Saturday 12th July
It has been raining all this week and we are still at Pargny-sur-Saulx. Jo, Stephanie, Vi and Allan arrived from the UK yesterday. Today was cloudy but the rain finally stopped and we drove to Bar-le-Duc. This town is famous for three things. 1. The birthplace of Pierre Michaux inventor of the bicycle.  2. The “Transi” statue by Ligier Richier depicting the Prince of Orange killed in the siege of St Dizier in 1544. His wife wanted him represented how he would look 3 years after his death.  3. Redcurrant jam. The currants are deseeded using a goose quill but at 15 euro for a very small jar we did not taste any. In the evening we had a jolly meal at the L’ Ancre d’ Or which is conveniently situated at the end of the moorings.

Our guests arrive bringing Champagne

The Prince of Orange 3 years after his death

Redcurrant jam. A favourite of Alfred Hitchcock

Sunday 13th July
Today we moved upstream to Revigny-sur-Ornain. To activate the last 4 locks we needed a remote controller, normally we would have collected this at the first lock of the canal but there were none available the day we came through. An off duty lock keeper (who was feeding his pigs) said he would contact the on duty keeper to meet us at the first of the four locks and give us a controller. We arrived at the lock to find the gates shut and no keeper. It was too windy to hold the barge in mid canal and we reversed down to a factory quay and moored up just as the heavens opened.  Only problem was we could no longer see the lock to know when the keeper arrived. Jo volunteered to walk to the lock, which meant scrambling through thick undergrowth, up an embankment and across a railway bridge, all in the pouring rain. L rang the VNF office to tell them we were waiting at the lock and when Jo got onto the railway bridge she signalled that the lock gates were open. We moved up into the lock and collected a very wet Jo. Eventually the lock keeper arrived with a controller and we were able to complete our journey.

Only L. out on deck

Monday 14th July
The sun reappeared at last and we moved on to Fains–les-Sources. The quay was full but we were able to moor on the bank. We had hoped for some Bastille Day festivities but could tell from all the spent fireworks that they had happened on Sunday night.

The sun finally returns

Jo cycling back for the car

Our mooring at Fains les Sources

Wednesday 16th July
Our guests left yesterday and we have stayed put to take advantage of the good weather to do the laundry and clean the boat, inside and out. D. decided it was time for his annual French haircut. He had the complete works, short back and sides, beard, eyebrows and ear trim.

A queue at the swing bridge

D's short back and sides

Friday 18th July
We left Fains-les-Source on Thursday and travelled on to Tronville-en-Barrois. At Bar-le-Duc we passed through 3 lift bridges and created quite a traffic jam! Today we cycled to Ligney-en-Barrois, shopped in the market then had lunch at “La Place des Etoiles”. The food was good but the décor was bizarre. There was an African room, an Indian room and one with an American music and film theme. In the toilets it was the high seas with model sailing ships and 3D underwater pictures. In the afternoon it became very hot reaching the high 30s. D. had a swim to cool off; there are so few boats on this canal he thought it would be okay.  He tried getting back onboard using our rope ladder. It was not easy, we made a few modifications but think we need to have a ridged ladder.

Mooring at Tronville

We are just about to set off by bike when they decide to tarmac the road

Restaurant La Place des Etoiles

D. goes for a swim

Sunday 20th July
We are at Naix-les-Forges. We had several problems with the automatic locks yesterday and progress was slow, luckily it was not as hot as Friday. We arrived in time to get the last space on the quay, three more boats arrived after us; everyone had had problems with the locks. This is an attractive little village and unusually we saw quite a few residents when we walked round it this morning, most villages seem deserted.

Naix les Forges

There are meant to be roman ruins at Naix les Forges. But this is all we could find circa 2010