CANAL KNOWLEDGE

It wasn't sensible, our group realised the next morning, to have told that scary barge story while eating dinner, even though our own vessel, a sleeps-seven penichette, was tied securely to a railing which was itself firmly planted several metres in from the bank.

Little wonder that when the nocturnal noises began, our individual imaginations ran riot.

After all it had been raining sullenly for hours and was almost dark when we finally found somewhere to moor; something that didn't look like it would wantonly give up its muddy position and let us float aimlessly away in the night, a la the tale about midnight barge invaders and rogue rope-looseners, which someone later (recklessly) recounted.

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This article continues with details of the woes (and a few joys) as well as the practicalities of barging on a canal in the Ardennes region, north-east France.

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(finishes…)

In broad daylight, our penichette, the Sauville, looked benign and exactly what it was: a reliably sturdy (well, it had to be, given the thrashing people like us gave it on a daily basis) and, yes all right, a pleasurable way to reach places you'd never be able to see any other way.

And to do things you never could elsewhere too, we decided. After all, consider circling at random on a French freeway and see how long you last!

With more time, as many true holiday-makers have, we  should have pushed on much further and had endless practice in 'levez-ing the bassinee' pole at the total of 46 locks over the 106 kilometre length of this canal.

We'd missed out on all that, but what the hell, all good things have to come to an end. At least the next night we all slept more soundly.

©Sally Hammond 2007

(Sally and Gordon Hammond travelled as guests of Champagne/Ardennes Tourism)

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