Finding a place to moor can be as difficult as finding a parking spot in a large city. St. Jean-de-Losne has a population of 1,057. Not very big – but as you can see, there are almost as many boats as people.
A voyage from Chalon-sur-Saône to Auxonne would have been more than we could handle in one day. So after eight hours (non-stop), we decided to spend the night in St. Jean-de-Losne. We had hoped to to tie up at the Quai National – right opposite a choice of restaurants. But that was not to be. By the time we got there, every spot was taken.
We had to go into the Gare d’Eau. Even there, it was crowded. We had to triple raft. No big deal, we’re now used to gently mooring against someone else. Although it meant clambering over two boats to reach land.
That empty spot you see above wasn’t empty when we arrived. Even if it were, Aleau is far too big to fit in. After we were securely tied up, the boat in that spot decided to leave. We had to untie and back up so it could leave. I don’t know what would have happened if we weren’t onboard when it wanted to head out onto the Saône. I guess they would have had to wait until we returned. Parking on the water can be as difficult as on land.
And like being on land, it is vital to read – and pay attention to – the various signs.
Even though there’s 40-metres of available space on the Quai National (plenty of room for Aleau’s 20-metres and where we really wanted to moor and after long trip from Chalon-sur-Saône), the sign says “Don’t even think about it.”
Here’s why. While the spot may be free and look inviting, hotel boats can arrive with no warning and moor alongside that bridge you can see at the top of the photo above. It looks like it’s a long way away – and it is. But the hotel boats are even longer. They can be 110-metres long. Extending right up to the No Mooring sign. Pity the poor boater who seeing a free spot, ignores the sign.
Just how long is 110-metres? Here’s another view – taken from Aleau passing the Quai National on our way back to Auxonne. The angle of the shot makes the photo deceiving. That hotel boat’s bow goes right up to the sign.
Here’s another sign on the Quai National – one that has sparked debate.
Parking limited to three days for boats less than 15-metres long. Does that mean that only boats less than 15-metres are limited to three days – or no boat longer than 15-metres is allowed to moor? The owners of boats less than 15-metres will tell you nothing longer than 15-metres can tie up. The owners of longer boats will say they can moor there with no limit on how long they can stay. While I side with the “Nothing longer than 15-metres” interpretation, there are often boats much longer taking advantage of that prime real-estate. As you will see in the photo below, Aleau included.
We needed to buy fuel before heading back to Auxonne. While white diesel is available 24-hours a day, red diesel is only available when the office at the fuel dock is open. (Never open when you want it to be.) The next morning, a spot on the Quai National opened up and we moored there while we waited for the fuel dock to open.
We made sure to stay well back from the “No Mooring” sign. If that hotel barge were to leave, we wanted to make sure it had plenty of room to manoeuvre.
When we arrived at the fuel dock, a commercial was already alongside.
We have found everyone we have met in France to be extremely polite and always willing to help. The owners of the commercial, a young couple, were no exception. They invited us to raft alongside.
You can see a small “cruiser” just off our starboard bow. They, too, wanted fuel. When I told them how many litres we’d be taking on – they decided to take off. They didn’t want to wait that long!
It’s a tight fit as Jeannie gets Aleau ready to take on fuel. You’ll notice she’s wearing latex gloves. You don’t want to get diesel on your hands – or anywhere else, for that matter.
The owners of the commercial graciously lugged the heavy fuel hoses (Two, one for white and one for red) over their barge and onto to ours. Here, Jeannie is cleaning up the bit of red diesel that spilled. Yup, you’re right, Jeannie does all the hard and dirty work while I just stand there and take pictures.
With both the white and red tanks full, I headed home. “I” because I was alone on Aleau. Jeannie had to drive Peugey back from St. Jean-de-Losne to Auxonne. It was confidence-building to take Aleau through a lock alone – for the first time.
We have learned that in France, kindness is always repaid. Before leaving, Jeannie gave the couple on the commercial a bottle of wine and thanked them for helping us. They didn’t have to. They could have made us wait. But that’s not how it’s done in France. In return, they got a nice bottle of wine to have with dinner. It all balances out in the end.
Back in Auxonne, we barely had time to pack our suitcases before it was time to head to Paris (by train – not barge) on our way for five weeks in Canada. In Paris, we had a lovely meal onboard Wanderlust – another Piper – owned by our friends Dave and Becky. Wanderlust is moored in Arsenal – the beautiful marina at the foot of the Place de la Bastille. It’s where we hope to spend next winter. Fingers crossed. I leave you with this photo taken from the wheelhouse in the middle of dinner.
