Life on The Waterways of Europe..: Briare on to Sancerre.

Max’s birthday happened… Bill and Min come for dinner…

Briare is a really pretty town with two marinas’/ports but unfortunately due to our draft we had to stay out in the commercial port…which was absolutely fine by us.

Left Briare after a stay of over a week in 35-38 degrees weather. Max got very well looked after by Min and Bill while I was away for a few days,, He was fed and watered every night and headed back to Kiwi Rose on his bike. (We met up again with a lovely Scottish couple along the way this year, Shelia and Alan….he is taking photo.)

And Min’s proof he could still get on his bike at the end of the night.

Before we left Briare we had a really fun night with a chance meeting of old friends and new, Heather & Kent, Americans, (from 3 years ago) and friends of theirs, Alex and Deb. It was a great impromtu night.

And the Girls showing off their pearl bracelets courtesy of Jan Caddey.

Formal picture

the next

morning !!!!!!

Lucy’s brother Billy and partner Pippa arrived and travelled with us for a few days to Sancerre., we set off from Briare, nice cooler weather and cross the aquaduct. Designed by Gustave Eiffel, it spans the wide and slow moving Loire rive by 662metres, and is 11.5m wide.

Max did a little cycle trip from our next stop to suss out the nuclear power plan near by,,,, and he didn’t come back glowing.

After being cocky with our green ping pong ball on top of a fishing rod, we still managed to get well and truly stuck under a bridge,,,couldn’t go back or forward as one of the canopy bars was wedged in the bridge……..so a few rips and tears, but ..its only canvas and can be mended.. Lucy has done a patch up job for now and we will get it sorted later.

Celebrating Pippas Birthday..

Having a day stop to sort out the boat, visitors gone and to start mending the canopy, Annoyed Crying face Rolling on the floor laughing Max dragged me cycling up the hills to Visit the town on Sancerre. The vineyards cover an area o f 6900 acres over many villages along the Loire Valley. There are writings that state the vines were around as far back as 582.

Next to our mooring at Menetreol-sous-Sancerrel , The Hotel/bar/resturant, Le Floroine were we have eaten before,and ate for Pippas’ birthday. The husband and wife team have collected hats for years and yet another one was donated…..