July 12, Chaumont to Foulain
With our ailing handrail tied to the handrail on the aft deck, we set off for Foulain at 8 a.m. We planned a short day today, going only 13k and through 8 locks and only under 1 drawbridge. Our plan is to stay in Foulain tonight, go to Rolampont tomorrow – another short day of 14k and 7 locks, and onto Langres the next day, another short day – to be in position for the BIG tunnel the following day. Apparently all the boats line up in order of arrival for the tunnel, and set out at 8 a.m.
So far there has been very little traffic on this canal, which is a blessing since portions are too narrow to pass. Sometimes the sides of the canal have stone walls which look to be about eight feet high. (photo). It was an uneventful day as we went higher and higher into the forest.
We tied up at a lovely little place alongside fields and a small cemetery. We bicycled into the village and found a bakery, butcher shop (both closed – it is Wednesday), and a restaurant in a small hotel, Le Chalet. We decided to have lunch there and it was the most incredible meal I have had yet in France! After an aperitif of white wine with strawberry for me and a beer for Dave, we had the same lunch – first a wonderful duck pate – smooth and creamy, the kind that melts in your mouth, served with a glass of sauterne. Next was a fish course – fish bits served on skewers – scallops, different kinds of white fish in a lemon butter sauce; then a mouth watering, tender and succulent filet of beef in a morille sauce, a bottle of Cotes-de-Rhone wine, some cheeses, and for dessert - cassis sorbet. Each course was more wonderful than the last and all complimenting the other. We waddled on our bikes back to the boat where we took our books to nap.
About 6:00 we decided to wash the boat with the (yet unused) deck pump, which pumps water out of the canal into a hose. It is a bit strange to wash something with water that is brown when you are finished, but the boat was bright and sparkly anyway. Everything – and I mean everything – goes into the canals here. And people actually swim in them!
Afterwards we hopped again on our bikes and went in search of the chateau that was featured on the map. The chateau turned out to be new construction in the shape of a chateau, but it was just the size of a very small house (perhaps it should be called a chateaulette), it did have a wonderful feature of a lock gate that allowed a stream to flow under the house – or not. On the way back to the boat I stopped at the small cemetery – they have two places that have water spigots and watering cans and, again, most of the graves were beautifully maintained and groomed.
Lunch had satisfied us for the day so we had a bottle of wine instead of dinner and enjoyed the sunset and peace and quiet.