We all got up at 7 am for coffee before setting off on our morning adventure. At 7:30, Florian led our party through the streets to the local boulangerie where we watched the baker making bread rolls. We later went to the front of the store to buy our bread supplies for breakfast and each selected a treat. Once back aboard the barge breakfast was prepared and we sat down to another delicious continental breakfast with today’s fresh baking.
Sailing was planned to be about 10km with 9 locks to Savern. I walked with Louise and Arlo on the towpath while most of the others rode on bicycles. We stopped at the first lock to watch the barge arrive and the lock operation. Interestingly, the lock seemed to know that our boat was coming and prepared itself for the arrival. Then proceded ahead a couple more locks for the exercise before going aboard.
We had lunch once we arrived at Savern and docked opposite a park with a grand building looking like a small version of the Château de Versailles. Lunch consisted of Caesar salad followed by raspberries in jelly and a sorbet. We had an idea to split the group since several of us would rather visit castle ruins rather than another art museum in the afternoon. Our tour guide was reluctant and suggested options which led to a very heated and embarrassing discussion and the options being vetoed by Alison’s parents. In the end, we all set off to tour La Petite Pierre, which was a pretty village built as a walled fortress on top of a hill. We also entered a church which had long been used simultaneously by both Protestant and Catholic. Those of us who did not want to continue to the museum returned to the barge and rested. While the others continued to view the museum containing 500 pieces of Rene Lalique glass.
When everyone returned to the boat at 6:30, a trio of jazz musicians played for us on the deck and we enjoyed the music together with drinks and canapes in the warm evening sun. Eventually, we returned inside for dinner consisting of smoked mackerel, guinea fowl and a lemon flavoured dessert. Once again dinner finished late, but we were less tired. Several of us decided to walk off our large meal by going 10 minutes into the town.
Chris's Wanderings 