldest bridge in Paris.

Musee de'Orsay

Pont de la Concorde

The little Liberty - a gift from the USA.

Then it was on to the Marne on which navigation at the town of Neuilly-sur-Marne had been halted for a big rowing regatta except during the competitors’ lunch break from twelve-fifteen to two – we made it through the closed area just in time, exiting at one fifty-nine.

Lagny-sur-Marne is a pleasant small town and well worth visiting even although our exploring day was a Monday when everything was shut.

Free mooring, electricity €3 for 24 hours, water €3 for 24 hours.

The port-side square.

Sculptures by Jacques Servières made from the stones of an old aqueduct
destroyed during WW2.

Notre-Dame des Ardents et St Pierre - founded
by an Irish priest in 650AD.

Our guests enjoying Confit de Canard.

A pleasant surprise was to discover that one of the charcuteries on the square was the winner of the 2018 (and 2017) award for the best ‘jambon blanc’ (boiled ham) in France and so, as soon as they opened the next morning, a few slices were purchased and enjoyed for lunch – delicious.

Tuesday 5 June – Lagny-sur-Marne to Meaux. 17 kilometers, 3 locks, 1 tunnel, 2hours 40 minutes.

In scattered rain we cast off and headed up the Marne until we reached the eleven kilometre long canalised cutting which ended at the city of Meaux – unfortunately the municipal port has been closed for repair and will only be opening on 1 July, and the private port was full so we tied up against a bank which had perfectly placed bollards.

Lock-keeper's office.

Locking into Meaux.

The weather cleared and we walked into the very attractive city centre, dominated by the massive Meaux Cathedral and episcopal palace. Adjourning the tourist office was a small museum dedicated to the history of the famous Brie de Meaux cheese and where we enjoyed a tasting of the traditional soft brie as well as an introduction to the well-aged black brie (twelve to twenty four weeks maturation as opposed to six to eight weeks for the traditional). This black brie is very hard with and crumbles well – it is used in salads and virtually anywhere one would use mozzarella.

Meaux cathedral.

Gardens of the episcopal  palace.

Not only famous for cheese.

Our last afternoon in Meaux was spent doing a quick cycle around town, a visit to the magnificently vaulted cathedral,

Incredible stone masonry.

enjoying sundowners on the square and dining aboard Elle on baguettes, Lagny-sur-Marne ham with Pommery mustard, Brie de Meaux, lettuce from the garden and some good (and not so good) wine.

Views about Meaux may differ but the city has everything to offer from a sandy beach, lots of small, shop-filled roads, a lot of history and a well stocked chandlery - whatever floats your boat.

A petanque terrain or 'boulodrome'.

The beach.

This could be a tropical island.