And so it is that we arrive at last in St Jean de Losne, our
chosen spot for overwintering this year. Another 3138.5 nautical miles, 389 engine hours and three
countries covered this season!
The Gare d’Eau in St Jean is accessed by turning right after
the fuel dock and ducking under a low stone bridge. The basin is quite large but reasonably
shallow… with the depth alarm squeaking we edge onto the first pontoon at H2O
check in and then move to our new base on B pontoon. It’s a lovely spot with two islands to break
the wind and a promenade right round and a nice grassy dog dosing strip… perfect
for doggy morning walks. Only gripe is
the “duck house” shower block closes in the winter making for a cold hike to
the office for ablutions… and as it’s not open on Sunday’s, well you can figure
out the rest! Interestingly we are the
only people to use the facilities at all… again you can figure out the rest!
I am sure there are many things I have missed out in the
above but rest assured our days are pretty full with given we also walk twice a
day with Bramble!
The countryside is flat around here but there are some excellent varied walks (canals, river, fields and woods) and it never gets boring. Only thing we can complain about it the weather… it’s very gloomy and bitterly cold at times… by January we are raring to get to the med and warmer climes… oh to wear a pair of shorts again, let alone swim in the sea!!
Anyway it is February now and we are due to leave shortly and make our way down the Rhone…
So long St Jean and all who reside here - thanks for helping make the winter more bearable J
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| At last a switchboard where we know what does what! |
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| Dreak day again... |
We often get asked what we do in the winter. Well usually there is a list of jobs a mile
long of maintenance and modifications for a start but this year there will be
plenty of time for all the other activities on offer. The joys of a large ex-pat barging community!
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| My secondhand brandnew handmade Canadian snow boots! |
Monday
Monday morning walk (never went, we walk way too much as it is!)
Franglaise- a get together where English speaking folk grapple with the French language and the French show us how easy it is to speak a second language. Not for the faint hearted or shy but enjoyable none the less.
Monday morning walk (never went, we walk way too much as it is!)
Franglaise- a get together where English speaking folk grapple with the French language and the French show us how easy it is to speak a second language. Not for the faint hearted or shy but enjoyable none the less.
Tuesday
Ladies coffee morning and debate – a good laugh and a great way to get to know the other women living on board. The topics are wide ranging and usually descend into a humorous take on life.
Patchwork afternoon – French and English ladies getting to grips with non-perfectionist handcrafts. (Remember it’s handmade it’s OK if it’s a bit wonky!)
Ladies coffee morning and debate – a good laugh and a great way to get to know the other women living on board. The topics are wide ranging and usually descend into a humorous take on life.
Patchwork afternoon – French and English ladies getting to grips with non-perfectionist handcrafts. (Remember it’s handmade it’s OK if it’s a bit wonky!)
Wednesday
Boater information morning coffee and bookswap at the Boat Museum. Great place to while away a couple of hours and pick up some interesting facts and reading material. Often combines with cooking competitions of various concoctions.
T’ai Chi – snap crackle and pop your way to better balance and health.
Boys drinks – a couple of hours in the evening at Café de la Poste setting the world to rights and solving nothing.
Boater information morning coffee and bookswap at the Boat Museum. Great place to while away a couple of hours and pick up some interesting facts and reading material. Often combines with cooking competitions of various concoctions.
T’ai Chi – snap crackle and pop your way to better balance and health.
Boys drinks – a couple of hours in the evening at Café de la Poste setting the world to rights and solving nothing.
Thursday
Card making for those with a need of another craft hit.
Monthly quiz night at the Navigation.
Card making for those with a need of another craft hit.
Monthly quiz night at the Navigation.
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| Not the meeting of St Jean KKK but rather the St Nicolas parade at Christmas |
Friday
More T’ai Chi – got to keep limber in the winter months!
More T’ai Chi – got to keep limber in the winter months!
Saturday
Bookswap again for the faster readers amongst us.
Bookswap again for the faster readers amongst us.
Sunday – a day of rest… thank goodness!
Besides these regular events there are also one-off social
occasions, dinner with other boaters and away missions which all add up to keep
us more than amused.
I am sure there are many things I have missed out in the
above but rest assured our days are pretty full with given we also walk twice a
day with Bramble! The countryside is flat around here but there are some excellent varied walks (canals, river, fields and woods) and it never gets boring. Only thing we can complain about it the weather… it’s very gloomy and bitterly cold at times… by January we are raring to get to the med and warmer climes… oh to wear a pair of shorts again, let alone swim in the sea!!
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| What you in for? A day out at a French market... Doggy heaven; 4kg of live rabbit for 15 euros... |
Still we have enjoyed our time in St Jean and met some great
people, some of whom I am sure we will catch up with again on our travels. As a yacht we are in a minority of one but I
am sure some people will be more than happy to get out on the waves at some
point!
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| The politically correct "Black Peter" who whips naughty kids at Christmas! |
Anyway it is February now and we are due to leave shortly and make our way down the Rhone…
So long St Jean and all who reside here - thanks for helping make the winter more bearable J
For those that are interested… yes we did master French to a
certain degree but it is more difficult than you can possibly imagine!
1 comment:
Love your blogs although not sure we like the weather! Looks very cold. We are in Mexico and being blown to bits - so you can't get it perfect!
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