Today: 4
locks and moving on to the Canal Laterale de la Loire
A late start today (surely we deserved a
lie in?!) after a night in the pouring rain. Filled up the water tanks and
headed off under grey skies – we decided if that continues we’ll make this a
short day.
After two downward locks we have an
unprecedented 19.5km without a lock in sight, but instead were confronted with
the incredible ‘Pont Canal’ – Canal Bridge over the Loire river in Briare.
Spanning 662.69m it was barely 50cm wider than the boat on each side, with
tourists stopped to photograph us the full length. A strong cross wind would
have been disastrous, so fortunately they were but soft breezes ;-) and A drove
brilliantly, averting disaster.
We arrived at the next look to find it closed
and no-one to be seen, so J was put ashore to wake the keeper in his hut and
man the gates while A had to try to do all the rest from afloat! A friendly
passerby took over J’s land duties so we made it through unscathed. After one
more lock, where the keeper was also flogging homemade paté, we picked an early
stopping point with great facilities – again all free, and most importantly a
pizzeria a short walk away (even if it was in the rain)!
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