France 1998
This is the first of a series of republished reports of WBOC international visits, which were first reported on the original WBOC website in the year that the report took place. This was first published in 1998.
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The cry went up “Fancy a trip to France”. The reply from five was YES!
From many others it was “I wish!”.
Those boats that went were: Annie Rose; Arwyn; Caroline; Grey Owl and Snapdragon.
For those who had to stay at home and endure those really happy postcards, just before you had to go off to work with comments like “The wine is great, the bread is great and the weather is great…..wish you were here”, here are some of the photos to REALLY make you feel like you should have gone!
Thanks to Dave Smith for the photos and text below. As usual click on the photos for the full size versions. Click again on the photo to return to this page.
Wilderness boats often visit France but this year a club member organised the first group cruise.
In September, Five Wilderness boats met at Dover for the start of a three week trip. Stena staff asked whether we always brought our own lifeboats when using their ferry!
The 5 am sailing arrived at Calais at first light and the convoy (kept in touch by CB radio) used the autoroutes to south of Paris, pausing at the occasional Aire de Repos on the way to Migennes on the River Yonne. Arrangements had been made to park vehicles and trailers at Joe Parfitt’s Boatyard.
The cruise followed the Yonne to Auxerre which is well worth the two-day stop. Then the Canal du Nivernais via Clamecy and up the picturesque Sardy flight to the summit level at Baye and onwards to Decize.
The sight of five little English boats locking together attracted a deal of attention and was much photographed by lock keepers as well as gongoozlers.
The route north was on the Canal Lateral a la Loire (pausing to sample much good food and wine), the Canal de Briare and the Canal du Loing. The ring was completed via the Seine, where locks were shared with large cargo carriers heading for Paris, before returning on the Yonne to Migennes.
All the crews agreed that it had been an excellent trip and are already planning another.
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