By the time we finished our Pre-Cruise Checklist and cast off, the swans were awake and the morning mist was gone. It was going to be a beautiful day on the water.
On the northern edge of Joigny, an arched bridge marks the beginning of a detour. North of here, the Yonne is too shallow for boats to pass. A giant ditch, kilometres long, was dug to bypass the shallow stretch. It’s called a “Dérivation.” Why they didn’t call it a canal is beyond me as that is exactly what it is. Like a canal, it’s narrow and the speed limit is 6 km/h. On the Yonne itself, the speed limit is way higher than what Aleau could even dream of reaching.
On the left in the photo below, is a dam. On the right is the entrance to the lock. They have recently changed the CEVNI signs from ones with a large, easy-to-read arrow head – to ones with tiny arrowheads. If you haven’t figured out which way to go before the arrowhead is visible, you’re in serious trouble. Don’t ask me why they changed the sign from a highly-visible one to one that is potentially dangerous. Maybe the decision was made by a bureaucrat who has never been on the water.
By lunchtime, we were again tied up in Villeneuve-sur-Yonne – hoping that the new engine-start batteries we had installed when we were here three weeks earlier would continue to work.
On our last visit here, we ate at a riverside restaurant less than 100-metres from Aleau. (See Chapter 171.) This time, we had lunch at one less than 100-metres in opposite direction. It overlooked a lock and from the outside, it looked like an old schoolhouse.
Inside, I don’t think any schoolhouses looked like this.
As I took a photo of the can-can dancers, Jeannie sat patiently waiting for me.
Then the Menu arrived.
Here’s what we chose:
Velouté de Courgettes
Emincé de Volaille au Curry
Filet de Merlu avec Crème de Poivron
I’m sure we had dessert – but once again, it disappeared before I could get a shot.
The next morning, we entered the lock below the windows of the “schoolhouse” restaurant. When you’re this close to the sign, you can actually make out the arrowhead. Any farther away, well, good luck.
At least it had a floating pontoon to make going down in the sloping-sides lock easier.
In case you’re curious, here is one of the few remaining old CEVNI signs with a much easier to see arrowhead. Why did they get rid of them?
By the end of the day, we were in Sens. We loved this city and were looking forward to our second visit. We moored where we were last time – although facing in the opposite direction. This time we were going downstream. (The Yonne empties into the Seine.)
It would be impossible to say what was the best meal we’ve had in France – but lunch at La Madeleine in Sens would certainly be near the top – if not right at the top!
It sits at the edge of the Yonne – clearly visible when approaching by barge from the south. On foot, it’s a little trickier as it is not at ground level – easy to walk by while looking for the entrance. It’s hidden behind the car that’s parked there. (We approached on foot from the opposite direction. The raised deck was not visible.)
You can see why La Madeleine is much easier to see when approaching by barge. The outdoor seating area is gorgeous – but it wasn’t open the day we were there. Rain was in the forecast.
Even though we had to stay inside, we had a good view of where had just come from as we headed down the Yonne. (There really is a glass wall between us and the deck.)
Lunch started with an amuse-bouche – on skewers and in a bowl.
Then some “imitation” caviar – whatever that means.
Of course, our bread plate was constantly refilled. Flaky shortbread with poppy seeds and Comité cheese, a “cigar stub” of smoked trout wrapped in Nori (seaweed) and another delicious bite whose ingredient we have forgotten.
Something highly unusual for France… We were given butter for our bread. A large package of salted and of unsalted.
And then the real food started arriving – beginning with an Entrée. The ingredients are a well-guarded secret. (Which means we forgot to write them down.)
And another Entrée. Canadian lobster Parmentier in a lobster bisque with dollops of creamy mashed-potatoes.
One Plat. Pan-fried fois gras in a chicken stock with skinny Enoki mushrooms.
The other plat. Cochon Noir (Black pig) made three ways: blood pudding; pork belly; and chorizo.
Dessert – or should I say Desserts? Starting with chocolate truffles filled with pistachio ice cream.
Followed by Panna Cotta
Followed by more desserts. (The chef obviously knew how to get great reviews from me.) The first, warm French-figs with crumbled shortbread, peanut ice-cream, salted caramel sorbet, and chocolate sorbet.
Followed by molten chocolate with cherry coulis.
Followed by a cheese course. (The chef obviously knew how to get great reviews from Jeannie.)
Followed by more desserts – Fromage blanc topped with apricot preserve.
Lunch wasn’t over yet. Since the restaurant is called “La Madeleine,” we were each given two.
The biggest surprise was when we went to pay the bill. The amount was not the surprise. For what we got, we thought €161 was entirely reasonable. The surprise was the gift-box we were given as we left. We carried it all the way back to Aleau trying to guess what might be inside.
Inside, the butter from our table. Salted and unsalted. Enough to last us for awhile. It was probably the best meal we have ever had.
